War's Cross

Annotation

The pro-Calley song "War's Cross" (Skylite # SR-1105) by the Senators, of the country music genre, also compared Calley to the plight of Jesus, as seen on the 7" cover, which showed a soldier struggling to carry a wooden cross. Once again, like many of the songs above, it argued that Calley had only followed orders and therefore should not be held responsible for My Lai: "his orders were to shoot on sight". While being a pro-soldier song, it did not take a pro-government foreign policy or anti-war position, but rather offered a US domestic perspective on the massacre. Released in Tennessee, United States; written by Jerry Free, Jack Rule, and Bettye Orr, and produced by Joel Gentry. The lyrics made an interesting reference to US soldiers being sent to Vietnam in 1954 - the First Indo-China War between the French and Vietnamese took place from around 1946 up to the Geneva Conference in 1954. From that point onwards the US Eisenhower administration attached American foreign policy to preserving the Southern part of Vietnam and so US involvement started from around 1954-1955.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — My Lai & Lt. William Calley Songs

The pro-Calley song "War's Cross" (Skylite # SR-1105) by the Senators, of the country music genre, also compared Calley to the plight of Jesus, as seen on the 7" cover, which showed a soldier struggling to carry a wooden cross. Once again, like many of the songs above, it argued that Calley had only followed orders and therefore should not be held responsible for My Lai: "his order were to shoot on sight". While being a pro-soldier song, it did not take a pro-government foreign policy or anti-war position, but rather offered a US domestic perspective on the massacre. Released in Tennessee, United States; written by Jerry Free, Jack Rule, and Bettye Orr, and produced by Joel Gentry. The lyrics made an interesting reference to US soldiers being sent to Vietnam in 1954 - the First Indo-China War between the French and Vietnamese took place from around 1946 up to the Geneva Conference in 1954. From that point onwards the US Eisenhower administration attached American foreign policy to preserving the Southern part of Vietnam and so US involvement started from around 1954-1955.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Unknown - "War's Cross" b/w "This Is Our Land" (Skylite Records SR-1 105, country), produced by Joel E. Gentry. Many same-named acts exist; this one is anchored only to the Skylite 45, with no origin or lineup documentation. [Source: Discogs]

Themes

My Lai · Patriotic · Pro-Calley · Calley-Jesus

In collections

My Lai & Lt. William Calley Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs