Vietnam (Edited Version)
1999 · Opera House · Jamaica
- Artist
- Frisco Kid
- Title
- Vietnam (Edited Version)
- Release
- Vietnam (Raw Version) / Vietnam (Edited Version)
- Year
- 1999
- Label
- Opera House
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Jamaica
- Songwriter
- A. Bradford, S. Wray
- Genre
- Reggae · Dancehall · Reggae
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
The reggae song "Vietnam" (Opera House Records), released in Jamaica by Frisco Kid (born in Kingston, Jamaica). The song was about gun / gang crime in ghettos, which compared a soldier / police clampdown to Vietnam: "soldier turn di place upside dung, like a Vietnam, gunshot a wake man".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Yow, da one yah name crime cyaan stop / A suh di ghetto youth dem strap, hey yo.. / Don't grounds, weh unu do, ready fi exchange rounds / Mi hear dem seh right / Now unu si man and a frowns oh oh oh / Seh dem nuh fraida nuh babylon bwoy / Weh a guard nuh station / How mi hear dem work a just information / Seh dem a couton License fi shoot man / Gunshot from dem a work fi satan / Oh, man run / Past camp and guh shoot up station / Soldier turn di place upside dung / Like a Vietnam, gunshot a wake man.. / We escape di bwoy dem invasion
Notes
Opera House Records, yellow label, ℗© 1999, made in Jamaica; distributed by Platinum Distribution (tel. (876) 926-5077, (876) 929-3726); produced by Andrew "Buccaneer" Bradford. One side is "Vietnam (Edited Version)" and the other "Vietnam (Raw Version)", both (A. Bradford/S. Wray) and credited to Frisco Kid; no catalogue number or times are printed. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Jamaican dancehall deejay, born Stephen Wray in Kingston, Jamaica; prominent in 1990s dancehall ('Rubbers', 'Big Speech') and appeared in the film 'Dancehall Queen' (1997). His single 'Vietnam' (1999) uses the war as a metaphor for Kingston street violence. [Source: Rate Your Music / Wikipedia]