Vietnam Ballad - An American Remembers
1986 · Drew DR-001 · La Mesa, California
- Artist
- Rachel Drexler
- Title
- Vietnam Ballad - An American Remembers
- Release
- Vietnam Ballad - An American Remembers
- Year
- 1986
- Label
- Drew # DR-001
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- La Mesa, California, USA
- Songwriter
- Glen Erath
- Genre
- Pop · Pop
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Cheesy pop, with strained vocals, the song "Vietnam Ballad: An American Remembers" (Drew Records # DR-001S) is a patriotic track released in La Mesa, California, USA. The artist is currently based in San Diego, California, USA.1 The song is a 'late' thank you letter to those who fought in the war. It recalled that the soldiers did not receive a welcome home like the previous generation after World War Two: "no ticker tape parade...no D-day celebration, we played no victory songs". US society had changed, and the veterans were told "the war was wrong, we wanted to forget it all". Thus, the narrator wanted to correct this situation: "oh it's late, I need to thank you". The song concluded by referencing the Memorial Wall, noting that it was an important symbol of national memory: "now the Wall stands tall in Washington...speaks loudly of wars pain".Sources1Rachel Drexler Dukes (official website)↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Veterans Memorial Wall Songs
Cheesy pop, with strained vocals, the song "Vietnam Ballad: An American Remembers" (Drew Records # DR-001S) is a patriotic track released in La Mesa, California, USA. The artist is currently based in San Diego, California, USA.1 The song is a 'late' thank you letter to those who fought in the war. It recalled that the soldiers did not receive a welcome home like the previous generation after World War Two: "no ticker tape parade...no D-day celebration, we played no victory songs". US society had changed, and the veterans were told "the war was wrong, we wanted to forget it all". Thus, the narrator wanted to correct this situation: "oh it's late, I need to thank you". The song concluded by referencing the Memorial Wall, noting that it was an important symbol of national memory: "now the Wall stands tall in Washington...speaks loudly of wars pain". Sources1Rachel Drexler Dukes (official website)↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: I was the war to be forgotten and for your soldiers we held no ticker tape parades / For the heroes welcome you... / Served our country with blind faith / You shed your blood and you gave your lives / Oh it's late, I need to thank you, and hope you realize, we are proud of you Americans / You served us with great honor, in the worried stars your brilliance shines each time I gaze upon her / For when duty called you answered... / To all who served in Vietnam, America thanks you / You had no D-day celebration, we played no victory songs / You can home to find a nation telling you the war was wrong / We wanted to forget it all... / Now the Wall stands tall in Washington, inscribed a list of names / It's granite surface cold and dark speaks loudly of wars pain... / As we touch it, not letting us forget...we're proud of you Americans...
Notes
Drew Records DR-001S, 45 RPM, stereo, © & ℗ 1986, (619) 464-7777; "Vietnam Ballad – An American Remembers" (Glen Erath), time 2:48, produced by Glen Erath. The picture sleeve shows the title framed around a Stars and Stripes flag. Its foot reads "Written and produced by Glenn Erath. Sung by Rachel Drexler. ©℗ 1986 Joe Drew. Manufactured by Drew Records, P.O. Box 188, La Mesa, CA 92041". [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
Vet · Patriotic · Vietnam Syndrome · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall