Vietnam Blues

Annotation

The song "Vietnam Blues", another blues song by J.B. Lenoir about the Vietnam conflict. Originally recorded on 2 September 1966 at Sound Studio, Chicago, Illinois, for the German recorded producers Horst Lippman and Johannes Rau, under the supervision of the bluesman Willie Dixon. It featured the drummer Freddie Below. However, it seems that they did not release the record at the time. It probably made its first appearance in 1970, on the album titled Crusade (Polydor # 24-4011). For the 1980 reissue by L+R Records (# LR 42.012) they renamed album Down in Mississippi (taken from the first track title). Both of the J.B. Lenoir songs discussed ("Vietnam" and "Vietnam Blues") are on Vietnam Blues: The Complete L+R Recordings - a compilation of both Alabama Blues and Down in Mississippi - these are acoustic albums, with no bass and electric guitar, and with occasional drums, thus returning to the pre-war blues sound. This song drew a connection between Vietnam and civil rights in the US. Lenoir questioned why people complained about Vietnam, but ignored or forget the problems that black Americans faced in their own country: "everybody cryin' about Vietnam, the law killing me down in Mississippi". Lenoir called on the president to "clean up your own house". A 1965 live version of this song, called "Everybody Crying About Vietnam" appeared on the album Bye Bye, Bird...Solo Blues (Scout # SC-1) released around 1968-69.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Blues songs

The song "Vietnam Blues", another blues song by J.B. Lenoir about the Vietnam conflict. Originally recorded on 2 September 1966 at Sound Studio, Chicago, Illinois, for the German recorded producers Horst Lippman and Johannes Rau, under the supervision of the bluesman Willie Dixon. It featured the drummer Freddie Below. However, it seems that they did not release the record at the time. It probably made its first appearance in 1970, on the album titled Crusade (Polydor # 24-4011). For the 1980 reissue by L+R Records (# LR 42.012) they renamed album Down in Mississippi (taken from the first track title). Both of the J.B. Lenoir songs discussed ("Vietnam" and "Vietnam Blues") are on Vietnam Blues: The Complete L+R Recordings - a compilation of both Alabama Blues and Down in Mississippi - these are acoustic albums, with no bass and electric guitar, and with occasional drums, thus returning to the pre-war blues sound. This song drew a connection between Vietnam and Civil Rights in the US. Lenoir questioned why people complained about Vietnam, but ignored or forget the problems that black Americans faced in their own country: "everybody cryin' about Vietnam, the law killing me down in Mississippi". Lenoir called on the president to "clean up your own house". A 1965 live version of this song, called "Everybody Crying About Vietnam" appeared on the album Bye Bye, Bird...Solo Blues (Scout # SC-1) released around 1968-69.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Vietnam, Vietnam, everybody cryin' about Vietnam / The law killing me down in Mississippi, nobody seems to give a damn / Oh god if you can hear my prayer now / Help my brothers over in Vietnam / The poor boys fighting and killing / Maybe killing their own brothers... / Mr. President, you always cry about peace but you must clean up your own house before you leave / How can you tell the world how we need be and you still mistreating and killing poor me?

About the artist

American blues singer and guitarist, born 5 March 1929 in Monticello, Mississippi; noted for topical protest blues ('Vietnam Blues', 'Alabama Blues'); died 29 April 1967 in Urbana, Illinois, of injuries from a car accident. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War · Civil Rights

In collections

Blues songs · Civil Rights Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]