Vietnam Never Happened
1987 · Alternative Tentacles VIRUS 59 · San Francisco, California
- Artist
- Jello Biafra
- Title
- Vietnam Never Happened
- Release
- No More Cocoons
- Year
- 1987
- Label
- Alternative Tentacles # VIRUS 59
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- San Francisco, California, USA
- Genre
- Punk · Punk
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Jello Biafra, from Colorado, US, known for his satirical, spoken-word and punk records throughout the 80s and 90s, including membership of the well-known Hardcore Punk group Dead Kennedys. He released two spoken-word tracks as a solo artist regarding the Vietnam War: "Vietnam Never Happened" (1987) and "Die for Oil, Sucker" (1991). He also released the song "Wish I Was Back in El Salvador" (1989) which referenced the Vietnam War, in collaboration with Hardcore Punk group D.O.A.. With the Dead Kennedys, he released the Vietnam-related songs "Holiday in Cambodia" (1980) and "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" (1981). This release was a spoken-word, comedy album, featuring the track "Vietnam Never Happened" (Alternative Tentacles # VIRUS 59), a post-war, 1980s take on the war, which referenced the Kent State shooting, Agent Orange, the Military-industrial complex, drugs, the draft, Vietnamese orphans, and took an anti-war, protest position, comparing the cultural treatment of the war to an "amusement park...with fun for the entire family". This included the killing of four students at Kent State University on the 4 May 1970, at a protest against the Cambodia incursion: "be apart of the…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Kent / Jackson State Songs
Jello Biafra, member of the well-known Hardcore Punk group Dead Kennedys, hence included here, although in fact this is a spoken-word, comedy album, featuring the track "Vietnam Never Happened" (Alternative Tentacles # VIRUS 59), a post-war, 1980s take on the war, which referenced the Kent State shooting, Agent Orange, the Military-industrial complex, drugs, the draft, Vietnamese orphans, and took an anti-war, protest position, comparing the cultural treatment of the war to an "amusement park...with fun for the entire family". This included the killing of four students at Kent State University on the 4 May 1970, at a protest against the Cambodia incursion: "be apart of the action at Kent State... show those demonstrators who's the boss". It noted the use of Agent Orange, the defoliant / herbicide used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, which had long term negative health effects on the Vietnamese and US soldier whom came into contact with the chemical. It is frequently referenced in post-war songs: "kids, they'll love our petting zoo...full of children deformed by Agent Orange". Also of note was the reference to orphans: "orphan left behind by some fun-loving Yankee soldier".…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
American punk vocalist (Dead Kennedys), born 17 June 1958 in Boulder, Colorado. [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
Kent State · Anti-War · Agent Orange · Draft · Drugs