Vietnam Never Happened

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 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". Furthermore, the track referred to the self-immolation of monks, which recalls one of the defining images of the Vietnam conflict - Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk, who burnt himself to death in Saigon on 11 June 1963: "thrill, to Buddhist priest who set themselves on fire at noon".

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". Furthermore, the track referred to the self-immolation of monks, which recalls one of the defining images of the Vietnam conflict - Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk, who burnt himself to death in Saigon on 11 June 1963: "thrill, to Buddhist priest who set themselves on fire at noon".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Punk Songs

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 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". Furthermore, the track referred to the self-immolation of monks, which recalls one of the defining images of the Vietnam conflict - Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk, who burnt himself to death in Saigon on 11 June 1963: "thrill, to Buddhist priest who set themselves on fire at noon".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Vietnam never happened... / Amusement park is now pulled over our eyes / With fun for the entire family / Thrill, to Buddhist priest who set themselves on fire at noon / Be apart of the action at Kent State, and show those demonstrators who's the boss in our revolving Dirty Harry merry-go-round / Then it's on to the defence industry kickback bumper cars / Go ahead, blow them up, we'll just replace then at 20 times the price / Then unwind with your favourite hard drugs at our famous outdoor shooting gallery.... / Play miniature golf with live grenades / Our peace with honour rollercoaster will destroy your in order to save you / The kids, they'll love our petting zoo, where you can feed over-priced with Donald land cookies to our pen full of children deformed by Agent Orange / Then, if you're really brave, how about the haunted house... / You'll feel what its like as your sealed in a warm body bag while CIA operators slit your stomach open to stuff you full of heroin baggies to send home to mother... / Is that getting a bit much? / Just go quietly where we want you, to our video arcade / When you come out three day later pick a prize from the pet shop / A mixed blood orphan left behind by some fun-loving Yankee soldier / Consolation prize: a years supply of blank draft notices / Just fill in the names of your friends and your enemies / And give them the surprise of their life by mail / They'll go quietly / You'll see / Vietnam never happened

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

In collections

Draft Songs · Kent / Jackson State Songs · Punk Songs