Vietnam Prayer

Annotation

The song "Vietnam Prayer" by Ian Temple, an unknown artist from Britain, had written on the record label: "sold for medical supplies to all Vietnam". It took a satirical approach, mocking the use of religion and war: "And remember Yankee boy, when you're off to bomb Hanoi, it's for LBJ and Jesus" - of course a reference to US president Lyndon B. Johnson. The narrator said that during peace time people did not pray: "religion is just a bore". But that during war, they turned to god, thus suggesting a hypocrisy: "God's a chap we want upon our side". Note the reference to napalm: "drop some napalm for god". At the end of the song there are some specific reference to Britain, such as the Prime Minister and the Polaris Missile System - the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — European Songs

The song "Vietnam Prayer" by Ian Temple, an unknown artist from Britain, had written on the record label: "sold for medical supplies to all Vietnam". It took a satirical approach, mocking the use of religion and war: "And remember Yankee boy, when you're off to bomb Hanoi, it's for LBJ and Jesus". The narrator said that during peace time people did not pray: "religion is just a bore". But that during war, they turned to god, thus suggesting a hypocrisy: "God's a chap we want upon our side". Note the reference to napalm: "drop some napalm for god". At the end of the song there are some specific reference to Britain, such as the Prime Minister and the Polaris Missile System - the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: If you meet a red, better leave him dead / If you want to keep in with the almighty / Drop some napalm for god / You can be certain that it pleases / And remember Yankee boy, when you're off to bomb Hanoi / It's for LBJ and Jesus / Oh when it's peace, peace, peace, religion is just a bore / Christianity is for suckers and the poor / But when it's war, war, war and danger is around / The prayers are going up as the bombs are coming down / The usefulness of God then cannot be denied / God's a chap we want upon our side / The Prime Minister dispatches a message up to heaven... / With god on our side we'll win the war / For war is what god is for... / God is worth a division of marines / God is worth 10 Polaris submarines / God's our secret weapon... / God's our independent deterrent... / God will help us do the communists in... / God bless us as we drop the bomb... / Onward Yankee soldiers in the Vietnam war with the cross of Jesus

Notes

Ianon Records LYN 1389, 45 r.p.m., plain cream label; "Vietnam Prayer", Ian Temple; "sold for medical supplies to all Vietnam."; made in England by Lyntone Recordings Ltd. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Anti-War · Napalm · LBJ

In collections

European Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]