Vietnam Prayer
1968 · Ianon LYN 1389 · UK: England
- Artist
- Ian Temple
- Title
- Vietnam Prayer
- Release
- Vietnam Prayer
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- Ianon # LYN 1389
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- UK: England
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
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
About the artist
Unknown - the record is documented but the performer is not. 'Vietnam Prayer' was issued as a single-sided 7-inch flexi-disc on Ianon Records, catalogue LYN 1389, manufactured in the United Kingdom by Lyntone Recordings; no biographical record has been located, and 'Ianon' appears to be a private label formed from the artist's own name. [Source: Discogs (release only)]