Vietnam War

Annotation

The bluesman Billy Bizor, born in Centerville, Texas in 1913, released the track "Vietnam War" (Home Cooking LP 111) - the same song, but a different recording of "Viet Nam War (Pt. 1) & (Pt.2)" by Lightnin' Hopkins on the album Talkin' Some Sense (Jewel Records # LPS 5001), discussed below. This track, recorded on 15 April 1968 at the ACA Recording Studio in Houston, Texas, just a year before he died in April 1969 (in the same city), also featured his cousin Hopkins (lead vocals and electric guitar). Bizor on the harmonica, and the very faint piano playing by Elmore Nixon. The lyrics told a heartfelt conversation between a mother and her son on the home front in the US. The son pondered whether his brother, in Vietnam, might earn money in the army, hoping that he could send it home. But the mother told him that "ain't no way" to talk about his brother. Moreover, Uncle Sam might call him up next. The song referenced President Johnson (LBJ) sending people to war. Suggested by Pablinchi.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Blues songs

The bluesman Billy Bizor, born in Centerville, Texas in 1913, released the track "Vietnam War" (Home Cooking LP 111) - the same song, but a different recording of "Viet Nam War (Pt. 1) & (Pt.2)" by Lightnin' Hopkins on the album Talkin' Some Sense (Jewel Records # LPS 5001), discussed below. This track, recorded on 15 April 1968 at the ACA Recording Studio in Houston, Texas, just a year before he died in April 1969 (in the same city), also featured his cousin Hopkins (lead vocals and electric guitar). Bizor on the harmonica, and the very faint piano playing by Elmore Nixon. The lyrics told a heartfelt conversation between a mother and her son on the home front in the US. The son pondered whether his brother, in Vietnam, might earn money in the army, hoping that he could send it home. But the mother told him that "ain't no way" to talk about his brother. Moreover, Uncle Sam might call him up next. The song referenced President Johnson (LBJ) sending people to war. Suggested by Pablinchi. Vietnam War songs by Lightnin Hopkins: In 1962 Hopkins released the song "War Is Starting Again" on the album Lightnin' Strikes (Vee-Jay Records # LP-1044). In 1969, he released the anti-war single "Please Settle in Viet Nam" (Joliet # 205). He also recorded the song "Vietnam War" with his cousin Billy Bizor on the album Blowing My Blues Away in 1968. In fact, Hopkins released his own version of that song, called "Viet Nam War (Pt.1) & (Pt.2)" on the 1968 album Talkin' Some Sense (Jewel Records # LPS 5001). Finally, in 1970 Hopkins produced the song "Questionnaire Blues" on film, released in 1970 on video, but unreleased on audio format.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Mama says, 'son, how can you be happy when your brother way over in Vietnam?' / I told her: 'He may get lucky and win some money before he die / He may bring some money back home' / Mama looked at me, she said that ain't no way to talk about your brother when he my child too / See, Mr. Johnson is telling everybody just exactly what he want them to do / Alright my child, what if Uncle Sam were to call you boy / I would miss you so much I may die

About the artist

Billy Bizor (1913-1969), born near Middleton, Leon County, Texas, was a blues harmonica player and singer, a cousin of Lightnin' Hopkins whom he backed on record through the 1960s; his solo sides for producer Roy C. Ames, including 'Vietnam War' (recorded 1968), were issued in 1989 as 'Blowing My Blues Away' (Home Cooking). He died at Ben Taub Hospital, Houston in April 1969. [Source: Wikipedia; Stefan Wirz discography]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Draft

In collections

Blues songs · Draft Songs