The Wilburn Brothers

Vision at the Peace Table

1970 · Decca DL 75173 · New York City, New York

Artist
The Wilburn Brothers
Title
Vision at the Peace Table
Release
Little Johnny From Down the Street
Year
1970
Label
Decca # DL 75173
Format
LP · Album
Language
English
Country
New York City, New York, USA
Songwriter
Roy Rogers
Genre
Country · Country
Primary theme
Peace, Protest & Anti-War

Annotation

The group, which featured the brothers Doyle Wilburn and Teddy Wilburn from Hardy, Arkansas, both served in the US army during the Korean War. (1) They also released the 1971 Vietnam War single The War Keeps Draggin' On (Decca Records # 32909). As well as the title track, "Little Johnny From Down the Street" (see the section Impact of War: At Home), this album included the peace song "Vision at the Peace Table" (Decca Records # DL 75173), in which the group imagined the leaders of the world coming together to end war, with the help of god. The inclusion of this song would also support the view that the "Little Johnny" track leaned towards the anti-war side.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs

The group, which featured the brothers Doyle Wilburn and Teddy Wilburn from Hardy, Arkansas, both served in the US army during the Korean War. (1) They also released the 1971 Vietnam War single The War Keeps Draggin' On (Decca Records # 32909). Reaching # 37 in the Billboard country charts (on 14 March 1970), this album included the peace song "Vision at the Peace Table" (Decca Records # DL 75173), in which the group imagined the leaders of the world coming together to end war, with the help of god. The inclusion of this song would also support the view that the "Little Johnny" track leaned towards the anti-war side. The track "Little Johnny From Down the Street" (Decca Records # DL 75173) focused on the plight of a soldier called Johnny. (1) The front cover of the album featured a freckled-faced boy - presumably Little Johnny? Larry G. Whitehead composed the song. It started by recalling the childhood of Johnny, who got up to various misadventures, and eventually fell in love with a girl called Janie. This early section personalised the life of the soldiers sent to fight in Vietnam, focusing on their 'normal' or 'happy' American childhood. But then the protagonist received his…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Formed 1953, Hardy, Arkansas, USA. Disbanded 1983

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

US Domestic Perspective Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs · US Combat Perspective Songs