Wake Up America!
1973 · Voices in Vital America P.O.W. 1873 · USA
- Artist
- Lance Lindsey
- Title
- Wake Up America!
- Release
- Wake Up America! / How Do You Tell a Small Boy
- Year
- 1973
- Label
- Voices in Vital America # P.O.W. 1873
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Genre
- Traditional Pop · Traditional Pop
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
A double-sided Vietnam single, written and sung by Lance Lindsay. Bruce Miller arranged both sides. Released by Voices in Vital America (VIVA) - a not-for-profit student organisation formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by Carol Oates, under the name Victory in Vietnam Association, this group sought to counter campus radicalism while promoting concern for US soldiers missing in action and prisoners of war. They famously distributed metal bracelets, with details of those M.I.A. or P.O.W., selling over 5 million. The group disbanded in 1976. (1) Many of its records are held at the Vietnam Center and Archive, at Texas Tech. (2) The back of the picture sleeve said that "over 1800 men are prisoners of war or missing in action. A picture of Lt. Ron Dodge (front cover) being escorted by North Vietnamese soldiers appeared in 'Paris March' magazine on Sept. 9 1967. Despite this evidence, Lt. Dodge is among the many men that Hanoi refuses to discuss or admit are prisoners...the solution to this tragic war must include neutral international inspection and identification of all prisoners of war in Southeast Asia. Only the strength of an outraged public can force Hanoi to disclose the fate of these…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — P.O.W. / M.I.A. Songs
A double-sided Vietnam single, written and sung by Lance Lindsay. Bruce Miller arranged both sides. Released by Voices in Vital America (VIVA) - a not-for-profit student organisation formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by Carol Oates, under the name Victory in Vietnam Association, this group sought to counter campus radicalism while promoting concern for US soldiers missing in action and prisoners of war. They famously distributed metal bracelets, with details of those M.I.A. or P.O.W., selling over 5 million. The group disbanded in 1976. (1) Many of its records are held at the Vietnam Center and Archive, at Texas Tech. (2) The back of the picture sleeve said that "over 1800 men are prisoners of war or missing in action. A picture of Lt. Ron Dodge (front cover) being escorted by North Vietnamese soldiers appeared in 'Paris March' magazine on Sept. 9 1967. Despite this evidence, Lt. Dodge is among the many men that Hanoi refuses to discuss or admit are prisoners...the solution to this tragic war must include neutral international inspection and identification of all prisoners of war in Southeast Asia. Only the strength of an outraged public can force Hanoi to disclose the fate of these…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Singer-songwriter of the double-sided POW/MIA advocacy single 'Wake Up America!' / 'How Do You Tell a Small Boy' (1973, catalogue 'P.O.W. 1873'), which he wrote and sang, with both sides arranged by Bruce Miller. The 45 was released by Voices in Vital America (VIVA), the Los Angeles not-for-profit student organisation (founded 1967) famous for distributing over five million POW/MIA bracelets; the sleeve pictured POW Lt. Ron Dodge. No personal biographical details found. [Source: antiwarsongs.org / 45cat / Discogs]