The Wall
1985 · CBS Associated ZS4 05465 · USA
- Artist
- Bertie Higgins
- Title
- The Wall
- Release
- The Wall
- Year
- 1985
- Label
- CBS Associated # ZS4 05465
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- J. Buckner
- Genre
- Pop · Pop
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Bertie Higgins, a country pop artist, born 8 December 1944, in Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA, released the song "The Wall" (Artist Records # ZS4 05465), a reference to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C, about memorials and war. Composed by Jerry Buckner. This label was a subsidiary of CBS Associated Records. The song contained three major segments of spoken-word monologue, followed by the chorus of the song, in blue below. The songs was dedicated to "those who lost their lives in Vietnam, their names are carved in granite"."In Washington D.C. a monument stands to honor those who lost their lives in Vietnam, their names are carved in granite on what the survivors have renamed the Wall, this song is dedicated to that memory. I saw him standing all alone that night, staring at the Wall, there were so many names to try and read, but he searched through them all. Then he spotted a wilted flower that someone had wedged in a tiny crack, it was by a name he seemed to know, he smiled as he stepped back, and I watched as he stepped out and touched the flower with his hand. With tears in his eyes, he whispered, help me understand. I walked up and asked him his name, he softly said Billy Roe, he was dressed in uniform, said he fought in Vietnam several years ago. He said my life has been so confusing, but I'm trying to make the change, it's just that I miss my wife so very much. Then what he said seemed strange, he said, you know, all my old friends are here, I can see now the time is finally right, then he turned and said goodbye to me. I felt a force pull me to the Wall, to tell me something I should know, and then I saw that wilted flower begin to grow. I could now plainly see the name of Private Billy Roe, who died fighting in combat in Vietnam sixteen years ago. I guess for some it's not as easy, but what they have lives on. But that night. Billy Roe finally found his home".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: He was a lonely soldier, drifting from day to day / Caught in between two worlds / Trying hard to find his way / Somebodies restless hero, making his final call / He finally found the answer, by coming to the Wall
Notes
CBS Associated Records / Artist Records ZS4 05465 (ZS4 05465-3), stereo, "Demonstration - Not for Sale"; "The Wall" (J. Buckner), 4:16, Artist Records Music Inc. (ASCAP); produced by Jerry Buckner; ℗ 1985 CBS Inc.; manufactured and distributed by CBS Records, CBS Inc., 51 W. 52 Street, New York. Radio-station call letters "WSGO" handwritten on the label. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Bertie Higgins (born Elbert Joseph Higgins, 1944, Tarpon Springs, Florida) is the American pop singer best known for the 1982 hit 'Key Largo'; his Vietnam veterans single 'The Wall' appeared on CBS Associated Records in 1985 and is documented in his own discography. [Source: Wikipedia; Discogs]