The My Lai Incident

Annotation

The calypso song "The My Lai Incident" (Telco # TW-3427) by the Shah came out of Trinidad & Tobago in the Carribean, dealing with the My Lai Massacre, one of the most controversial events of the war, which inspired 290+ songs. This was the mass murder of between 300-500 civilians in the South Vietnamese villages of My Lai and Song My by US forces on 16 March 1968, led by platoon leader Second Lieutenant William Calley. Most of the songs released from 1969-1971, which came out of the US, supported Calley, as reflected in public opinion polls, showing that people were protective of soldiers and veterans during war time. This song took an anti-Calley position, calling it a "sordid atorcity", which is similar to most My Lai songs released outside of the US. He pleaded: "draw the line Uncle Sam, take your troops out of Vietnam", saying that the world's eyes were on the US. He also called out President Nixon for hypocrisy: "Nixon, is it peace and love that you preach". Also note the reference to Ernest Medina, who was a commanding officer of the platoon - he was court-martialed, but found not guilty at trial. The song was released in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: On the 20th of November, at the My Lai slaughter / So many people dead, a mass including civilians / And it was done by nobody but Americans / Just imagine this sordid atorcity by the biggest democracy / The eagle has spoiled your image... / What is an eye for and eye, and a tooth for tooth really your policy / Tell me whether it is peace and love, justice, and liberty... / Really can't take any more, I say stop, draw the line Uncle Sam / Take your troops out of Vietnam / The commander gave orders that were very wrong / He said all in the village were Viet Cong / And a little boy that could be anybody's son was shot down by Medina / A platoon led by Lt. L. Calley / And they shot and killed anybody... / Cease this fighting in Vietnam / Well we know that you suffer many deaths too / We can't deny any part of this is true / But remember that the eyes of the world is on you / And you always got to watch what you do... / I'm begging you...for punishment give to all thos involved... / Tell me Nixon, is it peace and love that you preach universally... / I say stop...who will be the nex Vietnam?

Notes

Telco TW-3427 (SP-10864), 45 RPM; "The My Lai Incident" (S. Mohammed), Witelco Music Co.; The Shah accompanied by the Telco All Stars Recording Orchestra led by Richard "Boyie" Lewis; Telco Record Division, W.I.T.&E. Co. Ltd., Trinidad, W.I. Telco company sleeve: "Product of Telco Record Division, W.I. Telecommunications & Electronics Company Ltd.", P.O. Box 890, Port-of-Spain. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

"The My Lai Incident" was released in 1970 by The Shah with the Telco All Stars Recording Orchestra on Telco Records (TW-3427) in Trinidad and Tobago, in calypso/reggae style. "The Shah" reads as a calypsonian sobriquet in the Trinidadian tradition; the person behind it is unidentified. [Source: Discogs]

Themes

My Lai · Anti-Calley · Anti-War · VC · Medina · Nixon · Calley-Order

In collections

Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · My Lai & Lt. William Calley Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]