War in Vietnam
1968 · Knowles K-106 · Detroit, Michigan
- Artist
- Brother Will Hairston
- Title
- War in Vietnam
- Release
- The War in Vietnam / When I'm Gone
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- Knowles # K-106
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Genre
- Blues · Blues · Gospel
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
Brother Will Hairston, blues gospel artist, born on 22 November 1919 in Brookfield, Mississippi, USA (died 7 March 1988), known as the Hurricane of the Motor City, released several topical, history records, including the JFK tribute, Story of President Kennedy, and the MLK and Civil Rights single, Rev. King Had a Time / Alabama Bus. Also related to Civil Rights, he released one of the rare pre-MLK assassination songs, March on to Montgomery about the Selma to Montgomery march. The song "The War in Vietnam" (Knowles Recording Co. # K-106) took an anti-war position in the first line, and repeated throughout, "oh lord, stop the war in Vietnam". It noted the government's war objectives: "Congress says they are dying for victory" and "Uncle Sam says they are dying for liberty". However, the narrator rejected this, focused on the death and suffering: "our soldiers they are dying". Of course, it also contained religious sentiment as often found in these gospel / blues songs: "our soldiers, they are praying in fox holes". Also note the reference to the atomic bomb: "real worried about that atomic bomb" - a reflection of the Cold War period. Released on his own Detroit, Michigan label.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born Brookfield, Mississippi, USA (22 November 1919). Died 7 March 1988.