What the F--K Going on in Washington
1966 · Nugget NR 247 · Goodlettsville, Tennessee
- Artist
- Bob Withers
- Title
- What the F--K Going on in Washington
- Release
- What the... (Is a Going On in Washington) / She'll Chume Back
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Nugget # NR 247
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Goodlettsville, Tennessee, USA
- Songwriter
- Bob Withers
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation — Draft Songs
The country song "What the..." (Is a Going on in Washington)" (Nugget Records # NR 247) by Bob Withers is narrated from the position of a soldier in the war zone: "here I sit in Vietnam". Leaning towards the anti-war side, the soldier pondered: "why I was sent half around this world to die". The song noted former friendly relations with Vietnam: "All these people were our friends not long ago, they fought Hitler, Mussolini, and Tōjō" - presumably a reference to the Vietnamese - a former World War Two ally, who had helped the US against Adolf Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), and Tōjō (Japan). While the narrator strongly criticised the US government, as suggested in the song title, interestingly the anti-war and peace sentiment was mixed with anti-protest sentiment, writing ""some guys have burnt their draft cards up at home, don't send them here". Overall, this seems to be an anti-war song, and strongly critical of the US government, and thus one of the earliest anti-Vietnam War songs in the country music genre. Withers also released the Vietnam War-related single Sweet Tillies Corn / Guitar Pickin' Man (1965).
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
American country singer Robert G. Withers, born 18 October 1928 in Dixon, Missouri; recorded 1964-66 for Nugget Records at Nugget Studio, Goodlettsville, Tennessee (producer Jack Logan), including '(What The - - -) Is A Going On In Washington', later anthologised on Bear Family's 'Next Stop Is Vietnam' box set; died 7 January 2013. [Source: Praguefrank's Country Discography]