The Willing Conscript
1965 · Elektra EKL 298 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Tom Paxton
- Title
- The Willing Conscript
- Release
- Ain't That News
- Year
- 1965
- Label
- Elektra # EKL 298
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Tom Paxton
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The song "Willing Conscript" (Elektra Records # EKL-298) took a satirical approach to the draft, with sharp lyrics about a draftee off to war, who needed to learn how to kill: "I'll need instruction, sergeant, for I've never killed before". As written immediately above, the lyrics and notation of the song first appeared in the June 1963 addition of Broadside # 28. Initially, Pete Seeger covered the track for Broadside, then Paxton performed the song at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963 - the live version was captured on the album Newport Broadside: Topical Songs at the Newport Folk Festival 1963 (Vanguard Records # VRS-9144). Finally, the studio version featured on the 1965 album Ain't That News!12Sources1Broadside, June 1963↩2Broadside, June 1963↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs
The song "Willing Conscript" (Elektra Records # EKL-298) took a satirical approach to the draft, with sharp lyrics about a draftee off to war, who needed to learn how to kill: "I'll need instruction, sergeant, for I've never killed before". The lyrics and notation of the song first appeared in the June 1963 addition of Broadside # 28. Initially, Pete Seeger covered the track for Broadside, then Paxton performed the song at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963 - the live version was captured on the album Newport Broadside: Topical Songs at the Newport Folk Festival 1963 (Vanguard Records # VRS-9144). Finally, the studio version featured on the 1965 album Ain't That News!12Sources1Broadside, June 1963↩2Broadside, June 1963↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Oh Sergeant I'm a draftee and I've just arrived in camp / I've come to wear the uniform and join the martial tramp / And I want to do my duty but one thing I do implore / You must give me lessons, sergeant, for I've never killed before / To do my job obediently is my only desire / To learn my weapon thoroughly and how to aim and fire / To learn to kill the enemy and then to slaughter more / Now there are several lessons that I haven't mastered yet / I haven't got the hang of how to use the bayonet / The hand grenade is something that I just don't understand / You've got to throw it quickly or you're apt to lose your hand / Does it blow a man to pieces with it's wicked, muffled roar / Oh, I want to thank you, Sergeant, for the help you've given to me for you've taught me how to slaughter and to hate the enemy / I'll be ready when they march me off to war
About the artist
Born 31 October 1937, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Folk singer-songwriter central to the 1960s Greenwich Village scene; his Vietnam-era songs include Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation (1965) and Jimmy Newman. [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
From the release Ain't That News