Credited on the record as Sir Jablonski and the Unknowns.
Yes I Want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy
Duque 45-10014 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Sir Jablonski
- Credited on the record as
- Sir Jablonski and the Unknowns
- Title
- Yes I Want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy
- Release
- Yes I Want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy / Meyer's Saxophone
- Label
- Duque # 45-10014
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Ismael Douglas
- Genre
- Calypso · Calypso
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation — Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music
The song "Yes I Want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy" by Sir Jablonski - while unable to find much biographical information about this artist, he featured on a collection of music from Panama (Panama! 2: Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical & Calypso Funk on the Isthmus 1967-77), so has some connection to that Central American country. Released in New York City, the back of the picture sleeve said that the composer of the song, Ismael Douglas, wrote the song to help inspire the US troops: "The author of the song, title 'Yes I want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy', Ismael Douglas; was motivated to write a tune, for the moral of the soldiers now serving in Viet Nam. After making a trip to Viet Nam, as a merchant seaman for four years. He felt that the song could well serve the purpose of filling in the gaps of lonliness of our fighting men in Viet Nam. The fantastic, Sir Jablonski, the voice of echo was presented the opportunity of featuring...whose spontaneous version of this tune makes it a delightful listening material". It take a patriotic position, with the narrator saying that he wanted to add to American history.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Yes I want to be a yankee soldier boy / I really want to live the life of joy... / And whenever they send me overseas / I would like to fight along with the Vietnamese / So I add to history with the air calvary / Let me hear you company / Attention...left, right, right, left...one, two, three, four.... / Yes I want to be a yankee soldier boy... / Fighting in the US air calvary / Adding to history, company attention....
Notes
Black Duque Records label, New York, N.Y., 45-10014 A; "Yes I Want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy" by Sir Jablonski and the Unknowns, words and music by Ismael Douglas, arranged by Israel Lopez, time 2:15, B.M.I. The picture sleeve front shows a close-up photograph of Sir Jablonski in a peaked military-style cap, listing "Yes I Want to Be a Yankee Soldier Boy" and "Meyer's Saxophone". The back carries a typed note saying Ismael Douglas wrote the song for the morale of the soldiers serving in Viet Nam after four years as a merchant seaman making trips there, to fill "gaps of the loneliness of our fighting men in Viet Nam", and introducing "the fantastic, Sir Jablonski,..the voice of echo", with a photograph of him seated in a director's chair bearing his name. [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
In collections
Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]