You're in the Army But I Wish You Were Here

Annotation

This is another obscure release, by the largely unknown Vicki Williams. As the title of the song suggested, "You're in the Army, But I Wish You Were Here" (Big Beat Records # BB-133-1287), it is narrated from the perspective of a soldier's sweetheart back home. The label was distributed by Lynn's Records, based in Greenville, Mississippi, owned by Henry Reginald Hines - apparently Vicki Williams' husband. He co-wrote the song with her.1 So the sweetheart in the US wrote a letter to the soldier, telling him that she cries "all night long" and has started to "talk to your pictures". She pleaded with him: "don't forget the girl back home".Sources1greenvilleandbeyond.wordpress.com: Vicki williams↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs

This is another obscure release, by the largely unknown Vicki Williams. As the title of the song suggested, "You're in the Army, But I Wish You Were Here" (Big Beat Records # BB-133-1287), it is narrated from the perspective of a soldier's sweetheart back home. The label was distributed by Lynn's Records, based in Greenville, Mississippi, owned by Henry Reginald Hines - apparently Vicki Williams' husband. He co-wrote the song with her.1 So the sweetheart in the US wrote a letter to the soldier, telling him that she cries "all night long" and has started to "talk to your pictures". She pleaded with him: "don't forget the girl back home". Sources1greenvilleandbeyond.wordpress.com: Vicki williams↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: This is a letter I'm writing to you dear / You're in the army and I wish you were here / I cried before you, left I just couldn't help myself / Cause I love you, I love you, I love you / What are you doing, gee I would like to know / I wonder are you lonely, oh it worries me so / I cry all night long, so please don't forget the girl back home... / I talk to your friends, and I talk to your pictures too / I wondering in your spare time do you do the same thing too / Your mother asked me not to cry cause you love me still / I told her that I had to cry... / I'm going crazy, out of my mind / From worry all the time, I love you

Notes

Big Beat Records BB-133-1287-B; "You're in the Army But I Wish You Were Here" (R. Hines, V. Williams), Reginald Music, BMI; produced by Lynn's Prod's for Delta Prod's Association; distributed by Delta Production Association, 604 E. Clay, Greenville, Miss. 38701. No running time is printed. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Vicki Williams recorded within the Greenville, Mississippi soul scene of the late 1960s, cutting at least three 45s and working as a producer-songwriter for other Greenville acts (O.D. Williams; Vic Lee) on Big Beat. "You're In The Army But I Wish You Were Here" (Big Beat 1287) is described by Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven as a fine Vietnam ballad. Speculation that she also recorded as Vikki Styles or Vicki Starr is noted by the source itself as unconfirmed. [Source: Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective

In collections

US Domestic Perspective Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs