The Red Beret
1966 · His Master's Voice EA-4800 · Melbourne, Australia
- Artist
- The Thin Men
- Title
- The Red Beret
- Release
- Sons of the Anzacs / The Red Beret
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- His Master's Voice # EA-4800
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Melbourne, Australia
- Songwriter
- J. T. Hamilton
- Genre
- Traditional Pop · Vocal Group
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs
Pop group The Thin Men, formed in 1962, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Members included: Johnny Edwards (tenor), Tony Lee (bass), Ron Patrick (baritone), Adrian Ussher (baritone, 1962-63), Johnny Florence (baritone, 1963-?). This single contained two patriotic, pro-military songs. Of course the title "The Red Beret" referred to the military divisions that wore the beret, the title of which recall the famous US song "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by Barry Sadler. The lead song "Sons of Anzacs" (His Master's Voice # EA-4800) looked back into history, recalling the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), from the First World War, an army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, active in the Gallipoli campaign. Here the sons threw "down our shears for a gun", as the "jackeroo" (an Australian term for a young man working on a sheep or cattle station to gain experience), to join the "fight for what's right". The narrtor described them as "freedom's fighting sons", and "Australia's favourite sons". So ultra-patriotic, and pro-government song of the Vietnam War era.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Notes
Both sides of EA-4800 are marked A. Composer credited on the label as "J. T. Hamilton, Ex-Australian Paratrooper"; Leeds Music; matrix 7XAA1963. Title recalls the military units that wear the red beret, in the manner of "The Ballad of the Green Berets". His Master's Voice EA-4800, 45 R.P.M., "Made by E.M.I. (Australia) Limited, Sydney, N.S.W."; both sides are marked A: "The Red Beret" (J. T. Hamilton, Ex-Australian Paratrooper), Leeds Music, matrix 7XAA1963, 1.43; "Sons of the Anzacs" (J. McFarland), Castle Music, matrix 7XAA1962, 2.14; The Thin Men. Red HMV company sleeve, its reverse "Made and distributed in Australia by E.M.I. (Australia) Limited" with advertisements for "Clendisc" record cleaner and "Fredorec" cleaning sponge. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
The Thin Men - vocal pop group formed 1962 in Melbourne, Victoria: Johnny Edwards (tenor), Tony Lee (bass), Ron Patrick (baritone), Adrian Ussher (baritone, 1962-63) and Johnny Florence (baritone, from 1963).
Themes
In collections
Australian & New Zealand Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]