With You All the Way, L.B.J.

Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs

Formed in Perth, Western Australia, the contemporary folk group The Twiliters, featuring Jim Maguire, Kerry White, and Hans Stampfer, released the patriotic song "With You All the Way, L.B.J." (RCA Australia # 101735), which praised the Australian-US relationship. The title was of course a play on LBJ's election slogan, "all the way with L.B.J.". The song noted the famous Battle of the Coral Sea, the World War Two naval engagements off the north-east coast of Australia (4-8 May 1942), between the US and Australia, against the Japanese: "at the Battle of the Coral Sea... we've been there all the way", as well as "Vietnam today".1 Australian Women’s Weekly on 30 November 1966 discussed the song, with the headline 'On Way to Top with LBJ Pop', which wrote "Six months ago The Twiliters, a folk singing trio from Perth were almost unknown on the Sydney scene. However, after their voices were heard all over Australia singing 'We're With You All the Way, L.B.J.' they suddenly had many offers of jobs... The trio's luck changed last month when the youngest member, Kerry White, 19, received his National Service draft deferment... the recording company with which they have a contract asked…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

Formed in Perth, Western Australia, the contemporary folk group The Twiliters, featuring Jim Maguire, Kerry White, and Hans Stampfer, released the patriotic song "With You All the Way, L.B.J." (RCA Australia # 101735), which praised the Australian-US relationship. The title was of course a play on LBJ's election slogan, "all the way with L.B.J.". The song noted the famous Battle of the Coral Sea, the World War Two naval engagements off the north-east coast of Australia (4-8 May 1942), between the US and Australia, against the Japanese: "at the Battle of the Coral Sea... we've been there all the way", as well as "Vietnam today".1 See: Vietnam War: Australian & New Zealand Songs Australian Women’s Weekly on 30 November 1966 discussed the song, with the headline 'On Way to Top with LBJ Pop', which wrote "Six months ago The Twiliters, a folk singing trio from Perth were almost unknown on the Sydney scene. However, after their voices were heard all over Australia singing 'We're With You All the Way, L.B.J.' they suddenly had many offers of jobs... The trio's luck changed last month when the youngest member, Kerry White, 19, received his National Service draft deferment... the recording…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

Recorded for President Johnson's October 1966 visit to Australia; the title plays on the slogan "All the way with LBJ". Recorded in Australia; Associated Music; matrix TPKM-1359. B side: "Waltzing Matilda". RCA 101735 (A), matrix TPKM-1359, "Popular 45 RPM", black label with the Associated Music Pty. Ltd. "am" logo; "Product of RCA of Australia Pty. Ltd. • Made from master recording of RCA"; "With You All the Way, L.B.J." (Bryan Conway), The Twiliters. The picture sleeve ("RCA Records 101735") shows, on an orange ground, two clasping white hands, one sleeved in the Stars and Stripes and the other in the Australian flag; the back lists "With You All the Way L.B.J. * Waltzing Matilda" and advertises other RCA singles under "Have you got these other great RCA hit singles?", including three earlier Twiliters releases ("Where I'm Bound" / "This Little Light of Mine", 101641; "Creamsleeves" /…

About the artist

The Twiliters - contemporary folk trio formed in Perth, Western Australia: Jim Maguire, Kerry White and Hans Stampfer.

Themes

Patriotic · Pro-Government · LBJ · ANZUS · WW2

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]