Man From Vietnam
2015 · Sony Music 888750852328 · Te Kuiti, New Zealand
- Artist
- Dennis Marsh
- Title
- Man From Vietnam
- Release
- Lest We Forget
- Year
- 2015
- Label
- Sony Music # 888750852328
- Format
- CD · Album
- Language
- English / Māori
- Country
- Te Kuiti, New Zealand
- Genre
- Country · Country Pop
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs
Dennis Marsh, aka Dennis Te Uhi Marsh, born on 22 February 1951, Te Kuiti, New Zealand, is a country musician. He has Ngāpuhi and Ngati Hine iwi affiliations. He has released many songs in the Māori language - this is the Eastern Polynesian language spoken by the Māori people, the indigenous population of New Zealand.123 The song "Man From Vietnam" (Sony Music # 888750852328), opened and closed with helicopter sound-effects. It firstly contained lines about combat, looking at the soldier's perspective: "shots rang out in Saigon, smoke cloud... hiding in those foxhole". Secondly, in featured patriotic sentiment: "fighting for his country... no matter what the cost". Thirdly, the song was about preserving the memory of the conflict and those that died: "we will remember them... we salute the man from Vietnam". This song is particularly significant as it included several verses in Māori language (subsequently translated into English, in blocks), the only Vietnam War song to do so. Sources1Wikipedia: Dennis Marsh↩2rnz.co.nz: Dennis marsh it s about people and passion↩3e-tangata.co.nz: A winning recipe maori flavoured country music↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Notes
The only Vietnam War song with verses in Māori (the Ode of Remembrance). Helicopter sound effects open and close it.
About the artist
Dennis Marsh (Dennis Te Uhi Marsh) - country singer born 22 February 1951 in Te Kuiti, New Zealand, of Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hine iwi; has recorded many songs in te reo Māori.
Themes
Soldier's Perspective · Combat · Patriotic · Saigon · Helicopter · War Memorials