Cheddar Road All-Stars

Vietnam War in Reservoir

2019 · Not On Label · Reservoir, Australia

Artist
Cheddar Road All-Stars
Title
Vietnam War in Reservoir
Release
Nowhere Else to Feel Rotten
Year
2019
Label
Not On Label
Format
CD · Album
Language
English
Country
Reservoir, Australia
Genre
Rock · Rock
Primary theme
Post-War

Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs

Rock group, currently from Reservoir, Victoria, Australia, its line-up included: Leo Francis, Cat Canteri, Justin Bernasconi, Danny Walsh, Emma Peel, and Barry Dickens. They released the song "Vietnam War in Reservoir", narrated from the perspective of a soldier's brother: "my brother John, he didn't wanna go... sold your body to Uncle Sam". The brother said that he was relieved to have "dodged a ticket to Ho Chi Minh". The song also referenced the Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt (1966-67), who died in office, presumed to have drowned: "Harold Holt had no fucking clue". The song concluded with "don't wanna Waltz Matilda for you, we didn't wanna go to war" - a reference to the well-known Australian bush ballad, composed in 1895, often played at patriotic and military parades. Eric Bogle famously composed "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda", a play on the original, discussed above.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

Self-released.

About the artist

Cheddar Road All-Stars - rock group from Reservoir, Victoria: Leo Francis, Cat Canteri, Justin Bernasconi, Danny Walsh, Emma Peel and Barry Dickens.

Themes

Draft · Draft Reluctance · Harold Holt · Home Front Perspective · Satire

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs · Draft Songs