The Clergy

Vietnam

Not On Label · Rockhampton, Australia

Artist
The Clergy
Title
Vietnam
Release
Glow
Label
Not On Label
Format
Cassette · Album
Language
English
Country
Rockhampton, Australia
Genre
Rock · Pop Rock
Primary theme
Post-War

Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs

Pop rock group formed Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, featuring John Busby, Steve Sutherland, Mick Baker, and Cherri Busby. This 90s cassette-only album contained the song "Vietnam", which according to the linear notes, was "inspired by the Gulf War. This song contains a few of my thoughts on politicians and their policies. I don't know how they sleep".1 This is a great example of a song using the Vietnam War as a benchmark for comparison to contemporary conflicts, in this case the First Gulf War (1991), in which Australia participated as a member of the Coalition force. The narrator here was unhappy with Australia's involvement: "I don't care about Mr. Bush... I'm not going to die for them" - a reference to the US president at the time, George H. W. Bush. It argued that "we're all pawns in... political chess" and a "feather in somebody's political cap". The chorus stated the position simply: "I don't want another Vietnam".Sources1mrworthyandwhammo.blogspot.com: The clergy glow cassette↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

1990s cassette-only album; the song was written about the First Gulf War (1991).

About the artist

The Clergy - pop rock group from Rockhampton, Queensland: Cherri Busby (vocals), John Busby, Steve Sutherland, Mick Baker and Joe Thorley.

Themes

Vietnam Analogy · First Gulf War · George H. Bush · Anti-Government · Anti-War

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs

Listen on YouTube