Language and composition final |
Music of the War |
The beginning of a long series of inpirational anti-war rhetoric and propaganda |
Soldier Boy by The Shirelles - 1962
Soldier boy
Oh, my little soldier boy I'll be true to you You were my first love And you'll be my last love I will never make you blue I'll be true to you in the whole world You can love but one girl Let me be that one girl For I'll be true to you Wherever you go My heart will follow I love you so I'll be true to you Take my love with you To any port or foreign shore Darling, you must feel for sure I'll be true to you Soldier boy Oh, my little soldier boy I'll be true to you |
In 1962 the war had begun, but American involvement was scarce. Still, war was romanticized as young boys went off to battle and reclaim their manliness. This light and jazzy tune created in the early 60's would dramatically change and be overpowered by the new tide of rock and roll protests songs.
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The Ballad of the Green berets by Barry Sadler - 1966
Using his military title of staff sergeant, Mr. Sadler co-wrote and recorded ''The Ballad of the Green Berets,'' a narrative tribute to the Special Forces. It was the No. 1 song in the country for five weeks in 1966 and sold in total nine million albums. One of the latest popular patriotic tunes of the Vietnam War, Sander's song highlights the achievements of the green berets as well as honoring the memories of those who died fighting for our country.
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Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men Americas best
One hundred men will test today but
Only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live off natures land
Trained in combat hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage take from the Green Beret
(Chorus)
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men Americas best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request
Put silver wings on my sons chest
Make him one of Americas best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men Americas best
One hundred men will test today but
Only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live off natures land
Trained in combat hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage take from the Green Beret
(Chorus)
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men Americas best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request
Put silver wings on my sons chest
Make him one of Americas best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret
War by Edwin StaRr - 1970
Edwin Starr's "War" is considered one of the highlight songs of Vietnam protests. He asks the essential question all Americans were asking at the time, what is war good for? In 1970, it became clear the United States was not only losing the war, but was risking thousands of soldiers' lives. Starr mixed the confusion of the decade with the pure anger at the sheer number of young men dying over seas in a conflict the American public strongly disapproved of.
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War, huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, oh hoh, oh
War huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again y'all
War, huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
Oh, war, I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
I said
War, huh good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, just say it again
War whoa Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreak
War, friend only to the undertaker
Oh war, is an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest within the younger generation
Induction, then destruction who wants to die
War, good God, y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, say it, say it
War, uh huh, yeah, huh
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend that's the undertaker
Oh, war has shattered many young man's dreams
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life it can only take it away, ooh
War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace love and understanding tell me
Is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way
War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
You tell 'em, say it, say it, say it, say it
War, good Lord, huh
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it, nothing
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, oh hoh, oh
War huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again y'all
War, huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
Oh, war, I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
I said
War, huh good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, just say it again
War whoa Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreak
War, friend only to the undertaker
Oh war, is an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest within the younger generation
Induction, then destruction who wants to die
War, good God, y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, say it, say it
War, uh huh, yeah, huh
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend that's the undertaker
Oh, war has shattered many young man's dreams
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life it can only take it away, ooh
War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace love and understanding tell me
Is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way
War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
You tell 'em, say it, say it, say it, say it
War, good Lord, huh
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it, nothing
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen - 1984
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Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA came years after the conflict had officially ended, but continued to prove that there is a generation of Americans who will never be able to forget the war and can not find peace behind the war's brutal meaning. Young boys were expected to enlist and, with very little training, were sent into the battle field. Scarred by war, "Born in the USA" shares the common longing for a peace and sense of belonging that disappeared after the war.
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Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "son don't you understand now"
Had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there he's all gone
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "son don't you understand now"
Had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there he's all gone
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.
Blowing in the Wind by Bob Dylan - 1962
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man? How many seas must a white dove sail Before she sleeps in the sand? Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly Before they're forever banned? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind The answer is blowin' in the wind Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist Before it's washed to the sea? Yes, and how many years can some people exist Before they're allowed to be free? Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head And pretend that he just doesn't see? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind The answer is blowin' in the wind Yes, and how many times must a man look up Before he can see the sky? Yes, and how many ears must one man have Before he can hear people cry? Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'till he knows That too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind The answer is blowin' in the wind Fortunate son by Clearwater Creek revival - 1969
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"Blowing in the Wind" is not only a call for global peace, but a call for mutual respect between nations and all people. One of the earliest protest songs of the war, Dylan longed for peace and recognition that war served no greater purpose than unwanted death and destruction. However, his smooth sound of peace was replaced by more violent and radical music as news of the tragedies and death of the Vietnam War spread to the USA.
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"Fortunate Son" by Clearwater Creek Revival connects the war with almost all of America's current social problem. Motifs of the generation gap, class resentment, clashing worldviews and assumptions about the nature of America's place in the world pulse through this song. The song represents many Americans views that a war created by rich white men was being paid through the lives of the under privileged.
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Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief"
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no
Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no
Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, "How much should we give?"
Ooh, they only answer More! more! more! yoh
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no military son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, one
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no no no
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate son, no no no
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief"
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no
Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no
Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, "How much should we give?"
Ooh, they only answer More! more! more! yoh
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no military son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, one
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no no no
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate son, no no no
Give Peace a Chance by Plastic Ono Band - 1969
Two, one two three four
Ev'rybody's talking about Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m. All we are saying is give peace a chance All we are saying is give peace a chance C'mon Ev'rybody's talking about Ministers, Sinisters, Banisters and canisters Bishops and Fishops and Rabbis and Pop eyes, And bye bye, bye byes. All we are saying is give peace a chance All we are saying is give peace a chance Let me tell you now Ev'rybody's talking about Revolution, evolution, masturbation, flagellation, regulation, integrations, meditations, United Nations, Congratulations. All we are saying is give peace a chance All we are saying is give peace a chance Ev'rybody's talking about John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper, Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer, Alan Ginsberg, Hare Krishna, Hare, Hare Krishna All we are saying is give peace a chance All we are saying is give peace a chance What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye 1971 |
Written by John Lennon, "Give Peace a Chance" was Lennon's attempt to use his own popularity and musical ability to support a higher cause. Growing opposition to the war in Vietnam brought thousands of protesters onto the streets, and, although those nine words were only a chorus, took Lennon's song as the anthem of the movement. "Give Peace a Chance" became inextricably linked with the peace movement when Pete Seeger led an estimated crowd of 250,000 in a rendition of the song during the largest anti-Vietnam war protest in the United States in Washington D.C. Since Vietnam, the song has continued to be used by protesters voicing their opposition to global conflicts, including most recently the war in Iraq.
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Ragism, and Tagism are all new words creates by Lennon. Bagism, as described by Lennon, involves physical covering one's body with a bag, to prevent prejudice and stereotyping based off ones gender and race. Similarly, the other words satirize prejudice an stereotyping. John Lennon and Yoko Ono at a 8 day "Bed-In" staged in room 1472 of Queen Elizabeth's Hotel in Montreal
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"What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye asks the essential question many American's were perplexed with - What is going on in Vietnam? The song addresses both involvement in the war and socio-economic problems in the United States. Gaye sympathizes with the thousands killed in action and the plight of protesters at home. In the second verse Gaye sang "Don't punish me with brutality / Talk to me, so you can see," describing the unfair treatment of protesters in the United States. Though many demonstrations remained peaceful, police brutality became an increasingly common response.
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Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - 1970
"Ohio," a collaboration of some of the top artists of their day, challenges growing internal problems of racism, discrimination, and social inequality highlighted through protests against the war effort. On May 4, 1970, National Guard forces shot on a group of demonstrating students at Kent State University, killing 4 and wounding 16. The song centers on the injustice of this killing, and blames President Nixon and his "tin soldiers" for not only the death of those four students, but for the war they and many others died trying to end.
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Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Gonna get down to it soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been down long ago
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know
Gonna get down to it soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been down long ago
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know.
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Gonna get down to it soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been down long ago
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know
Gonna get down to it soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been down long ago
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know.