Slides for a presentation on popular songs associated with the Vietnam War

Jackson, Douglas A.

NC DOCKS at Elizabeth City State University

English

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The Music of the Vietnam War A Soundtrack for a Generation Douglas A. Jackson, Associate Professor of Music , Elizabeth City State University - PresenterMuseum of The Albemarle – Lunch and Learn Series 1/22/20TimelineMessage&and&Protest&Music&• Musicologist*and*historians*have*a*number*of*opinions*on*the*“*most*significant”*recordings*during*the*Vietnam*era.***• Blowing In the Wind – Bob Dylan• A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke• Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival• What Are We Fighting For – Phil Ochs• Eve of Destruction – Barry McGuire• Lyndon Told The Nation – Tom Paxton• Bring ‘em Home – Pete Seeger• Backlash Blues – Nina Simone• Saigon Bride - Joan Baez• Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die – Country Joe and the Fish• War – Edwin Starr• What Going On – Marvin Gaye• Give Peace A Chance – John Lennon Saigon Bride  by Joan Chandos Baez, an American singer, songwriter, musician and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest or social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing over 30 albums. Fluent in Spanish and English, she has also recorded songs in at least six other languages.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuiMTdKijnAImages:((A(former(Ambassador(remarked(“(Vietnam(is(a(country(not(a(war”(Why$did$the$U.S.$enter$this$conflict?$• Proxy&War:&&Vietnam&was&a&proxy&war&for&the&Soviet&Union&because&they&supplied&N.&Vietnam&but&did&not&participate&in&the&fighting• Containment:&US&foreign&policy&during&the&Cold&War&was&to&contain&the&spread&of&communism&using&economic,&diplomatic&and&military&means.• Truman&Doctrine:&President&Harry&Truman&pledged&to&“support&free&peoples&who&are&resisting&attempted&subjugation&….&By&outside&pressures”&&referring&indirectly&to&communism.&• The&Gulf&of&Tonkin&incident&L a&1964&occurrence&with&questionable&intelligence&and&actions.&&Related'Information• According)to)the)U.S.)DOD)– between)1965)and)1972)111)Billion)dollars)were)spent)on)the)war)in)Viet)Nam• Between)1953)– 1975)the)U.S.)provided)285)Billion)in)economic)aid)to)the)SE)Asia)region)of)Saigon• During)the)Viet)Nam)“era)“)Sam)Ervin,)Everett)Jordan)and)Jesse)Helms)represented)North)Carolina)in)the)United)States)Senate)• The)average)age)of)the)soldiers)was)between))19)O 21)years)old• 1968)was)the)deadliest)year)for)American)Troops)in)Vietnam)further)turning)Americans)against)the)war.)• The)Vietnamese)were)ready)to)die)to)defend)their)homeland,)this)made)them)an)extremely)difficult)opponent)to)defeatViet%Nam%66Vietnam(66• The$song$"Viet$Nam$66"$ by$Gene$Hatton$and$The$Randells,$released$in$Dayton,$Kentucky,$took$the$letter$format,$between$a$soldier$and$his$family$in$the$US.• It$drew$attention$to$the$plight$of$the$soldier$in$Vietnam,$especially$focusing$on$his$young$age.$At$one$point$the$soldier,$sitting$in$a$foxhole,$reflected$on$the$trivial$and$now$seemingly$unimportant$arguments$he$used$to$have$with$his$brother$back$home.$• The$track$started$with$a$soldier$receiving$a$letter$from$his$mother.$Then$the$soldier$wrote$a$letter$to$his$mother$(spokenJword$section).$At$the$end,$the$listener$heard$a$gunshot$soundJeffect,$suggesting$that$the$soldier$had$been$killed$in$action$(K.I.A.)$https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfQoQWxx7QMWar$and$Music• Many%of%the%ancient%artifacts%depict%musical%instruments%used%by%soldiers%in%battles%• The%Romans%provided%the%first%known%printed%explanation%for%having%military%music…%“%To%fire%up%attacking%troops%and%to%uphold%their%spirits%while%they%endure%privations%and%fatigue”• King%Charles%II%used%drums%to%keep%block%movements%of%the%British%Militia%• As%far%back%as%1633%,%in%the%colony%of%Virginia,%drummers%performed%for%marching%militia• In%early%American%conflicts,%song%were%song%by%troops%to%help%keep%spirits%high,%like%“%Yankee%Doodle”%and%Battle%Hymn%of%the%RepublicWar$and$Music$con’t• Vietnam(was(the(first(war(in(which(technology(made(music(widely(accessible(everywhere(except(the(front(lines• In(Vietnam(soldiers(had(access(to(transistor(radios(and(tape(decks• In(addition(to(records(bought(at(the(PX,((Meredith(H.(Lair(writes(that(by(1969(more(than(oneEthird(of(American(Troops(listened(to(the(radio(more(than(five(hours(a(day.((((• In(1969(,(Servicemen(bought(nearly(500,000(radios,(178,000(reelEtoEreel(decks(and(220,000(cassette(recordersMemories(of(Home• Many%of%the%popular%music%titles%of%the%time%served%as%memories%of%what%they%left%behind,%%for%example%• Goodnight%Sweetheart%by%the%Spaniels• Goodnight,%sweetheart,%well%it's%time%to%goGoodnight,%sweetheart,%well%it's%time%to%goI%hate%to%leave%you,%but%I%really%must%sayGoodnight,%sweetheart,%goodnight• My%Girl%by%the%Temptations• I've%got%sunshine%on%a%cloudy%dayWhen%it's%cold%outside%I've%got%the%month%of%MayWell%I%guess%you'd%sayWhat%can%make%me%feel%this%way?My%girl%(my%girl,%my%girl)Talkin'%'bout%my%girl%(my%girl)Lyndon Told The Nation by Tom Paxton:   Thomas Richard Paxton is an American folk singer-songwriter who has had a music career spanning more than fifty years. In 2009, Paxton received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is noteworthy as a music educator as well as an advocate for folk singers to combine traditional songs with new compositions.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NczfHFX5vCcMemorable)Lyrics)• The$Letter$by$the$Box$Tops• Gimme$a$ticket$for$an$aeroplaneAin't$got$time$to$take$a$fast$trainLonely$days$are$gone,$I'm$a>goin'$homeMy$baby,$just$a$wrote$me$a$letter• We$Gotta$Get$Outta$This$Place$by$The$Animals• We$gotta$get$out$of$this$placeIf$it's$the$last$thing$we$ever$doWe$gotta$get$out$of$this$place'Cause$girl,$there's$a$better$life$for$me$and$youHello%Vietnam%by%the%Lonesome%Valley%SingersA1 Hello'VietnamA2 Jungle'WarA3 Tell'The'Folks'I'Miss''EmA4 I'm'Just'A'Lonesome'SoldierA5 It's'All'Worth'Fighting'ForB1 Don't'Worry'Just'PrayB2 It's'Got'To'Be'DoneB3 What'We're'Fighting'ForB4 Why'Doesn't'Someone'Write'To'MeB5 Goodbye'Curly'HeadJungle'War'by'The'Lonesome'Valley'Singershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XC1f46MErQFeel Like I’m Fixin To Die  by Country Joe and The Fish - was one of the signature moments at Woodstock.  With the memorable chorus of: “and it’s 1,2,3 what are we fighting for? Don't 'ask me, I don’t give a damn, next stop is Vietnam”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W77ngmO_p8

The music of the Vietnam War

http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/ecsu/f/Jackson-The Music of the Viet Nam WarRev.pdf

The music of the Vietnam War

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The University of North Carolina at Greensboro