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Vietnam Anti War Music


corinne916

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Hello Everyone. I am new here and I was hoping that some of you may be able to help me with a little bit of research i am doing. I am doing a research paper on music during the Vietnam war and I was hoping you would be able to help me. I need to know certain facts about a few songs. If you could give me a book title to read or a website that would be great too. Or if it is alright I could use you as a source. I need to know why the songs were written, what the meanings behind them were, what effect did they have on the anti war movement. Any help would be great as I am having difficulty finding information on the following songs. Thankyou very much. Please e-mail me at

little_rhiney@yahoo.com.

1. The war drags on - Donovan

2. Universal Soldier - Donovan

3. Paint it black - Rolling Stones

4. For what it's worth - Buffalo Springfield

5. Masters of war - Bob Dylan

Thanks again, Corinne

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I Ain't Maching Anymore - Phil Ochs

I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag - Joe McDonald

It Better End Soon - Chicago

Oh! Camil - Graham Nash

The Ballad of Penny Evans - Steve Goodman

Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Though the next song is not wholly an anti Vietnam song, it defined the era probably better than any other song -

Ball Of Confusion - The Temptations

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'Khe Sanh' by Cold Chisel and 'I Was Only 19' by Redgum are two songs about soldiers who served in Vietnam and the impact the war had on their lives. If these two songs aren't anti-Vietnam, I don't know what is. (Both songs do have a lot of Australian references though)

Khe Sanh

I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh

And my soul was sold with my cigarettes to the blackmarket man

I've had the Vietnam cold turkey

From the ocean to the Silver City

And it's only other vets could understand

About the long forgotten dockside guarantees

How there were no V-dayheroes in 1973

How we sailed into Sydney Harbour

Saw an old friend but couldn't kiss her

She was lined, and I was home to the lucky land

And she was like so many more from that time on

Their lives were all so empty, till they found their chosen one

And their legs were often open

But their minds were always closed

And their hearts were held in fast suburban chains

And the legal pads were yellow, hours long, paypacket lean

And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been

But the car parks made me jumpy

And I never stopped the dreams

Or the growing need for speed and novacaine

So I worked across the country end to end

Tried to find a place to settle down, where my mixed up life could mend

Held a job on an oil-rig

Flying choppers when I could

But the nightlife nearly drove me round the bend

And I've travelled round the world from year to year

And each one found me aimless, one more year the worse for wear

And I've been back to South East Asia

But the answer sure ain't there

But I'm drifting north, to check things out again

You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong

There ain't nothing like the kisses

From a jaded Chinese princess

I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Yeah the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

And it's really got me worried

I'm goin' nowhere and I'm in a hurry

And the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Cold Chisel

I Was Only 19

Mum and Dad and Danny saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal

It was a long march from cadets

The sixth battalion was the next to tour and it was me who drew the card

We did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left

And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay

This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean

And there's me in me slouch hat with me SLR and greens

God help me, I was only nineteen

From Vung Tau, riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat

I'd been in and out of choppers now for months

And we made our tents a home, V.B. and pinups on the lockers

And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub

And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?

And night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M.16?

And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?

God help me, I was only nineteen

A four week operation, when each step can mean your last one on two legs

It was a war within yourself

But you wouldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off

So you closed your eyes and thought about somethin' else

And then someone yelled out ?Contact?, and the bloke behind me swore

We hooked in there for hours, then a God almighty roar

And Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon

God help me, he was goin' home in June

And I can still see Frankie, drinkin' tinnies in the Grand Hotel

On a thirty-six hour rec. leave in Vung Tau

And I can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle

'Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row

And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears

And the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real

I caught some pieces in my back that I didn't even feel

God help me, I was only nineteen

And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?

And why the Channel Seven chopper chills me to my feet?

And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?

God help me, I was only nineteen

Redgum

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Gang, I think you've misunderstood Corinne's request. I believe she needs facts on the list of songs she provided. Here they are again:

1. The war drags on - Donovan

2. Universal Soldier - Donovan

3. Paint it black - Rolling Stones

4. For what it's worth - Buffalo Springfield

5. Masters of war - Bob Dylan

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"Paint it Black" has something to do with Vietnam War? I thought it was about a loss and a funeral... well, maybe that´s the common point...? ::

Oh, oh, I just read the songfacts comments about this song... I would have never thought about the war... well, anyway, Corinne, you can have some info about it if you go to the Home page, see the "Browse on a song", click on the "P" for "Paint it Black"... and guess some of the other songs must be there too, I´d have to check again...

I checked "Universal Soldier" and "Masters of War" but they are not there... I didn´t about the other two, but there you have the page... welcome!

I don´t know how to do the "click here" trick! :laughing:

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Another from Donovan:

TO SUSAN ON THE WEST COAST WAITING

Donovan

Dear Susan, I know you love me so

But I want to hear it in my ear.

You know I'd be there working at my craft

Had it not been for the draft.

Dry up your tear and feel no fear,

You're here with me like I'm there with you.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

I'm writing a note beneath a tree,

The smell of the rain on the greenery.

Our fathers have painfully lost their way,

That's why, my love, I'm here today

Hear me when I say there will come a day

When Kings will know and love can grow.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

Susan, I know you love me so

But I'd like to hear it in my ear.

You know I'd be there working at my craft

Had it not been for the draft.

Dry up your tear and feel no fear,

You're here with me like I'm there with you.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy supposedly hating.

To Susan on the West Coast waiting,

From Andy in Vietnam fighting.

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