Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans

Subject: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Genie
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 12:32 AM

I've been doing Veterans' Day concerts and sing-alongs for over 10 years now, mostly at senior centers, retirement and assisted living residences, nursing and convalescent/ rehabilitation centers, group homes, etc. Until recently, my concerts focused on songs of WWI and WWII and their eras, with some generic "patriotic" songs (e.g., Star Spangled Banner) thrown in.

But the oddest thing seems to be happening. Although I, myself, haven't aged a day since I began this gig, my "clientele" seem to get YOUNGER each year. Now, instead of nearly all of them being my parents' age or older, there are more and more of them popping up who are just a few years my senior. Sometimes even YOUNGER!

Trouble is, I'm not sure how to "pay tribute" to the veterans of Korea, Viet Nam, The Gulf War, and the current Iraq debacle. Especially if I don't want to buy into the Barry Sadler/Toby Keith rah-rah-for-our-side stuff.

I know there are lots of anti-war songs from the '60s and later, plus songs like "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye," "Mrs. McGrath," etc., but nobody wants you to turn their Veterans' Day celebration into a heavy concert about the horrors of war.

What I'm wondering is this:
Are there songs from the post WWII era that many veterans would enjoy and relate to but that celebrate the courage and sacrifice of the soldier without either glorifying war or "preaching" about how awful war is?

In WWI, e.g., there were songs like "Keep The Home Fires Burning," "Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning," "Pack Up Your Troubles," and "Roses Of Piccardy." In WWII there were songs like "Lili Marlene," "Sentimental Journey," "Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs Of Dover," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,"* and "Bless 'Em All."

Are there songs like that which vets from later wars would relate to? All I can think of is "Silver Wings." That, and maybe some rock songs that it's kind of hard to do with one puny female voice and an acoustic guitar.

Any suggestions?

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 09:49 AM

The Ghost Army of Korea is British but has universal appeal.
Here is the DT version

Keith.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: NH Dave
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 10:35 AM

As a Viet Vet myself, I think that most of us adopted songs of a previous conflict to apply to our service and country. There's a whole genre of stuff that came out of the Viet Nam War that was collected by Ambassador Lodge, Lydia Fish, and singers like Dick Jonas, Bull Durham, Chip Dockery, Toby Hughes, and others. Songs that started out in War One as By a Belgian Waterfall (a dying pilot lay) ended up transported to a Laotian scene and the old standby, Teeterboro Tower about a small regional airport in New Jersey where a pilot runs out of altitude, airspeed and imagination at the same time became translated into Itazuke Tower during the Korean War and Hello Ubon Tower, among others, in Viet Nam.

Dick Jonas has expanded his singing as a pilot in Viet Nam to tours of various AF bases now, even after 30 - 40 years, singing many of the songs he and others wrote or adapted in Viet Nam. Do a google search on any of the names I've mantioned or go to erosonic.com and see what Dick as done with some of these old favorites. You will also find a good number of songs from the Viet Nam War here in the Digital Tradition by searching for "Viet Nam".

Dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,old head
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 02:43 PM

D DAY DODGERS is a great one.it's about WW2 in Italy,written i believe by the same soldiers who didn't like what lady astor said about them in parliament.a great song.funny and sad .Happy hunting

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 04:11 PM

Lots of stuff from Korea --- 'Missing in Action', 'The Answer to Missing in Action', 'The Stand on the Imjin', 'The Glorious Gloucesters' etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:16 PM

For the Korean War, Oscar Brand has an album of Air Force Songs that may give you an idea. The afore-mentioned "Itazukie Tower" is on it, as well as several others, many with origins in WWII. I liked "Cigareets and Saki and Wild, Wild Josies," a straight-forward take-off on "Chigareets and Whiskey." I'd like to hear what the Viet Nam vets were singing, but I suspect that they were mostly contented with top 40 radio stuff more than the more traditional "hanging around a piano in a bar" type singing of their forebearers.

Come to think of it, isn't there a whole series of links in the Mudcat links section that deals with Viet Nam?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:24 PM

Uncle Tom Paxton had a nice light hearted look at the Vietnam War with songs like Talking Vietnam Pot Luck Blues .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:28 PM

OK, not a series of links, but one link that leads to others:

Viet Nam Oral History Project

I knew I wandered there from mudcat some time ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:40 PM

I recall a favorite song of our Air Force guy stationed in Thailand at that time being 'Save Your Heart for Me' (walk along the shore with someone new, etc.)
There was that Ricky Nelson thing "I'm a travelin' man" mentioning girls in every port.
Wasn't "Wichita Lineman" a favorite of guys in forced exile?
Got the guts to do "Ballad of the Green Berets"?

Well, just some ideas that I hope jog somebody else's memory.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:43 PM

I guess "Soldier Boy" is difficult to do as a solo.

Does anybody remember another girl-group era song something like "I'm blue, Navy blue"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: mg
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:45 PM

Some standards..Leaving on a Jet Plane, Green Green Grass of Home, Soldier Boy, Last Night I had the strangest dream, If I were free to speak my mind...Oh Gordon Lightfoot did a beautiful one..and the brave keep falling to honor the names of the ones who have gone before...and only the grass will grow once more.

Proud Mary, Bad moon on the rise (bathroom on the right), Children teach your parents well..

Johnny Cash has done a wonderful talking blues..drive on, don't mean nothing, drive on..not very singable.

Eric Bogle wrote a beautiful song called Survivor Leave. I don't really know it but I think it wasn't even enemy action he was writing about....I'll look for the lyrics.


For this type of event, and if you don't personally know your audience, I would leave out 1,2,3 who are fighting for...and anything that smacks of you stupid sucker....

mg

Subject: Lyr Add: SURVIVOR LEAVE (Ken Stevens)
From: mg
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 10:08 PM

Here is Survivor Leave..it is by Ken Stevens..I think Eric Bogle is the one I heard singing it though..great song.

SURVIVOR LEAVE
(Ken Stevens)

I never really reckoned the ship would die in seconds -
No time to think or fight or even grieve -
And for some the smoke and fire became a funeral pyre,
And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave.

cho: Survivor leave, survivor leave,
And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave.

It isn't so surprising when you scan the bare horizon
And death's arrived before you've time to breathe.
Ship's discipline can't waver when there's no way left to save her,
And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave.

Now, me mates that caught the blow never had a chance to know,
And the aftermath just makes my stomach heave.
We could only call the roll, and attempt some fire control,
And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave.

Now, those moments of pure strife, they're going to last me all my life,
Though the family's glad I've got this special leave.
There's nothing more I'm dreading, now I've come from Armageddon,
And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave.

Oh, there's got to be a reason to heal all the hurts and lesions,
On the killing ground, it's too bad to believe.
What's the use of disagreeing, when you're fighting and not seeing,
And the whole world can't be on survivor leave?

(Final chorus, sung twice:)

Survivor leave, survivor leave,
And the whole world can't be on survivor leave.

From the Boarding Party
copyright Ken Stevens, 1982
Note: Survivor leave, a Royal Navy tradition, was granted to any sailor who
survived his ship's sinking.
@sailor @battle @English
filename[ SURVIVR
TUNE FILE: SURVIVR
CLICK TO PLAY
RG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 04:37 AM

Les Barker wrote a very moving piece called 'Land fit for heroes', it was recorded by Norma Waterson at least once, but I can't for the life of me remember when or on what album.

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 08:16 AM

Survivor Leave came out of the Falklands conflict.
Thinking back to the Vietnam era, Galveston and Distant Drums.
Keith.

Subject: Lyr Add: TO SEE WHAT THOSE EYES HAVE SEEN (Lewin)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 01:05 PM

Dunno of you can set this to music, but maybe it is along the lines you are looking for.

TO SEE WHAT THOSE EYES HAVE SEEN
(Jack Lewin)

I took a walk down to the park in our town
To watch the parde to by
With their medals and barets this was our day
To honor them and those who have died
The pipes were playing, the flags were waving
And as they made their way past me
I stood there and stared and wondered what it was like
To have see what those eyes have seen.

Did those eyes see a freind die in his arm
His body twisting and writhing in pain
Did those eyes see things that he would pray to God
He would never have to see again
Every day there was a constant struggle
To follow orders and try to survive
And after all that they still think they're lucky
Because they came home alive.

Did those eyes have the eyes of another man
In his sights as a battle began
Knowing full well it's him or it's me
As he squeezed off the trigger again
After all of these years he can still see his face
He can still hear the shot and his cries
Innocence lost in a fight to the death
That will haunt him til the day that he dies.

So as the crowed gathered 'round
And they laid the wreaths down
The band played songs in the rain
Then for a moment the brothers in arms
Were reporting for duty again
Then the band stopped playing, we all bowed our heads
And the Last Post was all you could hear
Then I thought, why don't we honor our heros
More than one day a year?

jl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Genie
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 12:12 AM

Piggybacking on the "Galveston" mention, I seem to recall a recent country-western tribute shows (one of the few dozen done every year) that mentioned "Amarillo By Morning" as being popular with the Viet Nam era military guys.

For certain types of audiences (yes, you do have to know who they are), there's always Phil Och's draft dodger song (I'm drawing a blank on the title) that goes:
"Well, I'm just sixteen,
I got a ruptured spleen,
And I always carry a purse ..."

And yes, Mary, I do think songs like Leaving on a Jet Plane, Green Green Grass of Home, Soldier Boy, Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, Teach Your Children, etc. bring back the Viet Nam era the way Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Beer Barrel Polka, and In The Mood bring back the WWII era.   

That reminds me of another '60s (?) song, "Jimmy, Don't Be A Hero."

Although it's not really associated with any particular war, The Weavers' song "Wasn't That A Time" is a wonderful song that lends itself to endless new verses dealing with any times of tribulation.


Thanks, everyone for the great links and suggestions. Please keep 'em coming!

Genie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 08:57 PM

"Sweet Cherry Wine"
"Abraham, Martin, & John"

"Amarillo by Morning" postdates Vietnam, a hit in 1982 and written in 74?"   Was it popular with Desert Storm guys maybe?

Johnny Cash's "Drive On" is great but you might have to be a grizzled ex-vet to put it across.

I reread your original post. How unbelievable is it that we have come up with such slim pickin's regarding the heroism and sacrifice. We were so anti-hero back then.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 09:03 PM

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother"

Subject: Lyr Add: BATTLE HYMN OF LT. CALLEY (Wilson/Smith)
From: mg
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:51 PM

Here is something I found in the Battlehymn thread. I shortened it and left out some verses. It is under the BH of Lt. Calley to see the original. Some great words here. mg


I'm just another soldier from the shores of U.S.A,
Forgotten on a battlefield ten thousand miles away
While life goes on as usual from New York to Santa Fe
As we go marching on.

I've seen my buddies ambushed on the left and on the right,
And their youthful bodies riddled by the bullets of the night
Where all the rules are broken and the only law is might
As we go marching on.

With our sweat we took the bunkers, with our tears we took the plain,
With our blood we took the mountain and they gave it back again
Still all of us are soldiers we're too busy to complain
As we go marching on.

When I reach my final campground in that land beyond the sun,
and the Great Commander asks me, "Did you fight or did you run?"
I'll stand both straight and tall, stripped of medals, rank and gun
As we go marching on.

"Sir, I followed all my orders and I did the best I could;
it's hard to judge the enemy and hard to tell the good,
yet there's not a man among us would not have understood.
As we go marching on.

When all the wars are over and the battle's finally won,
count me only as a soldier who never left his gun
with the right to serve my country as the only prize I've won.

As we go marching on.

Sung:

Glory, glory Hallelujah
Glory, glory Hallelujah
His truth goes marching on

Copyright Shelby Singleton Music 1971
@soldier @war @Vietnam @death
filename[ WMCALLY
RG
APR99

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 05:56 AM

Search the DigiTrad with @vietnam, @korea, @gulf war.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: alanabit
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:09 AM

The Phil Ochs song Genie mentioned is "Draft Dodger Rag" it has been mentioned several times here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Genie
Date: 08 Nov 14 - 04:37 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions and reminders.

There are a lot of soldiers', sailors', airmen's, marines' wartime songs that I could never do in a mixed company gig (both sexes, mixed attitudes about war, both draftees and "lifers," etc.) with almost certainly quite a few people who would not like to hear songs that are too risque or have a lot of 'four-letter' words.   But, just as WWI and WWII had popular songs associated with them that were not ABOUT war, so did Korea and Nam (and Iraq, Afghanistan), so those suggestions really help.

I'm not sure Phil's "Draft Dodger Rag" would be unanimously appreciated by all of the draftees and enlistees from the Viet Nam war, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Lighter
Date: 08 Nov 14 - 05:07 PM

Um, do you know who Lieutenant Calley was? And why the song was written?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 08 Nov 14 - 05:10 PM

thanks for trying. I think I have posted this before for Korean vets...goes to tune of dainty davey

those we left there in the cold
we remember we remember
have no fears of growing old
oh do we remember

those who fell in prison yards.
savage weather savage guards...

those who died face down in mud..
asian soil yankee blood..

heartbreak ridge and pork chop hill..
if we don't honor them who will..

those whose names we can't forget
comrade spirits with us yet

those who died when far too young,,
it is for them this song is sung..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 14 - 06:28 PM

No one mentioned ;G;;I; Joe a Tribute to the WW-1 and WW11 Veterans a very gripping song Louie Roy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: LadyJean
Date: 08 Nov 14 - 08:53 PM

There is "The Ballad of the Green Beret", very popular with girls when I was in the sixth grade, because it could be done in a lovely close harmony, and it was suitably weepy.

Donovan recorded "To Susan on the West Coast Waitng (From Andy in Vietnam Fighting). Like all Donovan songs, very singable.

Subject: RE: for Run Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: bubblyrat
Date: 09 Nov 14 - 11:25 AM

As well as "The D-Day Dodgers " (attributed to Lance-Sergeant Harry Lynn, 78th Infantry Division,Italy,1944 and "Collected" by Hamish Henderson )there is also the amusing "Bloody Orkney" by Hamish Blair.Of more recent origin and enjoyed by British sailors is "Rubbish ! I'm RDP ! " by Shep Wooley circa 1970s ; "RDP" stands for Run Down Period , when naval ratings (enlisted men) who are asked to sign on for another five years invariably exclaim "Rubbish ! I'm RDP !"
Nobody seems to have mentioned the lovely "Travelin' Soldier" ; brings tears to my eyes every time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Nov 14 - 02:57 PM

I recently added a song sung by a Military lass who died recently.
She reckons her father sang it during the war, and may have written it.
find it at the bottom of cresby.com > songs look for the first green text.
Donnie Donegan, she served as a driver in the early days after WW2

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,Padre - 47 years after returning from Wildfl
Date: 09 Nov 14 - 10:58 PM

For those of us who were ever stationed in Germany, there's always Bobby Helms' "Fraulein" which stayed in the Country charts for one full year beginning in 1957.

Far across the blue waters
Lives an old German's daughter
By the banks of the old river Rhine
Where I loved her and left her
But I can't forget her
'Cause I miss my pretty Fraulein

CHORUS: Fraulein, Fraulein
Look up toward the heavens each night
When the stars seem to shine
By the same stars above you
I swear that I love you
You are my pretty Fraulein

When my memories wander
Away over yonder
To the sweetheart that I left behind
In a moment of glory
A face comes before me
The face of my pretty Fraulein

CHORUS 2: Fraulein, Fraulein
Walk down by the river
Pretend that your hand's holding mine
By the same stars above you
I swear that I love you
You are my pretty Fraulein

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 10 Nov 14 - 11:39 AM

You may not find much from the US, they ddn't seem to do much singing when we worked with them in the mid 70s. I think life was too heavy at the time, bums whipped in Nam and then there was the Iran hostage fiasco. In fact, although we used the following, when push came to shove (this being the depth of the Cold War) nobody felt like singing on the trucks when Active Edge went down. Not knowing whether it was an exercise or real - and with a full load of live ammo and on a truck headed for the East German border half an hour away, nope, that was not something we'd really like to wallow in now.

Leavin' On a Jet Plane

I don't know who told Olly Stone we'd used the Mickey Mouse Club song - probably Charlie, they fimed it on his patch in North Greenwich (the war scenes were shot around the East End's Beckton Sewage Works, London UK). Peeed myself when he pulled that one. I don't think the US used it, though.

Then we also had a fine version of Maids When You're Young - yep, the trad version got squaddied. One or two of the WWI survived, I don't want to join the Army, but not the versions recorded elsewhere here.

I don't Want to Join the Army
I don't want to go to war
I'd rather hang around Piccadilly Underground
Living off the earnings of a high-born Lady

Monday - ??? It'll come back to me
Tuesday - ditto
Wednesday, Success! I lifted up her dress
Thursday I saw it - cor blimey
Friday I laid my hands upon it,
Satuday She gave me balls a twist
On Sunday after supper, I rammed the fucker up'er -
And now I live on ten and six a week.

Mind you, Maggie Smith's version in OWALW is coming true, when we have the bloody Boy Scouts laying a wreath in Cardiff and Glasgow because they're short of former military. Sweet, innit.

Then there was Old King Cole,
And a full version of The Engineers' Song, unrestrained.

Much of it was from the Rugby Club repertoire.

But if it's just to enable the buffers to claim Oh!What a Wonderful Time We Had, Bang Bang Bang! Hot Shots, Pot Shots Bang Bang Bang! I'd not be too surprised if someone got upset. And an upset infantryman is not what you want.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Snuffy
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 09:28 AM

Rahere, I remember it as:

Monday - I touched her on the ankle
Tuesday - I touched her on the knee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 03 Dec 14 - 05:15 AM

thread.cfm?threadid=40887
The Shores Of Old Blighty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 03 Dec 14 - 08:03 AM

I was starting to comment on National Service finishing in 63, when I realised that I'm only ten years off that bracket myself. Just promise me one thing - I'd rather die with my harp in my hand annoying the entertainment than being forcefed something I never signed up to - compulsory rap or punk...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for post WWII Veterans
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Dec 14 - 09:23 AM

We Gotta Get Outa This Place -- probably the most popular among American troops.

M-I-C-K-E-Y -- very popular, because of the term "Mickey Mouse Shit."

House of the Rising Sun

Paint It Black

Ring of Fire

and a lot of others. I heard all of these and more between when I enlisted in 1963 and was discharged (honorably!!) in 1971.

Oh, and when you were in line the brass did NOT like you baaing like sheep.