A Soldier's Sad Story: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1966-73

by N/A

Overview

As much a penetrating and painful lesson in American history as it is a fantastic set of vintage soul, A Soldier's Sad Story: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1966-73 documents a very different dimension of antiwar protest music -- Edwin Starr's classic "War" aside, the mainstream antiwar canon comprises songs written and performed almost entirely by white folkies (Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Barry McGuire, etc.), but the African-American response was just as potent and provocative, with an underlying sense of hopelessness and disenfranchisement that speaks volumes about the mindset of the black counterculture as war raged not only in Southeast Asia but also in places like Detroit and Watts. Ranging from the gritty deep soul of James Carr ("Let's Face Facts") to the sweet folk-soul of Bill Withers ("I Can't Write Left-Handed"), the set spans not only musical styles but also varying shades of polemical intensity -- some cuts are confrontational and direct, others elegiac and allegorical, but all burn with the emotional honesty and complexity that are the hallmarks of soul music at its finest. Other highlights include Mel & Tim's "Mail Call Time," the Monitors' "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)," Johnny & Jon's "Christmas in Vietnam," and the O'Jays' "There's Someone (Waiting Back Home)." ~ Jason Ankeny

Product Details

Release Date:	11/25/2003
Label:	Kent
UPC:	0029667222624
Rank:	100776

Tracks

1. Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)  - Stuart Avig  - Robert Bateman  - Martin Coleman  - Ronald Dunbar  - Art Glasser  - Brian Holland  - Jerry Light  -  Monitors
2. He'll Be Back  - Colis Gordon  -  Players  - John Thomas
3. Marching Off to War  - William Bell  - Steve Cropper  - Eddie Floyd
4. While I'm Away (Baby Keep the Faith)  - Eddy "G" Giles  -  Jive Five
5. Going to Vietnam  - Big Amos Patton
6. Lonely Soldier  - Mike Williams
7. I Believe I'm Gonna Make It  - Joe Tex
8. Christmas in Vietnam  -  Johnny & Jon  - John Wessler  - John Wilson
9. I'm Gonna Help Hurry My Brothers Home  - J.J. Holiday  - Jimmy Holiday
10. Let's Face Facts  - James Carr  - Lee Jones  - Harold Thomas
11. Lights Out  - Larry Banks  - Zerben R Hicks
12. When Johnny Comes Marching Home  - Richard Barbary  - Harold Thomas
13. A Soldier's Sad Story  - Tiny Watkins
14. A Letter from Vietnam  - Emanual Laskey
15. Something You Couldn't Write About  - Gloria Edwards  - Bob McRee  - Cliff Thomas  - Edward Thomas
16. Mail Call Time  - Eugene Dixon  - Melvin Harden  -  Mel & Tim
17. There's Someone (Waiting Back Home)  - Kenny Gamble  - Leon Huff  -  O'Jays
18. Bring the Boys Home  - Angelo Bond  - General Johnson  - Freda Payne  - Greg Perry
19. Stop the War Now  - Edwin Starr  - Barrett Strong
20. P.O.W. - M.I.A.  -  Whispers
21. War  - Choker Campbell  - Carla Whitney
22. I Can't Write Left-Handed  - Ray Jackson  - Bill Withers
23. Back to the World  - Curtis Mayfield
24. Sam Stone  - John Prine  -  Swamp Dogg

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Tiny Watkins   Primary Artist
The O'Jays   Primary Artist
Johnny   Primary Artist
Zerben R Hicks & The Dynamics   Primary Artist
Swamp Dogg   Primary Artist
Emmanuel Laskey   Primary Artist
Freda Payne   Primary Artist
Edwin Starr   Primary Artist
Big Amos Patton   Primary Artist
Bill Withers   Primary Artist
Carla Whitney   Primary Artist
Richard Barbary   Primary Artist
James Carr   Primary Artist
Eddy "G" Giles   Primary Artist
Curtis Mayfield   Primary Artist
Joe Tex   Primary Artist
Players   Primary Artist
Jimmy Holiday   Primary Artist
Mel   Primary Artist
The Monitors   Primary Artist
Mike Williams   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
The Whispers   Primary Artist
Gloria Edwards   Primary Artist
William Bell   Primary Artist
Johnny & Jon   Primary Artist
Mel & Tim   Primary Artist
The Jive Five   Primary Artist
Zerben R. Hicks   Primary Artist
Emanual Laskey   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Tiny Watkins   Composer
Brian Holland   Composer
Calvin Carter   Producer
Leon Huff   Composer,Producer
Ray Jackson   Composer
Norman Whitfield   Producer
J.J. Holiday   Composer
Teacho Wiltshire   Arranger
Eugene Dixon   Composer
Art Glasser   Composer
Edward Thomas   Composer
Bobby Martin   Arranger
James MayCock   Liner Notes
Stuart Avig   Composer
John Thomas   Composer
Tom Washington   Arranger
Melvin Harden   Composer
Harold Thomas   Composer
Rich Tufo   Arranger
John Wilson   Composer
John Wessler   Composer
Martin Coleman   Composer
Colis Gordon   Composer
Bob McRee   Composer
Jerry Light   Composer
William "Mickey" Stevenson   Producer
Willie Mitchell   Producer
Steve Cropper   Composer
Choker Campbell   Composer,Producer
John Prine   Composer
Angelo Bond   Composer
Mike Hanks   Producer
Bill Withers   Composer,Producer
Kenny Gamble   Composer,Producer
Riley Hampton   Arranger
Barrett Strong   Composer
Larry Banks   Composer,Producer
Curtis Mayfield   Composer,Producer
Cliff Thomas   Composer
Tony Rounce   Liner Notes,Archive Research
Gene Chandler   Producer
Eddie Floyd   Composer
Greg Perry   Composer
Lee Jones   Composer
General Johnson   Composer
Robert Bateman   Composer
Huey P. Meaux   Producer
Ronald Dunbar   Composer
Jerry Williams, Jr.   Arranger,Producer
Quinton Claunch   Producer
Nick Robbins   Mastering
Buddy Killen   Producer