Vietnam: The war in pop songs (Lyrics)
Name: ________________________________________ per: _
DIRECTIONS: Read the following lyrics, and listen to recordings of these songs, and complete the following
questions using complete sentences.
Ohio by Neil Young (1970)
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio
Ohio Questions:
1. List and explain four key words/phrase that you find in the lyrics.
2. Who are the “tin soldiers”?
3. Who and why are there four people dead in Ohio? What took place there?
4. Is this song written about a specific event or a general anti war protest song? Provide examples.
Revolution by the Beatles (1968)
You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We'd all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We'd all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be alright [x3]
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all want to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're all doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you'll have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be alright [x4]
You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We'd all love to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know know it's gonna be alright [x3]
Alright [x7]
Revolution Questions:
1. List and explain four key words/phrase that you find in the lyrics.
2. Define Revolution.
3. What kind of Revolution are the Beatles calling for? Or is a Revolution going on during the time the song was
written?
Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
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.
Fortunate Son Questions:
1. List and explain three key words/phrase that you find in the lyrics.
2. Who are the “fortunate son(s)”?
3. Who is “made to wave the flag”?
4. What issue of the Vietnam War does this song address?
5. Is this an anti-war song? Or does it address more social issues? Support your answer with an example.
Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon (1969)
Ev’rybody’s talkin’ ‘bout
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, ism ism sim
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
(C’mon)
Ev’rybody’s talkin’ ‘bout
Ministers, Sinister, Banisters and Canisters,
Bishops, Fishops, Rabbis, and Pop Eyes, 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 talkin’ ‘bout
Revolution, Evoluiton, Masturbation, Flagellation,
Regulation,
Integrations, mediations, United Nations, congratulations
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
Ev’rybody’s talkin’ ‘bout
Hare Hare Krishna
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary
All we are saying is give peace a chance
Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer, Alan Ginsberg, Hare
Krishna
Give Peace a Chance Questions:
1. List and explain three key words/phrase that you find in the lyrics.
2. What is Lennon’s stance on the Vietnam War? And what group of people also identifies with this stance (ex:
government, college students, middle class families, etc.)?
3. Define the words below and relate them to the Vietnam War.
a. Minister
b. Sinister
c. Canister
Talk about when John Lennon and Yoko Ono were recording this song. What unusual place was it recorded at?
Draft Dodger Rag by Phil Ochs (1964)
Oh, I'm just a typical American boy from a typical
American town
I believe in God and Senator Dodd and a-keepin' old
Castro down
And when it came my time to serve I knew "better dead
than red"
But when I got to my old draft board, buddy, this is what I
said:
I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat, and my
asthma's getting worse
Yes, think of my career, my sweetheart dear, and my
poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a-goin' to school
And I'm working in a DEE-fense plant
Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat, and my
asthma's getting worse
Yes, think of my career, my sweetheart dear, and my
poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a-goin' to school
And I'm working in a DEE-fense plant
Ooh, I hate Chou En Lai, and I hope he dies,
Onething you gotta see
That someone's gotta go over there
And that someone isn't me
So I wish you well, Sarge, give 'em Hell!
Kill me a thousand or so
And if you ever get a war without blood and gore
I'll be the first to go
I've got a dislocated disc and a wracked up back
I'm allergic to flowers and bugs
And when the bombshell hits, I get epileptic fits
And I'm addicted to a thousand drugs
I got the weakness woes, I can't touch my toes
I can hardly reach my knees
And if the enemy came close to me
I'd probably start to sneeze
Yes, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat, and my
asthma's getting worse
Yes, think of my career, my sweetheart dear, and my
poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a-goin' to school
And I'm working in a DEE-fense plant
Draft Dodger's Rag Questions:
1. List and explain four key words/phrase that you find in the lyrics.
2. What excuses does Ochs list to get him out of going to war? Why is he doing this?
3. Do you think Ochs is mocking the draft dodgers or praising them? Why or why not?
I Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag by Country Joe and the Fish (1967)
Come on all of you big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He's got himself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder in Vietnam
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Come on generals, let's move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Gotta go out and get those reds —
The only good commie is the one that's dead
You know that peace can only be won
When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Come on Wall Street, don't move slow,
Why man, this is war au-go-go.
There's plenty good money to be made
Supplying the Army with the tools of the trade,
Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
They drop it on the Viet Cong.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on fathers, don't hesitate,
Send your sons off before it's too late.
You can be the first one on your block
To have your boy come home in a box.
I Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag Questions:
1. List and explain four key words/phrase that you find in the lyrics.
2. Do you believe this song is supporting young men going to fight in Vietnam or a critic of the war and the draft?
What makes you believe this (evidence)?
3. What do you make of this line “The only good commie is the one that’s dead”? Does the band believe this? Or do
they believe the government views it this way? How does this tie into the fact that the US killed 3.4 million
Vietnamese?