A Vietnam veteran's story of his tour of duty in 1969-70 and his life since then
Straight ahead rock and blues from a 70's perspective.
I am jamming with some guys right now, we're looking at putting together a classic rock & blues band. I am using my Roland guitar synth for organ, horns & horn sections so we're working up some classic blues/R&B sounds. I met a drummer, Cliff Lippert, who has been a full time pro for years, at one point drumming for Gregg Allman. He was in an accident and ended up back in new York State. We played and everything clicked. I brought my friend Randy Miles ans we all went to Dave Berg's place and started jamming in his basement. Dave plays bass. So far it's been...just UNbelievable!! I am having a great time! We all are!
Story behind the song
This song is a collaboration between my friend Eugene "Buzzy" Greenman and myself originally written in 1985. Buzzy is a Vietnam Veteran and the words are his, I did the music. It took a long time, but we finally got it recorded! It is a tribute to everyone who served in Vietnam and got screwed over for it. More information is available at http://www.randyleemilesmusic.com/.
Lyrics
Got drafted when he was just eighteen, sent to Vietnam,
Halfway around the world, to fight the Viet Cong.
Huey slick flying low, drops him in a hot LZ
Jungle rot, agent orange, choking on the midday heat
He saw men die, saw them go down in his sights
Perimeter guard, convoy duty, an M-60 by his side all night
The smell of death all around hanging heavy in the air
Saw his friends go home in boxes wondered why he was spared.
He remembers friends, men who fought and died
He sees the names and the memories well up inside
He served with honor, he’s standing tall
Looking through his tears at the names upon the wall
Automatic weapons, mortar rounds, convoys blown away
Killing just to stay alive, just to see another day.
Survival of the fittest in a stinking jungle hell
He wonders if he’s losing his fight and sometimes his mind as well
Memories, like tracer rounds, cutting through the night
Tear their way through his soul, years later he’s still wound tight
Nightmares still haunt him, like trip flares on the wire
Memories of death and killing, his grim baptism of fire
He served with honor, he served with pride
No one will ever know all he’s kept inside
He served with honor, never questioned going to war
Even if no one told him what it was all for
Now he’s back in the world, years have rolled on by
Firefights still flash before him, no one cares or wonders why
He feels like he’s been walking point for damned near forty years
The cries of his wounded buddies still ringing in his ears
His daddy wouldn’t listen, his mother didn’t understand
How he left home a boy and fought in Vietnam.
Among his friends are those who gave their all
His brothers in arms whose names are carved on the long black granite wall
They served with honor, they served with pride
No one really knows all they’ve kept inside
They served with honor, they served with pride
There were no parades when they came home from war
They served with honor, never questioned going to war
Even when no one told them what they were dying for
They served with honor, we know it so very well
One year tour of duty and a lifetime spent in hell
© 1985, 1991, 2006 Greenman & Johnson
