Vietnam

Album: Jimmy Cliff (1969)
Charted: 46
Play Video
  • Hey, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam

    Yesterday I got a letter from my friend
    Fighting in Vietnam
    And this is what he had to say
    'Tell all my friends that I'll be coming home soon
    My time it'll be up some time in June
    Don't forget, he said to tell my sweet Mary
    Her golden lips as sweet as cherries

    And it came from
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam

    It was just the next day his mother got a telegram
    It was addressed from Vietnam
    Now mistress Brown, she lives in the USA
    And this is what she wrote and said
    Don't be alarmed, she told me the telegram said
    But mistress Brown your son is dead

    And it came from
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Somebody please stop that war now

    It was just the next day his mother got a telegram
    It was addressed from Vietnam
    Now mistress Brown, she lives in the USA
    And this is what she wrote and said
    Don't be alarmed, she told me the telegram said
    Oh, but mistress Brown your son is dead

    And it came from
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Somebody please stop it

    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam
    What I'm saying now somebody stop that war Writer/s: Jimmy Cliff
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 2

  • Paul Vermehren from OkinawaSteve in UK.
    You have failed to understand the sentiment of the song.
    It's not about geopolitical history. It's about conscripts being sent to fight a war they may or may not believe in, and return home I'm a body bag. Or did up with PTSD.
  • Steve from Uk Like jimmy Cliff but these lyrics are reductive nonsense, North Vietnams war of aggression against South Vietnam was unjust not the war to defend it. The US was part of SEATO the Asia Pacific defense pact that included Australia, and south Korea amongst others, Hanoi's government was an evil communist regime that attacked neighbouring countries and tried to present it as a revolution which it was not, 85%of communist soldiers were North Vietnam National army add to that 300,000 Chinese soldiers hardly an internal conflict in south Vietnam, what were Chinese and NVA soldiers doing in the republic of South Vietnam? Most US soldiers were not conscripted but were regular army and the battles were convincingly won Hanoi was militarily defeated and forced to terms in 1973 by the Paris accords like North Korea had been 20 years earlier. That treaty was then undermined and south Vietnam defunded and the south fell to a new invasion years after the US and its allies had ceased armed Involvement, communists in asia have murdered tens of millions of people in Cambodia Laos Vietnam and China and were and are fascists. So why oh why time and again do some artists and musicians take the wrong side where is the morality and justice they pontificate about in there opposition to the correct side or support for the wrong side this has taken the form of agit propaganda since 1917 and actually cheapens art by not being honest and reducing complex issues to cheap propaganda I thought artists had a duty to tell the whole truth.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song TitlesMusic Quiz

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."