Singin' In Vietnam Talkin' Blues

(album: Man In Black - 1971)

One morning at breakfast, I said to my wife
We been everywhere once and some places twice
As I had another helping of country ham
She said "We ain't never been to Vietnam
"And there's a bunch of our boys over there."
So we went to the Orient: Saigon

Well we got a big welcome when we drove in
Through the gates of a place that they call Long Vinh
We checked in and everything got kinda quiet
But a soldier boy said: "Just wait 'til tonight
"Things get noisy. Things start happening
"Big bad firecrackers."

Well that night we did about four shows for the boys
And they were living it up with a whole lot of noise
We did our last song for the night
And we crawled into bed for some peace and quiet
But things weren't peaceful. And things weren't quiet
Things were scary

Well for a few minutes June never said one word
And I thought at first that she hadn't heard
Then a shell exploded not two miles away
She sat up in bed and I heard her say: "What was that?"
I said: "That was a shell, or a bomb."
She said: "I'm scared." I said "Me too."

Well all night long that noise kept on
And the sound would chill you right to the bone
The bullets and the bombs, and the mortar shells
Shook our bed every time one fell
And it never let up; it was gonna get worse
Before it got any better

Well when the sun came up, the noise died down
We got a few minutes sleep, an' we were sleeping sound
When a soldier knocked on our door and said:
"Last night they brought in seven dead, and 14 wounded."
And would we come down to the base hospital, and see the boys
"Yes!"

So we went to the hospital ward by day
And every night we were singing away
Then the shells and the bombs was going again
And the helicopters brought in the wounded men
Night after night; day after day
Coming and a going

So we sadly sang for them our last song
And reluctantly we said: "So long."
We did our best to let 'em know that we care
For every last one of 'em that's over there
Whether we belong over there or not
Somebody over here love's 'em, and needs 'em

Well now that's about all that there is to tell
About that little trip into living hell
And if I ever go back over there any more
I hope there's none of our boys there for me to sing for
I hope that war is over with
And they all come back home
To stay

In peace