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5800+

Vietnam Veteran Artists
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Vietnam Veteran Artists

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Songs of the Wall


A double-sided Vietnam War single released in 1984 in the classic rock style, took a strong anti-war position. The record was released by Vietnam War veterans from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Words and music by W.B. Scherer. The song "58000+" is certainly one of the most interesting on this list lyrically, which suggested breaking-up the Memorial Wall in D.C., to build a road of peace: "there's a black wall...we'll break it up and turn it all to gravel". The song called for people to stop politicians from leading people to war: "we are to blame if we haven't learnt...fight politicians of war to pave the future". The beginning of the song focused on the impact of the memorial on veterans, who may have felt guilt, having lost many friends in the war, as well as dealing with war memories (which may be a reference to PTSD *). The picture sleeve featured a drawing of the memorial wall and a photo of the band. The A-side "Saigon Children" is interesting in that it looked at the perspective of South Vietnamese children who lost their parents in the war. It also referenced Agent Orange, and had war sound-effects, such as helicopters.

( da Viet Nam War Song Project )

PTSD * = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
58,000+ and that's the count,
58,000+ and that's the count
Black stone etched in silence,
the memories..red, in coming loud,
for years we've been trying to forget the horror,
for years we've been dealing with the guilt,
the friends we lost
And what we did still haunt us,
there will never be a war
to end all wars,
there can only be a peace to begin all peace...

Continues in their memory...
...
blood flows through veins of granite,
chiseled are the names of the dead,
the struggle goes on in the shadow of other men free,
a vision we've seen in the light of the long dark wall,

58,000+ and that's the count,
58,000+ died in the 'Nam,
there's a black wall in Washington, a
nd we'll break it up and turn it all to gravel,
to build a road where others have fell

58,000+ on the stone
We are to blame if we haven't learnt by now,
we will unite
And fight politicians of war
to pave the future for our children
For the road gone by,
for the road denied.
for road not built for peace

Contributed by L. E. - 2020/5/28 - 22:32




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