The Vietnam War & Music
No other war had such a visceral reaction amongst Americans than the Vietnam War itself. Spanning across twenty years, and initially beginning with feelings of hope and fierce patriotism, as the tides of the war changed and more Americans lost their lives on the battlefield, attitudes slowly changed.
Music is a reflection of society, and the attitudes Americans had about the war in Vietnam rang out loud and clear.
Initially, at the beginning of the war, the music reflected what the government was telling the soldiers: that they were engaged in a morally unambiguous fight for freedom.
“America’s leaders told the soldiers they were engaged in a morally unambiguous fight for freedom, the soldiers wholeheartedly believed their leaders were telling them the truth.”
- Doug Bradley, Craig Werner. We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War
Pro-war songs like The Ballad of the Green Berets exemplified soldiers in the eyes of the Americans. This song was written in 1966, towards the middle of the war. But of course, anti-war music rang out louder than any other form of music as the tide of the war turned against America.
Anti War Music
Folk and folk rock music found its place at the forefront of the anti-war movement, producing songs like John Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance (1969), and Barry McGuire’s Eve of Destruction (1965). Folk music had its roots in the hippie subculture, which was one of the groups that fought for anti-war in general. Eve of Destruction was targeted towards those who believed that the war was a good thing, with its key lyric “But you tell me over and over and over again my friend//Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.”
Anti-war music tended to contain themes of dissatisfaction with the government and the war. While some were more subtle about their displeasure, e.g. Peter, Paul and Mary’s Leaving on a Jet Plane (1969), other songs were more vocal about it.
Edwin Starr’s War (1970), encapsulated the burning anger felt by Americans against the war in Vietnam. The song was characterized by the repeating phrase “War, what is it good for//Absolutely nothing”, implying that America was tired of this seemingly endless war. Since Vietnam was one of the first televised wars, people back at home grew more and more disenfranchised with the idea of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.