Jimmy Cliff : Vietnam
[purchase]
Leon Thomas: Damn Nam (Ain't Goin' To Vietnam)
[purchase]
There's Vietnam, the country, and then there's Vietnam, the war. Both these songs, written in 1969, refer to the latter, when 550,000 American soldiers were serving there, Nixon had begun serving his second term, the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam demonstrations took place, and a growing majority of Americans thought the war was a mistake.
Jimmy Cliff in 1969 was a Jamaican reggae singer whose worldwide popularity was growing. Leon Thomas was an American soul/jazz singer releasing his first solo album. Both songs capture the anti-war sentiments of the day.
