Soldier songs have been a part of my life, because when I lived in Rhodesia, all the young guys had to do military training. It was very scary for me to leave home and go far away to do 9 months of training. Two of these songs featured here are songs I heard while in the Rhodesian Air Force.
1. Scottish Soldier – Andy Stewart
Although I am not Scottish, this one always tugs at my heart. I think it is to do with homesickness or something, because I don’t like fighting and killing either. We went to see my Mother in Scotland just before she passed away.
2. Where have all the flowers gone? – Peter, Paul and Mary
When I was a teenager, I went with my older brother on holiday to Margate in Natal. It was very exciting to me. One day he took me to a place where a band was playing, and people were requesting songs. This was one of the songs, and it was the first time I heard it. When will people ever learn to stop making wars?
I first heard this song when we were sitting around the camp fire out in the boonies of Rhodesia. The air force sent us far away somewhere, and were had to cover the airplane with nets and branches, and the army was supposed to find us and have a mock attack. I had my guitar with me, and used to walk away from the campsite, and sing to myself. One time I heard a noise coming through the long grass, and I quickly went back to the camp and told them that the army was coming. So we all hid, waiting for the army to come out of the bushes. High alert. Then two cows came out of the long grass! I felt like such a fool, but anyway, the army never did find us. Later on at the air force base in Gwelo, my sergeant used to make me sing this song, but I had to change the words to: “I hear the sound of distant tom toms.” It was my favorite love song at the time.
When I was a boy, my mother told me it was a sin to play cards, but I must confess, I keep playing Solitaire and FreeCell on the computer, as it helps me to relax. My mother told me once that my Uncle Pat Cartwright got a medal for bravery in the North African Campaign of the Second World War.
Here is the writer, singing his own song. Mr. Mel Tillis. I first heard this song by Kenny Rogers, but I don’t like the way he uses God’s name at the end. It goes against my religious beliefs.
6. Just a Dream – Carrie Underwood
I saw this song on TV by Carrie Underwood, so I thought I would put it in here.
7. The ballad of the Green Berets – Barry Sadler
This was a hit song when I did military training.
To me this sounds like a war song, so I have decided to add it on to this page.
9. Sink the Bismarck – Johnny Horton
10. Heart of oak – The Royal Navy
I saw a play when I was a kid, and they sang this song.
11. Bob Hope Special – 1944 in the South Pacific
I have a book of Bob Hope called: “Don’t shoot, it’ only me.” He tells how when he was in North Africa, a German plane shot at him, and he jumped off the jeep into a ditch and sprained his ankle, or something. When the medical guy was attending to him, he seemed very nervous, so Bob asked him how he got in the medical section. So he said that when he filled in his army papers, he had to state where he had worked before, and he wrote: “Dr.Pepper.” So they put him in the medical!
Many years ago I had a record of Bud Chambers singing a song he wrote called: “News from Vietnam.” I can’t find it on the net, so I thought I would quote some words from my memory.
12. NEWS FROM VIETNAM by Bud Chambers
I heard the news about the war today from Vietnam. They say the fighting was much lighter in that far and distant land. There were three separate bombings on the northern battle land. Three soldiers lost their lives, out of three one was mine.
(Chorus)
They still say the war is cold, and we’re winning every day, but so many have been wounded and there are thousands in their graves. It’s not so bad to lose one soldier when so many have to die, but today things are different, one soldier boy is mine.
(Talking)
He was so young and so happy when he left one year ago. He bade the family all goodbye, but little did we know. It would be the last farewell for a soldier brave and kind. Yes today thing are different, one soldier boy is mine.
Many of the songs I link to on the YouTube seem to get removed. Maybe they were pirate copies, or maybe they were stolen by the Pirates of the Caribbean. If any of you see Johnny Depp, ask him if he has seen any of the songs!