Protest Songs from the Vietnam War

John Lennon Poster

Our active involvement in the Vietnam War spanned across two decades. During that time, our country changed. Most Americans now had a television in their homes and were able to witness scenes from Vietnam right in their living rooms. Each night Americans heard the death toll and saw scenes from battles in a land most of us did not even know existed.

Americans began to question our involvement. Did we really belong there? Should our soldiers be sent to some jungle?

This sentiment was expressed through one culture medium: music. We began to hear songs that questioned our country's decision to remain in Vietnam. We heard songs that expressed sadness, regret, anger, and even sarcasm. The anti-war sentiment was heard in all genre's of music that included Folk Music, Rock Music, and Soft-rock Music.

Here are ten of the more popular songs related to feelings of discontent over America's involvement in Vietnam. Many more were written and sang by well-known artists. This is just a small list, but it does reflect how much the anti-war sentiment had permeated our popular culture of that time period.

1. Masters Of War by Bob Dylan.
   
   You fasten all the triggers
   For the others to fire
   Then you set back and watch
   When the death count gets higher
   You hide in your mansion'
   As young people's blood
   Flows out of their bodies
   And is buried in the mud.
   


2. War by Edwin Starr.
   
   War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
   War, it's got one friend
   That's the undertaker
   Ooooh, war, has shattered
   Many a young mans dreams



3. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon
   
   Everybody's talking about
   Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism
   Ragism, Tagism, this-ism, that-ism
   Ism ism ism
   
   All we are saying is give peace a chance


4. Imagineby John Lennon
   
   Imagine no possessions
   I wonder if you can
   No need for greed or hunger
   A brotherhood of man
   Imagine all the people
   Sharing all the world
   


5. Where Have All The Flowers Gone by Peter, Paul, and Mary.
   "Where have all the flowers gone?
   Young girls have picked them everyone"
   
   The song begins with young girls picking flowers, they marry, then their husbands become soldiers. The soldiers go to the graveyard. The flowers have gone to the graveyards which have gone back to the flowers.

6. I Feel Like I'm Fixin To by Country Joe and the Fish.
   
   Come on all of you big strong men
   Uncle Sam needs your help again
   he's got himself in a terrible jam
   way down yonder in Viet Nam so
   put down your books and pick up a gun we're
   gonna have a whole lotta fun
   


7. Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan.
   
   How many times must a man look up
   Before he can see the sky?
   Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
   Before he can hear people cry?
   Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
   That too many people have died?
   The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
   The answer is blowin' in the wind.


8. This Land is Your Land by Woodie Guthrie
   
   In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
   Near the relief office - I see my people
   And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
   If this land's still made for you and me.
   


9. For What It's Worth by Buffalo Springfield.
   
   There's battle lines being drawn
   Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
   Young people speaking their minds
   Getting so much resistance from behind


10. Fortunate Son by Creedance Clearwater Revival.
    
    How much should we give ?
    They only answer more ! more ! more !
    It ain't me
    it ain't me
    I ain't no military son.
    It ain't me
    it ain't me;
    I ain't no fortunate one.