I’m looking to put together a playlist or mix tape or iMix - whatever the kids are calling it made up of songs about war. I’m looking for a mix of songs from a variety of eras, perspectives, and music styles. I will start the list with the fantastic “Day After Tomorrow” by Tom Waits.
You may start the list with it, but you should end the mix with it. The opening song of the mix should be “war” by Edwin Starr. Good god, y’all.
It can’t be considered complete unless it includes County Joe & the Fish’s Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag
Oh it’s one, two three what are we marching for?
Don’t ask me I don’t give a damn, next stop is Vietnam …
How about a couple by VNV Nation?
The three notables for this type of compilation being:
“Chosen” (spoken word)
“Procession”
“Honour”
For full lyrics, check out this page. Beware, though, thar be popups.
interface2x, those are great, this is the first time I’ve read those lyrics. Thanks for the heads up. Folks, these are a good start. Any to fill the Dire Straits “Brothers in Arms” category? What about more hip-hop, country (anything from the last 50 years), or some of those angry fellows from the indy and punk crowds.
So, what is it good for?
While sources go on the record with: “absolutely nothing”, I prefer “War is good for the setting for a variety of video games.”
Pink Floyd’s “When The Tigers Broke Free.”
Country:
“If I Don’t Make It Back” - Tracy Lawrence
“I Just Got Back From A War” - Darryl Worley
“8th of November” - Big and Rich
“Traveling Soldier” - Dixie Chicks
Chances are that none of these are what you’re looking for, but that’s all I got.
No, those are good. Keep thinking outside the box. More Dixie Chicks and less Big and Rich. (Not necessarily message, just better music. Big and Rich hurt my head.)
Alice’s Restaurant- Arlo Guthrie
The Unknown Soldier- The Doors
War- Edwin Starr
“Fortunate Son” - Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Shipbuilding” - Elvis Costello (From the perspective of shipyard workers. War is good for business, but “Is it worth it?”)
“And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” - Eric Bogle (or a nice cover by The Pogues)
“Rumours of War” - Billy Bragg
“Everywhere” - **Billy Bragg ** (About boyhood friends, one of whom is Japanese-American, and their divergent experiences during WW2)
And for nuclear war, there’s:
“99 Red Balloons” - Nena
“Seconds” - U2
“Russians” - Sting
“It’s a Mistake” - Men at Work
“Everyday Is Like Sunday” - Morrissey
Well, there’s Billy Bragg’s “Tender Comrade” (These particular comrades get a little, er, “closer” than most.)
I’m amazed it’s taken so long for anyone to mention it, but you absolutely must have Holst’s “Mars”. Yeah, it’s all instrumental, but at the same time, there’s no doubt at all what it’s about.
And what I know best is Irish folk, so I’ll also mention “By the Rising of the Moon” and “Henry Joy” (both of which, I think, have been sung by Johnny Makem). And in the “War is Hell” category, there’s “Willie McBride (No Man’s Land)” and “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda”, both of which I think were done by the Pogues.
A few more:
“What’s Goin’ On?” - Marvin Gaye
“Gun Shy” - 10,000 Maniacs
“Galveston” - Glen Campbell
“Children’s Crusade” - Sting (The lost generation of World War One as metaphor for heroin addicts.)
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” - The Band
“If I Had a Rocket Launcher” - Bruce Cockburn (Guatemala’s civil war.)
And for some old-time goodness, “The Battle of New Orleans” by Johnny Horton.
Two from John Prine:
Sam Stone - about a Vietnam vet with a monkey on his back
Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore - because it’s already overcrowded from your dirty little war…
How about The Ballad of the Green Berets by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler?
Warren Zevon has Veracruz, about the Spanish-American war, Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, and Jungle Work - the latter two about mercenaries. Great songs, all. Oh, and Renegade is told from the perspective of a loser of the American Civil War.
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
BYOB - System of a Down - More of a modern anti-war, civilian POV. System of a Down has quite a few war-related songs
When Ya Get Drafted - Dead Kennedys. Cold-war era punk. Awesome.
Aces High - Iron Maiden - About flying a Spitfire during WW2 (Maiden’s singer is an airline pilot in his spare time) Run to the Hills is another good song - it involves indians.
Nautical Disaster - Tragically Hip - Generally thought to be about the tragic Dieppe Raid during WW2. Not all the facts are right, but it’s told from the perspective of the narrator recalling a rather chilling dream. Awesome song from a great band.
More:
“19” - Paul Hardcastle
“Still in Saigon” - Charlie Daniels Band
“Born in the USA” - Bruce Springsteen
“Spanish Bombs” - The Clash (Spanish civil War.)
Old school:
“Over There” - World War I hit, written by George M. Cohan, and performed by various artists.
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”
and on a lighter note…
“Boogie Wooogie Bugle Boy” - The Andrews Sisters (Covered in the 70s by Bette Midler.)
I’ll second the Australian classic “Khe San” by Cold Chisel (available for a listen on thier myspace page).
Also “Cambodia” by Kim Wilde.
Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire (Vietnam era)