Vietnam, Vietnam

[JohnKleeb]

Hey
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam

Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam.
Yesterday I got a letter
from my friend
fighting in Vietnam

and this is what he had to say:
'tell all my friends
that I'll be coming home soon

Hey if we're gonna do late night singin, so be it.

[Bluebear]

1. The beat of black wings, Joni Mitchell......

I met a young soldier
He said his name was Killer Kyle
He was shakin' all over
Like a night-frightened child
This is his story
It's a tough one for me to sing
Hard as the squawk and the flap
And the beat of-the beat of black wings

"They gave me a gun," he said
"They gave me a mission
For the power and the glory-
Propaganda-piss on 'em
There's a war zone inside me-
I can feel things exploding-
I can't even hear the fucking music playing
For the beat of-the beat of black wings."

He said, "I never had nothin'-
Nothin' I could believe in
My girl killed our unborn child
Without even grievin'!
I put my hands on her belly
To feel the kid kickin'-damn!
She'd been to some clinic
Oh-the beat of black wings."

"They want you-they need you-
They train you to kill-
To be a pin on some map-
Some vicarious thrill-
The old hate the young
That's the whole heartless thing
The old pick the wars
We die in 'em
To the beat of-the beat of black wings."

There's a man drawing pictures
On the sidewalk with chalk
Just as fast as he draws 'em
Rain come down and wash 'em off
"Keep the drinks comin' girl
'Til I can't feel anything
I'm just a chalk mark in a rainstorm
I'm just the beat of black wings."

[Droopy]

3. Most excellent. Gave me chills.

Is that something new that she wrote? Forgive me I think I've only heard one Joni Mitchell song my whole life.

[Bluebear]

4. That's from 1988......

The Beat of Black Wings' was written in England just after the bombing of Libya. Peter Gabriel's studio was in the country, on the crest of a valley. Over the next ridge, at night, there was an orange glow from the lights of an air base. It was from this base that the attack was launched. It crossed my mind that if there was a retaliation, we could very well be the target. I got thinking about war and Killer Kyle came to mind. I met him at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina during the Vietnam war."

http://www.jonimitchell.com/MissesBeat88.html

[elperromagico]

2. "Dead Hooker Blues" by Elperromagico.

I gots a dead hooker in my trunk
Don't know where she came from
I said I gots a dead hooker in my trunk
Don't know where she came from

Been drinkin' all night long
Don't know what I coulda done

Gonna get me a big ol' shovel
Cover up the evidence
Said I'm gonna get me a big ol' shovel
Cover up the evidence

'Cause if the cops find that dead hooker
They gonna put me behind the fence

Well, the cops they came and got me
Put the handcuffs on my hands
Well, the cops they came and got me
Put the handcuffs on my hands

Murder in the first degree
Goin' down to San Quentin

:D