Back home they say he's not a man
until he's old enough to vote
But yet he's old enough to fight
in Vietnam so he's been told
He went to school and went to church
so that he would be a better man
But who needs an education
just to kill another man
Back home he was a clean cut kid
and never did get into fights
But now he's learned that he is a man,
a man without no rights
He never had a chance to vote,
so he's really not a man
But yet he faces the enemy
over there in Vietnam
The Bible tells that thou shall not kill
and that we should live in peace
But the world is filled with hate,
no one prays down on his knees
No one seems to think they're wrong,
everybody thinks they are right
That's why he's there in Vietnam,
in those jungles he must fight
He knows that's wrong to take a life
to him it is a crime
and if he did it while at home
Then he would be in prison for lifetime
Their babies cry, they starve and die,
and the bullets fill the air
He's over there to spread more hate
there is destruction everywhere
Men have died before their time
and more will die today
every country has its heroes
still the war goes on this way
His daddy fought in World War Two
so that we could live in peace
And we know his heart was broken
when they sent him overseas
I hope that one day that men will learn
the meaning of true hell
He's old enough to fight they say,
but too young to vote they tell
He's old enough to fight they say,
but too young to vote they tell
until he's old enough to vote
But yet he's old enough to fight
in Vietnam so he's been told
He went to school and went to church
so that he would be a better man
But who needs an education
just to kill another man
Back home he was a clean cut kid
and never did get into fights
But now he's learned that he is a man,
a man without no rights
He never had a chance to vote,
so he's really not a man
But yet he faces the enemy
over there in Vietnam
The Bible tells that thou shall not kill
and that we should live in peace
But the world is filled with hate,
no one prays down on his knees
No one seems to think they're wrong,
everybody thinks they are right
That's why he's there in Vietnam,
in those jungles he must fight
He knows that's wrong to take a life
to him it is a crime
and if he did it while at home
Then he would be in prison for lifetime
Their babies cry, they starve and die,
and the bullets fill the air
He's over there to spread more hate
there is destruction everywhere
Men have died before their time
and more will die today
every country has its heroes
still the war goes on this way
His daddy fought in World War Two
so that we could live in peace
And we know his heart was broken
when they sent him overseas
I hope that one day that men will learn
the meaning of true hell
He's old enough to fight they say,
but too young to vote they tell
He's old enough to fight they say,
but too young to vote they tell
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The song "There in Viet Nam" (Bubbie Records # 1003) - a country music track that took an anti-war position. It placed a strong emphasis on the contrast between the voting age (21) and the draft age (18).
The narrator also expressed moral and religious opposition to the war, quoting the bible: "thou shall not kill". Yet, she also defended the previous generation's conflict as a just war for freedom: "his daddy fought in World War Two so that we can live in peace".
Released in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Written by B. Willow. Produced by Frank Dell.
Vietnam War Songs Project