Can't you see what you done done to my only son
my only son, my only son
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
Why he was fighting in your war
America, I gave you my only son
Right away you sent him off
To fight in Vietnam.
He was a good soldier
and he really did his part
I was so proud when he won that medal
The one they call the Purple Heart
I didn't know that when he went off
to serve his country
I didn't know you'd send him back to me
a stoned junkie
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
my only son, my only son
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
Why he was fighting in your war
You see... I watched him one day
take some money from my purse
And that's when I knew
I knew that his habit had gotten worse
To protect his country
well I think that's a hell of a price to pay
and you let his real enemy
you let it push him get away
Likle most mothers
I still get on my knees to pray
But my son died from an overdose
last Mother's day
Now can't you see what you done done to my only son
my only son, my only son
I didn't have but one
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
Why he was fighting in your war
my only son, my only son
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
Why he was fighting in your war
America, I gave you my only son
Right away you sent him off
To fight in Vietnam.
He was a good soldier
and he really did his part
I was so proud when he won that medal
The one they call the Purple Heart
I didn't know that when he went off
to serve his country
I didn't know you'd send him back to me
a stoned junkie
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
my only son, my only son
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
Why he was fighting in your war
You see... I watched him one day
take some money from my purse
And that's when I knew
I knew that his habit had gotten worse
To protect his country
well I think that's a hell of a price to pay
and you let his real enemy
you let it push him get away
Likle most mothers
I still get on my knees to pray
But my son died from an overdose
last Mother's day
Now can't you see what you done done to my only son
my only son, my only son
I didn't have but one
Can't you see what you done done to my only son
Why he was fighting in your war
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The 1971 track "See What You Done, Done (Hymn No. 9)" about a Vietnam veteran who became a drug addict, was composed by Atlanta, Georgian soul singer Delia Gartrell and her husband James T. Shaw, otherwise known as The Mighty Hannibal (he also released a Vietnam War song in 1966 with a similar name, but different theme - Hymn No. 5). This Delia Gartrell single, originally released on the obscure Atlanta label Demin-Kalo (# JS-2/JS-3), was soon after picked up by the larger New York label Right-On Records (RR0-109).
Hannibal explained in an interview the inspiration for writing "See What You Done, Done": "Me and my wife were watching the news and Walter Cronkite was talking about how all the soldiers were coming back from Vietnam addicted to opium". Thus, the song provides a representation of veteran drug addiction associated with the Vietnam War:
Vietnam War Song Project