Paul Reutershan (The Agent Orange Song)
Muriel Hogan| Original | La versione interpretata da Country Joe |
| PAUL REUTERSHAN (THE AGENT ORANGE SONG) I was seventeen when I quit school, the year that I enlisted I don't recall just why I did, my Mum says I insisted I had some strange idea then, that Uncle Sam was right My Mama cried – she signed the card – and I went off to fight. Got off the plane in Vietnam – it didn't look like war And with all I saw, I started wondering, just what we came here for Some Officers got drunk at night and cheated on their wives While those peasants on the other side – were fighting for their lives. You know the army tried some fancy stuff, to bring them to their knees Like Agent Orange defoliant, to clear the brush and trees We'd fly all day above the trails, through clouds of poison spray But they never said that chemical, would hurt our health today. But I got the news this morning – the Doctor told me so They killed me in Vietnam – and I didn't even know. Well I tried hard to forget that war, like everybody else did I settled down, got married and – I even had some kids Our children both had birth defects, the Doctors had their doubts They never said what caused it – but I think I just found out. The Doctor says I have some time – he was trying to be kind You know, I've never been a radical, but this has changed my mind I'd be so proud to hear my sons say "Hell no, we won't go!" "Because you killed our Dad in Vietnam – and he didn't even know." This Agent Orange from Vietnam, we carry with us still It stays inside for years and years, and does its best to kill You might get cancer of the liver, you might get cancer of the skin You might get a VA Disability – you might not live to win. Because I got the news this morning – the Doctor told me so They killed me in Vietnam – and I didn't even know Oh yes, they killed me in Vietnam – and I didn't even know … | AGENT ORANGE I was 17, just the teenage kid, the year that I enlisted. I can’t remember why I did, my mom said that I insisted. I had some strange idea then, that Uncle Sam was right. Oh momma cried, but she signed the card, And then I went off to fight. Got off the plane in Vietnam, it didn’t seem like war. With all I saw I started to wonder what I have come there for. Some officers got drunk at night, and cheated on their wives. And the peasants on the other side, where just struggling for their lives. Oh the army tried some fancy stuff, to bring them to their knees. Like Agent Orange defoliant, to kill the brush and tress. We’d hike all day on jungle trails, through clouds of poison spray. And they never told me then, that it would hurt my health today. But I got the news this morning, yea, the doctors told me so. They killed me in Vietnam, and I didn’t even know. I tried hard to forget the war like everybody did. Settled down, got married, even had a of couple kids. Well my children both had birth defects, and the doctors had their doubts. They never could understand it, but I think I figured it out. Because I got the news this morning, yeah, the doctors told me so. They killed me in Vietnam, and I didn’t even know. This Agent Orange from Vietnam, we carry it with us still. It stays inside for years and years before it starts to kill. You might get cancer of the liver; you might get cancer of the skin. You can file for disability, but you might not live to win. Oh I got the news this morning yea, the doctors told me so. They killed me in Vietnam, and I didn’t even know. Oh the doctor said I got some time, trying to be kind. I’ve never been a radical, but this has changed my mind. Oh I’d be so proud to hear my kids say hell no I won’t go, Because you killed my dad in Vietnam, and he didn’t even know. Yes I’d be so proud to hear my kid say hell no I won’t go, Because you killed my dad and he didn’t even know. |
