Pop Songs with a Military Connection Quiz

Answer: Galveston

Jimmy Webb composed "Galveston" with no particular war in mind but the song became connected to the Vietnam War because of the year of Glen's single release. The lyrics depict a solider reminiscing about his home town and his girl while cleaning his gun and listening to cannons. The song was a single release from Campbell's thirteenth album also titled "Galveston". The Top Forty single "Where's The Playground Susie" was another release from the "Galveston" album and was the only other song on the LP composed by Webb.
"Galveston" topped the US Country charts but stalled at Number Three on the Pop charts.
"I Wanna Live" was released in 1968. "Valley of Death" was a Western song released by Campbell in 1961. "Tomorrow Never Comes" was a 1965 single from Glen's "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" album.

Answer: Paper Lace

Despite topping the US charts in 1974 with "The Night Chicago Died" Paper Lace's release of "Billy Don't Be A Hero" failed to make the Top Forty in the US. It did top the charts in the UK.
Cincinnati based Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods enjoyed their biggest chart success with "Billy Don't Be A Hero". The lyrics tell of a soldier who volunteers for a dangerous mission and ends up getting killed. While the song was associated with the Vietnam War it was written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander to depict The US Civil War.
The Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods version of "Billy Don't Be A Hero" didn't chart in the UK.
The Brooklyn based B.T. Express released the Number Two "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)" in 1974. "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" were 1974 Top Forty releases from Harlem, New York's The Main Ingredient. "Smokin' in the Boys' Room" by Michigan's Brownsville Station reached Number Three in the US.

Answer: Staff Sergeant

Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler co-wrote "Ballad of the Green Berets" with Robin Moore while he was recovering from a leg wound sustained in the Vietnam War. Robin Moore was the author of the book "The Green Berets" that went on to become a 1968 film.
"Ballad of the Green Berets" reached Number Two on the US Country charts. The song became extremely popular during an era when most songs on the pop charts were anti-war protest songs.
Staff Sergeant Sadler dropped out of high school and enlisted in the Air Force at the age of 17. He later transferred to the Army, became a combat medic and was sent to Vietnam. After his injury he vowed to donate all proceeds of "The Ballad of the Green Berets" if he recovered, a promise he kept.
Sadler was shot in the head while in a cab in Guatemala City in 1989 at the age of 49.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

"War" was written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for release by The Temptations. Motown decided that the anti-war song was not appropriate for the Temptations' fan base and had Edwin Starr record it. Starr's version topped the charts and became his most successful single. The Temptations recorded a version of "War" on their 1970 "Psychedelic Shack" album.
Bruce Springsteen included "War" on the set list of his 1985 "Born in the U.S.A." tour. The song was included on his "Live/1975-85" album and released as the first single from the LP. Springsteen stopped regularly performing the song in concert in 1988.
"R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." and "Small Town" were done by John Cougar Mellencamp in 1986. Mike and The Mechanics released "Silent Running" and "All I Need Is A Miracle" in 1986 and Bon Jovi released "You Give Love A Bad Name" the same year.

Answer: Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie was born on the Piapot Cree Indian reserve in Saskatchewan and was raised in Wakefield, Massachusetts, by adoptive parents. In 1964 she returned to the reservation and was adopted by a chief's son. She became self-taught at the guitar and piano then began touring and creating a repertoire.

She also began composing songs such as "Until It's Time for You to Go" and "Piney Wood Hills". She landed a contract with Vanguard Records and composed "Universal Soldier" after witnessing wounded servicemen returning from Vietnam. Joni Mitchell's debut album was the 1968 "Song to a Seagull" LP. Susan Jacks was a member of The Poppy Family group and had a 1970 hit with "Which Way You Goin' Billy?". Lucille Star sang "The French Song" in 1964.

Answer: Mr. Lonely

In addition to "Mr. Lonely" Bobby also released a war related song titled "Coming Home Soldier" in 1967. "Mr. Lonely" was a sad ballad about a soldier who was far from home and never got any letters. The song was Bobby's fourth Number One US single. He began topping the charts in 1962 with "Roses Are Red (My Love)".
Bobby Vinton served two years as an Army chaplain's assistant. When he was released in 1960 he signed with Epic Records. His first two albums failed to provide a hit single and he was about to be dropped from the label when they released "Roses are Red".
Vinton covered "Long Lonely Nights" on his 1965 "Bobby Vinton Sings for Lonely Nights" album. "Trouble Is My Middle Name" was a 1963 Top Forty and "Save Your Kisses for Me" was a Bobby Vinton 1976 single.

Answer: Waterloo

"Waterloo" was a 1959 Number One US Country hit and crossover single for Stonewall Jackson.
"The Battle of New Orleans" and "Johnny Reb" were 1959 Horton singles. "Sink the Bismarck" came out the following year. "The Battle of New Orleans" earned Horton the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country and Western Recording.
After trying a succession of jobs including prospecting for gold in Alaska Johnny Horton appeared on a talent contest for a local television show. He won the contest and decided to assume a Western image and try more talent contests. A California station gave him a half-hour slot with a regular show which led to becoming a regular on "The Louisiana Hayride". He carved a niche for himself singing and writing historical ballads.
Horton was killed by a drunk driver in 1960 at the age of 35.

Answer: Billy Jack

Tom Laughlin portrayed a former Green Beret who was half Cherokee in "Billy Jack". The movie was the second in a series of films to feature the character who originally debuted in "The Born Losers" in 1967. "Billy Jack" was not successful when it was first run but when it was re-released two years later it fared very well.
"One Tin Soldier" was originally recorded in 1968 by a Canadian group called Original Caste and became a Top Forty hit in the US. Other artists who recorded the tune included Skeeter Davis and Sonny and Cher.
Singer Jinx Dawson was hired to sing the song with the Warner Brothers orchestra for the "Billy Jack" movie soundtrack. She insisted that her band's name, Coven, be listed on the soundtrack and Warner Brothers released her version as "One Tin Soldier: The Legend of Billy Jack". The Coven single also became a Top Forty hit in 1971.
"Born to Win" (1971) starred George Segal and Paula Prentiss. "The Last Run" was a 1971 George C. Scott movie and "Red Sky at Morning" paired Richard Thomas and Desi Arnaz, Jr..

Answer: Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town

Johnny Darrell first recorded "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" in 1967 and it became a Top Ten US Country single. When Kenny Rogers and the First Edition released "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" it reached Number Six on the Pop charts. After Kenny Rogers left the band to embark on a solo career he recorded another version of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town".
Geraldine Stevens, who had recorded "Pink Shoe Laces" in 1959 under the name Dodi Stevens, recorded an answer song titled "Billy, I've Got To Go To Town" in 1969.
"Tell It All Brother" was a 1970 album from The First Edition. "Something's Burning" came out as a single the same year. "Someone Who Cares" hit the US charts the following year.

Answer: Masters of War

"Masters of War" was one of several protest songs released and composed by Bob Dylan. In 1962 "Blowin' in the Wind" became one of Dylan's earliest protest songs and became a big hit for Peter, Paul and Mary in the early sixties. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (1964) and "Talking World War III Blues" (1963) were two other well known Bob Dylan protest songs. Although the song has been recorded by numerous artists Pete Seeger composed "Where Have All the Flowers Gone". "I Ain't Marching Anymore" was a Phil Ochs composition. "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" was made famous by Country Joe and the Fish.