Donald Trump & Kim Jong Un In Vietnam February 2019 Songs To Remember

Whether this second summit between President Trump (USA) and Mr Kim (PRNK) will bring about a successful bid to a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation is still unclear. 

What is clear during this meeting is the venue. Vietnam reminds many pop song enthusiasts the music that made the charts in the 60s and 70s during the infamous War.

My family and I were in Danang for a holiday last Summer 2018 and we visited the beach where the American troops landed in March, 1965. Put these two pieces of information together and the number of pop songs on the topic is a nuclear blast. 

Here are some of the more well-known ones that have been taken from a few websites. I have included some of the anti-war protest songs, a soldier's plight and lament and home-sweet-home songs. It's a mix bag actually:

Blowing In The Wind Bob Dylan 1963
Detroit City Bobby Bare 1963
Masters Of War Bob Dylan 1963

I Ain't Marching Anymore Phil Ochs 1965
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place The Animals 1965
Green Green Grass of Home Tom Jones 1965

Bring 'Em Home Bob Seegar 1965
Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag Country Joe McDonald and The Fish 1965
Ballad Of The Green Beret Barry Sadler 1966

7O'clock Great News/Silent Night Simon Garfunkel 1966
The Letter BoxTops 1967
Backlash Blues Nina Simone 1967

Saigon Bride Joan Baez 1967
All Along The Watchtower Bob Dylan 1967
Purple Haze Jimmy Hendrix 1967

Waste Deep In The Muddy Pete Seeger 1967
Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay Otis Redding 1968
Draft Morning The Byrds 1968

Sky Pilot Eric Burdon 1968
The Unknown Soldier The Doors 1968
Fortunate Son CCR 1969

Vietnam Jimmy Cliff 1969
Susan On The West Coast Waiting Donovan 1969
Leaving On A Jet Plane John Denver 1969

Give Peace A Chance John Lennon 1969
Gimme Shelter The Rolling Stones 1969
Okie From Muskogee Merle Haggard 1969

War Edwin Starr 1970
Run Through The Jungle CCR 1970
What's Going On Marvin Gaye 1971

Imagine John Lennon 1971
Chicago Graham Nash 1971
Peace Train Cat Stevens 1971

I Want To Come Home For Christmas Marvin Gaye 1972
Happy Christmas The War Is Over John Lennon 1972
Give Me Love Peace On Earth George Harrison 1973

SearchAnd Destroy The Stooges 1973
Billy Don't Be A Hero Paper Lace 1974
StraightTo Hell The Clash 1982

Joan Baez asks in Saigon Bride:

How many dead men will it take
To build a dike that will not break? 
How many children must we kill? 
Before we make the waves stand still...

Imagine by John Lennon. Song was recorded in 1971.
Below is a list of postings found on this blog pertaining to the same topic:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/05/vietnam-war-protest-songs-60s-music.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/04/us-troops-from-vietnam-plays-motown-on.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/06/les-miz-miss-saigon-singapore-to-london.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/05/elvis-presley-dont-cry-daddy-vietnam.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/09/singapore-f1-formula-race-and-beatles.html

Seriously, let's just remember John Lennon's words: 

I wonder if you can, 
No for greed or hunger, 
A brotherhood of man.
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.

Let's hope for a more conclusive summit this time around and another singer songwriter can compose a new peace treaty melody. Perhaps a Singaporean composer?

Google Images.

Olympic British Pop Ends With A Blast: Part IV

Children's Choir Singing, 'Imagine' (own screen grab)

Sixties music stars and today's pop wonders performed on decorated lorry tops to celebrate the end of the Olympic Games 2012.  It included songs from 30 British hit singles in the past five decades. 



Annie Lennox who came in what looked like a slave ship was among the singing celebrities that gathered at the Wembly, the largest of the six Olympic stadiums, for the closing ceremony.  Ray Davies of The Kinks provided his pop majestic solo appearance with the London ballad Waterloo Sunset.

Ray Davies performed 'Waterloo Sunset'

One of the highlights was the video appearance of the late Freddie Mercury that lit up the crowd with guitarist Brian May on stage and provided the Queen classic We Will Rock You.  The Pet Shop Boys were there too. They were all the cream, dream team.


Brian May:  'We Will Rock You' (own screen grab)

What kept me awake for a while was the image of the late John Lennon singing Imagine accompanied by a children's choir appropriately dressed with the single-word title splashed across their white gowns. 

I guess the lyrics are appropriate enough, "Imagine there's no heaven, No hell below us, Above us only sky, Imagine there's no countries, Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion too, all the people living life in peace..."  More Olympic meets should do it. I guess I'm a dreamer too.


John Lennon Video (own screen grab)

George Michael sang his popular song Freedom to the roaring crowd of athletes and spectators. Dressed in a tight black outfit complete with moon-glasses he screamed, "Remember, right now, you are at the center of the universe." Liam Gallagher of Oasis, Spice Girls who yelled Wannabe and Spice Up Your Life from taxi tops and Muse all performed to the delight of 90s pop fans.


George Michael Singing 'Freedom' (own screen grab)

I dozed off.  I prefer the 60s chappies.

Information: Relevant Websites.
Images: Home Screen Grabs and Google.

Julian Lennon Collecting John Lennon And Beatles

"When I started collecting I only had a couple of items, including the two guitars Dad had given me... (n)early everything now I own I had to buy at auctions... (u)nfortunately I haven't always managed to get what I've bid on at auction (Foreward: page 9)."

Julian Lennon's statement about collecting his father's and the other Beatles' memorabilia is stark and truthful because he has been collecting their memorabilia for about 20 years. And what a collection he has. From John Lennon picture postcards, personal family photographs, ticket stubs, rare Beatles records to glittering guitars, framed Gold Discs with record-sale citations, phonograph players, a unique motor-cycle and psychedelic car, Lennon junior has them all.

It is a 2010 coffee-table book published by Goodman Books. Working with well-known music author Brian Southall, Lennon gives an insight into his collection and explains what they mean to him and his family. Titled, Beatles Memorabilia: The Julian Lennon Collection, it is an interesting and beautiful read if you are an ardent fan and wish to pursue the items in images. Or in kind if you can manage.

Information and Cover: Beatles Memorabilia The Julian Lennon Collection. Design and text copyright 2010 Carlton Books Limited.
Original article: Andy Lim.

This posting is not an advertisement. Blogger has read the book and it is available at our National Library, Singapore.

Ref: 782.421660922 SOU-[ART]

John Lennon, Mark Chapman, Salinger And Christ?

(1940 - 1980)

Beatles John Lennon, who went solo after the group's breakup, was killed at the entrance of the building where he lived in New York City on Monday, 8 December 1980. He had just returned from a recording studio with his wife, Yoko Ono.

Music Man In Peace:

Like Elvis Presley and many pop 60s singers and musicians, his music lives on.
"Well you know/We all want to change the world/But when we talk about destruction/Don't you know you can count me out..."

(Revolution: Lennon/McCartney)

Relevance Today:

I was talking to a 16 year old student a few days ago and she told me that the Beatles are still relevant to day. When I asked her why, she remarked, "Their lyrics and music." And her favourite Beatle? John Lennon.

Mark Chapman:

Mark Chapman was holding the book, Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger, when he was arrested but he hadn't read it. He had ten cassettes with 14 hours of Beatles songs on him. Is it also true that he had planned to kill Elizabeth Taylor and talk show host Johnny Carson (deceased)?

Controversies:

There were controversies about Lennon's death too and the deportation problems he faced. But it's all over now and we let this man of peace rest in peace. But was he really 'bigger than Jesus'?

Empty Garden:

"He must have been a gardener that cared a lot

Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop

And we're so amazed we're crippled and we're dazed

A gardener like that one no one can replace...

Johnny, can't you come out to play in your empty garden?"

(by Elton John)

http://www.jfkmontreal.com/john_lennon/lennon_report.htm

http://www.jfkmontreal.com/john_lennon/Death_Cert.htm