Other Vietnamese Songs

Lyric content themes tagged on the songs in this collection — parent themes with their sub-themes (number of records). Click a theme for its definition and all records carrying it.

• 1986 is the peak year, with 23 songs.
• 1984–87 holds 24 of the 79 dated songs — nearly one in three in four years.
• 48 were released during the war years (to 1975); 58 came after.
• 27 records are undated.

• 41 artists for 106 songs. The most represented is Khánh Ly, with twelve.
• Nine of the artists are still unidentified beyond the record: no line-up, no biography.
• Three are credited to various artists — compilations and cast recordings.

• Songwriter gender is recorded for 52 of the 106 songs: 44 by men and eight by mixed teams.
• By performer: 50 men, 41 women, eleven mixed groups and four not identified (recorded for 106).
• 38 named songwriters. The most often credited is Trịnh Công Sơn, with 19.

• 3 of the 15 labels appear exactly once; Giáng Ngọc has the most, with 15.
• Five sit on a major or well-known imprint — Columbia, Philips. The other 101 are on independent, regional or private labels.
• Nine are private pressings with no label at all.
• Three 45s put both of their sides into this list.

• 74 of the 106 are American. California leads with 23, then New York 15 and Hawaii twelve.
• Nyack accounts for 15 records, more than any other city; Honolulu has twelve, Saigon twelve.
• 32 come from outside the US: 17 Vietnamese, eleven Japanese, three German, one from Ukraine.

• By perspective: 58 post-war; 26 home front or soldier's perspective; 22 peace, protest and anti-war.
• 25 distinct sub-themes across 106 songs.
• South Vietnamese is the single biggest subject — 69 songs, two thirds.
• Next come Soldier's Perspective (28), Peace (21), Refugees (17) and Buddhism (15).