Cambodia Moon

Annotation

The duo then turned their attention to conflict in Cambodia in the song "Cambodia Moon", either referencing the US incursion under Richard Nixon (April-June 1970) or perhaps the Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975): "the men dying, it is a miracle to me the Cambodia moon above us...the world's crying...while the war's raging, it's so wonderful to be alive". The US incursion turned out to be a significant turning point in the US, leading to mass demonstrations against the war (including at Kent State, Ohio, where the National Guard killed four students). It also triggered Congressional action to limit Nixon's war powers. The song "Down to the Battleground" described the fear of a soldier preparing and then facing conflict: "we went down where the truth is found...marching troops were the only sound...fear of dying". The two songs "Long Day's Journey into the Night" and "Let's Help A*R*Vi*N Out" also concentrated on the soldier in the battle, narrated in the first person from the soldier's perspective. The track "Heaven Can Wait" returned to the theme of PTSD for a war veteran: "the sounds of gun still pierce my brain...this life for me is a living hell". Finally, the last track on the album, "Rendez-Vous With Radiation", took a contemporary Cold War theme, imagining atomic war.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Cambodia moon shining / And the men dying / It's a miracle to me / Cambodia moon above us / And no one to love us / It's so wonderful to be / Alive / Alive / Cambodia moon shining / And the world's crying / There's no one to pity me / Cambodia moon's aging / While the war is raging / It's so wonderful to be / Alive / Alive / Heaven Can Wait / Bolland & Bolland / Heart of Darkness / Bolland & Bolland / Housewife / Tate McRae / Cambodia moon shining / And the men dying / It's a miracle to me / Cambodia moon above us / And no one to love us / It's so wonderful to be / Alive / Alive / Alive / Alive

Notes

Lark INL-3618, credited on the front cover to "Bolland"; the cover photograph shows a queue at an airport check-in desk, led by a man holding a United States passport and a copy of The Wall Street Journal, with a soldier in camouflage and face paint among the travellers and a Royal Air Force Yearbook 1981 on the counter; the back cover continues the queue scene. Back cover: "Composed, arranged and produced by Rob Bolland & Ferdi Bolland", distribution Inelco, "© ℗ 1981", trademarks used under control of FFR Productions, marketed in The Netherlands by Inelco Records and Tapes bv, Aalsmeer, printed in The Netherlands; "Qcumber controlled" logo. Side one: Ouverture / You're in the Army Now / The Dogs of War / Heart of Darkness / Cambodia Moon; side two: Heaven Can Wait / To the Battleground / Long Day's Journey into the Night / Let's Help A*R*Vi*N Out / Rendez-Vous with Radiation / Finale.…

About the artist

Dutch duo of brothers Rob Bolland (born 17 April 1955) and Ferdi Bolland (born 5 August 1956), both born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa; the family later moved to the Netherlands. Songwriters and producers; released You're in the Army Now (1981), later a hit for Status Quo. Based in the Netherlands. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War · Cambodia

In collections

European Songs