Lied voor Vietnam [Song for Vietnam]

Annotation

Double-side anti-war / protest single released in Belgium, and performed by Belgium opera singer John Geentjens, also with spoken-word extracts, organised by the De Humanitaire Werkgroup X, featuring two songs: "Lied voor Vietnam" ("Song for Vietnam") and "Gedichten: Denk eraan - een jongetje uit Vietnam" ("Poems: Remember - a Boy From Vietnam"). There is no date on the record - but probably released in the war years. The notes on the back called for sending medication "from the port of Antwerp" to "to help in Vietnam. The human need is greatest because of the endless war".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

Organised by the De Humanitaire Werkgroup X. Notes on the back called for sending medication "from the port of Antwerp" to "to help in Vietnam. The human need is greatest because of the endless war". Europ Records ER 3022 (BIEM), issued by the Humanitaire Werkgroep X v.z.w.d. of Antwerp: side A "Lied voor Vietnam" (music John Geentjens, text Gerd de Ley, sung by Geentjens with Jan Sebrechts at the piano); side B two poems by Günter Eich, "Denk eraan" and "Een jongetje uit Vietnam", recited by Jacques Schuurmans. Sleeve "Waarom?" with a photograph of a wounded Vietnamese child in a hospital cot; the back is the group's appeal — when millions die in an endless war, talk is hypocritical self-gratification; the group asks no more words, petitions or resolutions but material help to buy medicines, shipped directly from the port of Antwerp "down to the last bottle". This copy is signed. [From…

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

European Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]