Soldier's Sad Story: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1966-73

Performers include: Edwin Starr, Curtis Mayfield, William Bell, The O'Jays, The Whispers, James Carr, Zerben R. Hicks, The Brilliant Korners.
Liner Note Authors: James MayCock; Tony Rounce.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Edwin Starr; Freda Payne; Joe Tex; The Monitors ; The O'Jays; The Whispers; William Bell; Richard Barbary.
Arrangers: Rich Tufo; Tom Washington; Bobby Martin ; Teacho Wiltshire; Jerry Williams, Jr. ; Riley Hampton.
As much a penetrating and painful lesson in American history as it is a fantastic set of vintage soul, A Soldier's Sad Story: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1966-73 documents a very different dimension of antiwar protest music -- Edwin Starr's classic "War" aside, the mainstream antiwar canon comprises songs written and performed almost entirely by white folkies (Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Barry McGuire, etc.), but the African-American response was just as potent and provocative, with an underlying sense of hopelessness and disenfranchisement that speaks volumes about the mindset of the black counterculture as war raged not only in Southeast Asia but also in places like Detroit and Watts. Ranging from the gritty deep soul of James Carr ("Let's Face Facts") to the sweet folk-soul of Bill Withers ("I Can't Write Left-Handed"), the set spans not only musical styles but also varying shades of polemical intensity -- some cuts are confrontational and direct, others elegiac and allegorical, but all burn with the emotional honesty and complexity that are the hallmarks of soul music at its finest. Other highlights include Mel & Tim's "Mail Call Time," the Monitors' "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)," Johnny & Jon's "Christmas in Vietnam," and the O'Jays' "There's Someone (Waiting Back Home)." ~ Jason Ankeny