There are songs about the Vietnam War that civilians resonated with. And there are songs about the Vietnam War that soldiers and veterans resonated with. If you’re a veteran of the Vietnam War, I bet you still remember these 1966 anthems that touched on the military and wanting to come home.
“The Ballad Of The Green Berets” by Barry Sadler from ‘Ballads Of The Green Berets’
“Silver wings upon their chest / These are men, America’s best / One hundred men will test today / But only three win the Green Beret.”
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Back in 1966, many of the newest songs that touched on the Vietnam War and the military were on the negative side. “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” by Barry Sadler was one of the few songs that were on the positive side. It was a very popular release, too. The tune topped the Billboard Hot 100. “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” also crossed over to the Top 5 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It also did well on the Hot Country Songs chart. The tune was written by Sadler during his training as a Special Forces medic in the Army.
“Coming Home Soldier” by Bobby Vinton from ‘Bobby Vinton Sings The Newest Hits’
“Home, I’m coming home / Coming home from across the sea / Home, I’m coming home / No more marching and fighting for me.”
Crooner Bobby Vinton dropped this pop tune in 1966 as a sequel of sorts to the hit “Mr. Lonely”. The song is sung by a narrator who is returning home to see his love again, after spending some time fighting a war overseas. Plenty of men who missed their girlfriends and wives dearly while deployed really resonated with this one. And “Coming Home Soldier” peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart.
“Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)” by The Monitors from ‘Greetings! We’re The Monitors’
“Say goodbye to all my buddies / Say hello to your new friends / ‘Cause you’re in the army now / And your new life has just begun.”
How about a little Motown soul on our list of Vietnam War anthems from 1966? “Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)” by The Monitors touches on the fear that many young men had that year when it came to the draft.
This soulful tune was only a minor hit on the charts, surprisingly. It peaked at No. 100 on the Hot 100, but Vietnam War vets who heard it definitely remember it.
Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
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