So I woke up with this song in my head. My brain only remembered the melody. I helped my neighbor with clearing branches but only the daughter knew the melody but not the lyrics.
When I was done with all that I called voltman and he promptly gave me the tittle of the song and all that.
WTF were they doing on top of the whole racial aspect? Were they trying to put a positive vibe on the Vietnam war?
Anyway the melody is good and I'm glad that my brain discarded the rest.
Perhaps he was a draft dodger - "Refusing to register for the draft was a federal offense, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to five years." "In 1973, President Nixon ended the draft, transitioning to an all-volunteer army." https://thegunzone.com/how-did-the-military-draft-work-during-the-vietnam-war/
I remember hearing this song playing on the car radio with my dad way back in 1973 when it came out. He really liked it. He was on the Merchant Marine and I guess it had personal meaning to him. He was a Nixon Democrat.
I actually saw Tony Orlando (and Dawn) when I was just a young troll. My parents were fans, and they performed at a popular, local restaurant, I think they might have even owned it (Orlando’s), in Thousand Oaks, ca.
So I woke up with this song in my head. My brain only remembered the melody. I helped my neighbor with clearing branches but only the daughter knew the melody but not the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was done with all that I called voltman and he promptly gave me the tittle of the song and all that.
WTF were they doing on top of the whole racial aspect? Were they trying to put a positive vibe on the Vietnam war?
Anyway the melody is good and I'm glad that my brain discarded the rest.
Yeah I remember it, it was huge in the charts at the time - a different era - so simple, so innocent.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't say why he was banged up for three years - probably marijuana related, lol.
Perhaps he was a draft dodger - "Refusing to register for the draft was a federal offense, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to five years."
Delete"In 1973, President Nixon ended the draft, transitioning to an all-volunteer army."
https://thegunzone.com/how-did-the-military-draft-work-during-the-vietnam-war/
OK, so the inspiration for the song came from a Reader's Digest short story about a soldier in the Civil War who was imprisoned for three years, etc.
Deletehttps://americansongwriter.com/50-years-later-the-meaning-behind-tie-a-yellow-ribbon-round-the-ole-oak-tree/
I remember hearing this song playing on the car radio with my dad way back in 1973 when it came out. He really liked it. He was on the Merchant Marine and I guess it had personal meaning to him. He was a Nixon Democrat.
ReplyDeleteNice post
ReplyDeleteI actually saw Tony Orlando (and Dawn) when I was just a young troll. My parents were fans, and they performed at a popular, local restaurant, I think they might have even owned it (Orlando’s), in Thousand Oaks, ca.
ReplyDeleteYes, Orlando’s used to feed the trolls, before it was fashionable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links Ed.
ReplyDeleteNixon was not a bad president. A bunch of angry jew hippies made it look that way though. lol