Billy Joel was asked by a friend to write a song about the Vietnam Veteran experiences. Joel had not served in that or any conflict, but he listened to stories from his friend and other vets and wrote this song. During his concerts, when he performed this song, he would ask vets to come up and join the chorus. Later, after 9/11 he expanded that to First Responders (police, firefighters, EMTs) who also put themselves in harm's way to help others. They said they had no Home Front; that's a reference to Vietnam being an unpopular War in the extreme and the civilians at home who spat on returning vets and called them 'babykillers'. Vietnam was the only war that was televised into American homes. Reporters, photographers, and cameramen followed troops into their military operations and sent visual reports back to the states. Previous to Vietnam, there wasn't the technology and afterwards the military now keeps sharp control of info leaving the battlefield, minimizing the number of journalists allowed to observe and censoring anything that might get back home. In any military conflict, there will be atrocities and bad judgement, but it was WAY too common in Vietnam, for many reasons. For one, it was a war we should not have been in. The Vietnam War was a fight for independence by the Vietnamese in response to colonial rule by the French. When the French left, the US stepped in, purportedly to staunch the spread of communism coming from Red China. In the process, the US got too heavy handed and whole villages and rice fields were decimated. Civilians were killed from elders on down to babies, dispatched in every way possible, including being napalmed and bombed. And our boys couldn't understand why Vietnamese civilians were trying to kill them. For another, defoliants like Agent Orange were dropped on civilians, also suffered by our own troops. Our government was forced through many lawsuits to take responsibility for soldiers who suffered exposure to Agent Orange, leaving them with permanent neurological damage, cancer, fertility issues, and children with birth defects. So, the US massacred Vietnamese civilians (google My Lai), destroyed their homes, poisoned their environment, destroyed their food sources, and treated them all as enemy combatants (that's the racist part of it). And they lied to US civilians to get them to volunteer for service (66% of the military were volunteers). The government tried to sell us on the myth of the Domino Theory and that military would be taken care of by the Veterans Administration. Soldiers rotating out soon ran into another issue; Vietnam had rapid transportation. In WWII, soldiers were shipped or flown as large groups and it took time to gather and transport them. In the meantime, they had the opportunity to decompress from battle by speaking to fellow combatants over a reasonable time period. But Vietnam soldiers could be sent home by themselves in less than a day. They returned to the states with their minds still in battle and unprepared for return to society. No wonder they suffered severe PTSD and sought drugs for self-medication. And the Veterans Adm provided little in the way of mental health care, but they were happy to hand you a prescription. And civilians at home were caught between welcoming home a family member or discouraging anyone from joining military service, in order to save their lives and sanity. And vets were caught in the middle, by a government happier to abandon them once they were no longer useful than to fulfill their promise to take care of them in exchange for their service. It was all messed up and still is. Note: About the number of rotors on helicopters Single rotor (most common): Helicopters like the Huey, with a single main rotor and a tail rotor, were used for troop transport, medical evacuation, and close air support due to their agility and ability to land in tight spaces. Twin rotors (heavy lift): Helicopters like the Chinook, with two large rotors in a tandem configuration, were primarily used to transport large quantities of supplies and equipment to remote areas.
He had friend that went to Vietnam and they was all sitting rounding talking one day about what they went through and one of them asked Billy to write the song . He didn’t want too do it because he didn’t go through it and didn’t want to do something that was disrespectful but they talked him into it and told him they would tell him their stories he wrote it and ran it pass them before he recorded it to get their approval and by the time he finished everyone was in Tears
This song cuts so deep, Vietnam was horrible, lost way too many young boys, many I went to school with. What a song. I still sob at “We will all go down together”
@@tjrivers Me too mrs (ms?) Rivers. God bless you and the boys who died for that pointless and unwinnable war. God bless all vietnam vets who came home to a country that hated them.
@@chrisvibz4753 Yup, Ms. I am. I went to many protests, a huge one in DC, where I just recently found a picture of me and protesters at the steps of The Supreme Court, when ALL of DC was hippies that May weekend, 1972, I think. We had concerts at night with Baez, Havens, Jefferson Airplane, other lyrical protesters…it was a sad time, but we finally made a difference. Our boys came home, those that were left. Heartbreaking. 💔 Never hated the boys for fighting, just the gov. who sent them.
@@tjrivers I apologize if i ssid anything bad about hippies, they made a lot of change but my whole family going back to the 1740s (French and indian war) 90 percent of the men have been in the military. and like i said the hippies made alot of change for many things, but my love for them was ruined for the simple reason that alot of them called the Nam vets baby killers, spat on them, hit them , called them criminals and did even worse things sometimes.. i dont like to generalize a huge group of people but ill just say when my grandpa an and my great uncle-his brother- got back, they wore their uniforms with pride bc they love our country to death. every where they went besides small towns and country type areas, they always were cussed at, my grandpa was literally spat on so many times he cant remember. my great uncle was threatened to be killed by a black panther or someone who supported them (my dads side of family is black and yet the black panther still threatened another black man Lol dumb,) n my grandpa once told off a group of hippies saying “I thought you damn hippies were for peace and love and understanding, yet youre spitting on and hitting our military members and thats not ok. find some real peace and love because youre PHONIES!” so i dont hate them i just feel sad bc they made my grandpa say screw it and he moved to australia until the war ended. he did this because when he landed in australia on his way home from his 2nd tour in nam, he was expecting to be spat on there too, instead he was showered with kisses and given beer for free etc. the aussies knew these guys arent evil
Bless you all that went through that. I can't even imagine. I was born in 1985 and I always say how much I envy ppl like you that grew up in that era, always thinking about the romanticized part of the culture but I never think of having to go through this. It's bittersweet to have been there for the music and the protests but that war was so tragic and senseless. Hope you're well ❤
My cousin was 18 straight out of high school when drafted. He was a fun loving, happy kid and came back a mean, violent lost soul. His PTSD episodes ha us all in tears on a regular basis. One morning my aunt went into his room to grab the laundry and he jumped out the bed with a knife he kept under his pillow and almost stabbed her. He never got over the emotional damage. I hate war.
They came back without an arm or a leg, many without their minds. Some didn't come back at all. Every night on the news, we watched as hundreds of flag draped coffins were offloaded from plane after plane. God bless them, every one.
I am the wife of a Vietnam vet, and yes, there are 12 years between us. I am 57 and he is 69. His story is heartbroken. Too much for me to write here. But, at the age of 17, he joined the US Navy, and was assigned to the USS KITTY HAWK. 😊 He figured that you cannot land a ship on dry ground. He did not know that they had beach detachment. Which is how and why he spent 2.5 years boots on the ground in Vietnam. He was shot. He lived! N
🌸 when I was 19, I was a deli manager in Yosemite national Park. I had three Vietnam veteran employees at the deli underneath my management.... and I got to see firsthand for a long time how each of them were severely damaged in different ways and how their coping mechanisms kept them saying even decades and decades later. 💔
I cried at the first few notes. Such a horrible place for a seventeen year old to be. I was a senior in high school when the war ended. I was so worried my friends and brothers would go. This is why we need something to believe in, someone to cry to when there is nothing else. Billy Joel is a genius.
Garth Brooks sang this song to honor Billy Joel at the Kennedy Center Honors Recognition Ceremony. It is bone-chilling. I watch it a few times a year and can’t make it through without crying.
@@markmurphy558 Yes they were. my grandpa was 18 and drafted. he ended up beinf near his 4 best friends (2 were childhood friends, other two he met and became super close to in basic training) he quickly changed from army to marines. thats where he met those two other friends. they fought very close to each other and he saw both of his childhood friends die ar separate times in 2 tours of vietnam. he moved to australia from 1968 to 1976 until people in ameeica stopped calling nam vets baby killers and rejecting them from getting jobs and stuff. aussies treated our nam vets like heroes and our own people treated them like living demons.
My father went to WWII at seventeen, uncles were 18-23. War is terrible and should be fought by the politicians not our young men and women. Then there would be no wars. My father came back from WWII and I was born in 1951. When I was about 5 he was asleep and I ran into his room and jumped on the bed, he came up swinging and luckily I was not hit. He was so upset and I never ran into his room again.
@@PamLancaster-g7k My Dad flew bombers in WWII, and was shot down and captured. His group escaped from a truck and hid in the countryside with the help of Tito's partisans, and were rescued by British SAS and boated to Italy. My mom didn't know if he was alive or dead for a couple of months. Hogan's Heroes shit.
Been a Billy fan my whole life. This one is painfully beautiful. 'Only 19' by Redgum, Australian Band..written in much the same vane. Gets me everytime.
🎖️ ... Billy Joel is an extraordinary song writer. His emotions are so real in this tune. The piano playing is magical on this one. Thanks Saeed. Please check out .. "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel. 🎖️
Thanks for this reaction. The soldiers fighting Vietnam War were primarily drafted into service so most didn’t go voluntarily. The reason given for the U.S. involvement was to stop the spread of communism based on a political theory called the domino effect; if one country fell the adjacent ones would too. This reason was probably overstated. It was guerilla warfare, and the U.S. used conventional tactics against unconventional fighters, so it was a long stalemate. Much of the background to the start of the war and the errors made by the U.S. were compiled in a secret report started in 1967 and finished in 1969 that was commissioned by the then Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, in what were later called ‘The Pentagon Papers’. These were leaked in 1971 to the NY Times and Washington Post newspapers by someone who worked on the report. It revealed many illegal actions by past administrations and lies that misled the public and Congress about the severity of the Gulf of Tonkin incident that was used as a pretext to start the U.S. involvement in the war. It also said that the major reason we stayed in the war many years longer than we should have stayed was to avoid a humiliating U.S. defeat by the Vietnamese. The war resulted in over 50,000 U.S. service men losing their lives (averaging 520 deaths per month for 8 years) and countless trauma to those unsung vets who survived and to families of those who lost a son.
Aussies were in there with the US and there's a classic Australian song about this too, written a year after Goodnight Saigon. It's a bit more country but the lyrics are powerful. It's by Redgum, called "I Was Only 19". I have been blessed to have lived in a generation that was never drafted into such horror, and I have nothing but respect for those who were. Taking nothing away from Billy's song - he's one of the greatest and this song always hits.
I almost always recommend studio versions over live for a first reaction, but the version of “Captain Jack” from his live album “Songs In The Attic” is the best IMO.
2:28 Love what you were saying there about this man's talent. It's huge quality on every level. His writing, his musicianship, his vocals, and his showmanship. Very few humans can boast that.
Well by his writer's skill one would never know he did not go through the experience. Simply love his voice and music. He is legit a excellent writer. Sometimes I miss a line or three but man••••• Saeed to the rescue. You are so appreciated. Greetings from South Africa
For years, when he sang this live, all his Vietnam-veteran roadies (which, for a while, was most of them) would come on stage and sing the last chorus. Without fail, every veteran in the place would be crying. Parris Island, South Carolina was (and still is) where the US Marine boot camp is located. "Gung ho" is a Marine motto from General Evans Carlson-actually taken from the Chinese communists(!) in the 30s and 40s.
Definitely one of my favorite pieces from Billy Joel's large and extremely honest oeuvre. BTW, did you know that there probably wouldn't be a Billy Joel today (hard to imagine, right?) had his father not made it out of my country's murderous predecessor in time? (Let's just leave it at that, because even this “simple fact” triggers so many associations and thoughts in me -- and probably in many others -- that they would fill a book...) Thank you very much, Saeed, for yet another deep and comprehending reaction.
My then boyfriend came home with a purple heart. Scars on his side where the bullet went in and scars down the front of his torso where they took it out. Rip Sgt. Roger L.
I live with a Vietnam Vet. He went thru Marine training at Paris Island. This song strikes hard. He explained parts of it to me like the rotors. the vietcong listens to the sound of the rotors to know what was coming. a dustoff or an attack
The biggest difference between 1972 and today was the artists were willing yo talk about yhe issues of the day instead of boyfriends breaking your heart.
There definitely were a lot of people doing that. But there still are artists out there. And to be fair , i imagine that heartbreak songs have been around for a while 😃
@@SaeedReacts. Which artist is singing about the 30,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, or the 900 killed by Hamas, for that matter. How many are singing songs about school shootings? Who is singing about George Floyd's murder by a policeman. Child Abuse, Rape. Tay- Tay asks young people to register and she is hailed as a brave poet. Not even close. Everyone to scared to lose their asshole fans.
Billy was a lyrical genius! I love that he always had veterans on stage singing the chorus. So powerful and raw! One of my favorite songs from him. Glad this got unblocked and we got to see your reaction. Knew it would be great! Thank you!
The Vietnam War was part of an era in US history that tore at the very fabric of our country. The men singing in the chorus are Vietnam veterans at each concert he would ask for volunteers to come on stage. The way so many were treated when they came home was a dark disgusting stain on this country's history as well. It's on his most underrated songs that's for reacting to it.😊
As an outsider it is hard to know how it is seen in the US itself. War is horrible and it seems like this one was among one of the worst. Thanks for taking the time to share some background. Have a great day.
Such a deep and powerful song from Billy. I enjoyed reading the comments as well as hearing your thoughts. Another powerful song i recommend is called Leningrad. The lyrics are very deep.
This song I cannot listen to it in its entirety. It hits too close to home. Husband did two tours in Nam and one in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. I worked in two military hospitals when POWs were released. This song is so accurate it’s scary.
Great reaction, as always. It's a lot to unpack, and it leaves you emotionally exhausted. Most of the reactors I have seen have totally missed the meaning of the part where they heard the hum of the motors and counted the rotors and basically lay in wait to ambush us.
Incredibly powerful song. There are so many layers in this song and video. Just like the one you pointed out. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
This is one of my favorite top 5 anti-war songs, what a strong one. The others are: - Barry McGuire "Eve Of Destruction" - Roger Taylor "Masters Of War" (a Bob Dylan cover) - Warren Zevon "The Envoy" - Reinhard Mey "Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht"
When it comes to songwriting you hear praises giving to Lennon and MacCartney, David Bowie, Elton John and rightfully so but in my opinion Billy Joel did it as good as any songwriter in music.
If you want another great Billy Joel video, check out "Leningrad". I would suggest you do a little research first on how that song came to be. It means a lot to some of us Baby Boomers!
In the USA when every man has to sign up for the selective service at the age of 18 now with is basically to be drafted if needed 😮 Luckily at that age for me it was peace time as they call it. Couldn't imagine having to go off to war. Had a big influence on the music of the area.
Hey Saeed, I think if you got into trouble we would step in to help you! So I don't think you would be as you said "screwed"! I loved your reaction to this great song by Billy Joel!
My mom graduated in 1971. Her older sister graduated in 1967 to a co-ed high school in Queens. All and I mean all, class reunions were mostly women. Think about that. Edit: Paul Hardcastle’s song 19 was the only song brutally shoving the truth in your face about this subject, while the disco crazy went on.
When I was in high school 1971 to 1975 a social studies teacher had the student body watch the yearly draft lottery and come in with our number based on month and day you were born. All 4 years in high school my draft number was in the first 20 numbers. If I was male and 18 I would have been drafted all 4 yrs.
Back then and even today “Gung ho” means unthinkingly enthusiastic eager, especially about taking part in fighting or warfare. In 1937 Col. Evans Carlson, was a Marine observer in China studying the Chinese army. Col. Carlson was impressed by how the Chinese troops worked together using a system of cooperation they called gung ho, which means work together.
You’re right about many young men who went there and came back with drug addictions. Heroin was the worst back then. My experience was with a boyfriend of mine. His story wasn’t typical. He wasn’t drafted. He signed up to go to war!!!!!!!!!!! Usually no one did that. I didn’t meet him until he returned. He was t sent to Vietnam, though. He was sent to Thailand and never saw any action. Strange story. He brought back slides he took of the beautiful scenery in Thailand. There were greens in the grass and trees that I’ve never seen before. Oh, he said that mostly the group he was with just surfed. Strange.
Another great Vietnam pop song is *WALKING ON A THIN LINE* by Huey Lewis &The News, which is about a young soldier trained to be a sniper and what he deals with after returning home. A faster beat, if you don't know what it's about it's just a great bop, here's a live version: th-cam.com/video/aL6NdKvVkkQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lGnglCZ5Xp-1cJZk
I think Saeed is a writer in general rather than a songwriter and has written a book for example. But many of Billy Joel's song tell a story and that is where the affinity comes in.
Thank you for the kind words. Sean is correct, i am a novelist and have written a few books and several short stories. To be fair i have written a few songs when i was younger, maybe like 6 or 7, but i wouldnt call myself a songwriter. So if i did, i misspoke. Apologies.
My union spent the better part of 20 years having our meetings at a local VFW. In that time, I spoke to MANY Vietnam Vets. Every single one said the song that best represents their return home from "nam is Charlie Daniels "Still in Saigon". Check it out.
I sat in my tent in Saudi in Desert Storm listening to this song and counted myself so lucky to not have been involved in the Vietnam war. It is the worst possible fighting terrain/situation I can think of. At the end of the song they get ambushed and all go down together.
Just joined but impressed for at least my generation Mount Rushmore of song writers of course include Elton John, Billy Joel, Legends of multiple topics. Same era if you want to mix genres id definitely add country Johny Cash ..Man in black or Ira Hayes, some crossing genre Creedance Clearwater Revival ..Fortunate Son or Have You Ever Seen the Rain.. and then of course Ray Charles...Unchain my Heart or Seven Spanish Angels. Served in Marine Corps 89 to 94 so do appreciate the respect for military. Semper Fi
Billy Joel, nor Bruce Springsteen and others served - year had friends who did -they wanted to tell what their friends, or relatives went though. A few musicians did serve in the 60's-70's - and into modern times. Even Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck were in WW2. Jimi Hendrix was in the US Paratroops. John Fogerty of C.C.R. served in the Army (song "Fortunate Song - essential) Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash served, even the Everly Brothers were both in the Marine Corps! (American list) The Beatles did not serve, as the UK draft was ended, before they were of age. I have several friends, family who have served - I had some health issues, to prevent me - yet. admiration for those who do service. In Ancient Rome, you had to do your trim in the military to vote, own property, or be in politics.
My Dad and two Unle's served during the Vietnam era. My Dad, who was a Doctor, enlisted in the US Air Force -he was stationed at a bomber base (SAC) where the B-52's would go near the USSR, if bombs had to be dropped in the Sixties. Another Uncle was stationed in West Germany. Another Uncle was on the bombers that were over Vietnam. I had three cousins in the first Gulf War -all survived. Two current friends who serve. This song, and others, respect to those who do serve!
I keep saying, Billy Joel is the George Gershwin of his time...unless you know show George Gershwin was, [which is f-ing sad in itself] you won't get it.
He would get local Viet Nam vets to sing the chorus in every city I saw him.........A really deep dude !
Billy Joel was asked by a friend to write a song about the Vietnam Veteran experiences. Joel had not served in that or any conflict, but he listened to stories from his friend and other vets and wrote this song.
During his concerts, when he performed this song, he would ask vets to come up and join the chorus.
Later, after 9/11 he expanded that to First Responders (police, firefighters, EMTs) who also put themselves in harm's way to help others.
They said they had no Home Front; that's a reference to Vietnam being an unpopular War in the extreme and the civilians at home who spat on returning vets and called them 'babykillers'.
Vietnam was the only war that was televised into American homes. Reporters, photographers, and cameramen followed troops into their military operations and sent visual reports back to the states. Previous to Vietnam, there wasn't the technology and afterwards the military now keeps sharp control of info leaving the battlefield, minimizing the number of journalists allowed to observe and censoring anything that might get back home.
In any military conflict, there will be atrocities and bad judgement, but it was WAY too common in Vietnam, for many reasons.
For one, it was a war we should not have been in.
The Vietnam War was a fight for independence by the Vietnamese in response to colonial rule by the French. When the French left, the US stepped in, purportedly to staunch the spread of communism coming from Red China. In the process, the US got too heavy handed and whole villages and rice fields were decimated. Civilians were killed from elders on down to babies, dispatched in every way possible, including being napalmed and bombed. And our boys couldn't understand why Vietnamese civilians were trying to kill them.
For another, defoliants like Agent Orange were dropped on civilians, also suffered by our own troops.
Our government was forced through many lawsuits to take responsibility for soldiers who suffered exposure to Agent Orange, leaving them with permanent neurological damage, cancer, fertility issues, and children with birth defects.
So, the US massacred Vietnamese civilians (google My Lai), destroyed their homes, poisoned their environment, destroyed their food sources, and treated them all as enemy combatants (that's the racist part of it). And they lied to US civilians to get them to volunteer for service (66% of the military were volunteers). The government tried to sell us on the myth of the Domino Theory and that military would be taken care of by the Veterans Administration.
Soldiers rotating out soon ran into another issue; Vietnam had rapid transportation. In WWII, soldiers were shipped or flown as large groups and it took time to gather and transport them. In the meantime, they had the opportunity to decompress from battle by speaking to fellow combatants over a reasonable time period. But Vietnam soldiers could be sent home by themselves in less than a day. They returned to the states with their minds still in battle and unprepared for return to society. No wonder they suffered severe PTSD and sought drugs for self-medication. And the Veterans Adm provided little in the way of mental health care, but they were happy to hand you a prescription.
And civilians at home were caught between welcoming home a family member or discouraging anyone from joining military service, in order to save their lives and sanity.
And vets were caught in the middle, by a government happier to abandon them once they were no longer useful than to fulfill their promise to take care of them in exchange for their service.
It was all messed up and still is.
Note: About the number of rotors on helicopters
Single rotor (most common):
Helicopters like the Huey, with a single main rotor and a tail rotor, were used for troop transport, medical evacuation, and close air support due to their agility and ability to land in tight spaces.
Twin rotors (heavy lift):
Helicopters like the Chinook, with two large rotors in a tandem configuration, were primarily used to transport large quantities of supplies and equipment to remote areas.
those are real Vietnam vets in the back holding each other.
He had friend that went to Vietnam and they was all sitting rounding talking one day about what they went through and one of them asked Billy to write the song . He didn’t want too do it because he didn’t go through it and didn’t want to do something that was disrespectful but they talked him into it and told him they would tell him their stories he wrote it and ran it pass them before he recorded it to get their approval and by the time he finished everyone was in Tears
Yes, I've heard that before, but it is always likewise touching to me.
This song cuts so deep, Vietnam was horrible, lost way too many young boys, many I went to school with. What a song. I still sob at “We will all go down together”
That is heartbreaking.
Powerful song.
@@tjrivers Me too mrs (ms?) Rivers. God bless you and the boys who died for that pointless and unwinnable war. God bless all vietnam vets who came home to a country that hated them.
@@chrisvibz4753 Yup, Ms. I am. I went to many protests, a huge one in DC, where I just recently found a picture of me and protesters at the steps of The Supreme Court, when ALL of DC was hippies that May weekend, 1972, I think. We had concerts at night with Baez, Havens, Jefferson Airplane, other lyrical protesters…it was a sad time, but we finally made a difference. Our boys came home, those that were left. Heartbreaking. 💔 Never hated the boys for fighting, just the gov. who sent them.
@@tjrivers I apologize if i ssid anything bad about hippies, they made a lot of change but my whole family going back to the 1740s (French and indian war) 90 percent of the men have been in the military. and like i said the hippies made alot of change for many things, but my love for them was ruined for the simple reason that alot of them called the Nam vets baby killers, spat on them, hit them , called them criminals and did even worse things sometimes.. i dont like to generalize a huge group of people but ill just say when my grandpa an and my great uncle-his brother- got back, they wore their uniforms with pride bc they love our country to death. every where they went besides small towns and country type areas, they always were cussed at, my grandpa was literally spat on so many times he cant remember. my great uncle was threatened to be killed by a black panther or someone who supported them (my dads side of family is black and yet the black panther still threatened another black man Lol dumb,) n my grandpa once told off a group of hippies saying “I thought you damn hippies were for peace and love and understanding, yet youre spitting on and hitting our military members and thats not ok. find some real peace and love because youre PHONIES!” so i dont hate them i just feel sad bc they made my grandpa say screw it and he moved to australia until the war ended. he did this because when he landed in australia on his way home from his 2nd tour in nam, he was expecting to be spat on there too, instead he was showered with kisses and given beer for free etc. the aussies knew these guys arent evil
Bless you all that went through that. I can't even imagine. I was born in 1985 and I always say how much I envy ppl like you that grew up in that era, always thinking about the romanticized part of the culture but I never think of having to go through this. It's bittersweet to have been there for the music and the protests but that war was so tragic and senseless. Hope you're well ❤
“They left their childhood on every acre”. Ouch. On point.
My cousin was 18 straight out of high school when drafted. He was a fun loving, happy kid and came back a mean, violent lost soul. His PTSD episodes ha us all in tears on a regular basis. One morning my aunt went into his room to grab the laundry and he jumped out the bed with a knife he kept under his pillow and almost stabbed her. He never got over the emotional damage. I hate war.
They came back without an arm or a leg, many without their minds. Some didn't come back at all. Every night on the news, we watched as hundreds of flag draped coffins were offloaded from plane after plane. God bless them, every one.
I am the wife of a Vietnam vet, and yes, there are 12 years between us. I am 57 and he is 69. His story is heartbroken. Too much for me to write here. But, at the age of 17, he joined the US Navy, and was assigned to the USS KITTY HAWK. 😊 He figured that you cannot land a
ship on dry ground. He did not know that they had beach detachment. Which is how and why he spent 2.5 years boots on the ground in Vietnam. He was shot. He lived!
N
I saw Billy Joel on the Innocent Man tour. I can still remember when he performed this with the local veterans in Dallas.
🌸 when I was 19, I was a deli manager in Yosemite national Park.
I had three Vietnam veteran employees at the deli underneath my management.... and I got to see firsthand for a long time
how each of them were severely damaged in different ways
and how their coping mechanisms kept them saying even decades and decades later.
💔
I cried at the first few notes. Such a horrible place for a seventeen year old to be. I was a senior in high school when the war ended. I was so worried my friends and brothers would go. This is why we need something to believe in, someone to cry to when there is nothing else.
Billy Joel is a genius.
And seeing this performed live is an experience like no other. Billy invites local veterans to join him on stage. So emotional.
Garth Brooks sang this song to honor Billy Joel at the Kennedy Center Honors Recognition Ceremony. It is bone-chilling. I watch it a few times a year and can’t make it through without crying.
I'm going to go watch it again right now!
The average age of American GIs in WWII was 27. In Vietnam 19. They were babies.
@@markmurphy558 Yes they were. my grandpa was 18 and drafted. he ended up beinf near his 4 best friends (2 were childhood friends, other two he met and became super close to in basic training) he quickly changed from army to marines. thats where he met those two other friends. they fought very close to each other and he saw both of his childhood friends die ar separate times in 2 tours of vietnam. he moved to australia from 1968 to 1976 until people in ameeica stopped calling nam vets baby killers and rejecting them from getting jobs and stuff. aussies treated our nam vets like heroes and our own people treated them like living demons.
Wow! I had no idea
My father went to WWII at seventeen, uncles were 18-23. War is terrible and should be fought by the politicians not our young men and women. Then there would be no wars. My father came back from WWII and I was born in 1951. When I was about 5 he was asleep and I ran into his room and jumped on the bed, he came up swinging and luckily I was not hit. He was so upset and I never ran into his room again.
@@PamLancaster-g7k My Dad flew bombers in WWII, and was shot down and captured. His group escaped from a truck and hid in the countryside with the help of Tito's partisans, and were rescued by British SAS and boated to Italy. My mom didn't know if he was alive or dead for a couple of months. Hogan's Heroes shit.
Been a Billy fan my whole life. This one is painfully beautiful.
'Only 19' by Redgum, Australian Band..written in much the same vane. Gets me everytime.
🎖️ ... Billy Joel is an extraordinary song writer. His emotions are so real in this tune. The piano playing is magical on this one. Thanks Saeed.
Please check out ..
"And So It Goes" by Billy Joel. 🎖️
He really is. Been enjoying his music. Definitely want to hear that one as well. Thanks for watching
Thanks for this reaction. The soldiers fighting Vietnam War were primarily drafted into service so most didn’t go voluntarily. The reason given for the U.S. involvement was to stop the spread of communism based on a political theory called the domino effect; if one country fell the adjacent ones would too. This reason was probably overstated. It was guerilla warfare, and the U.S. used conventional tactics against unconventional fighters, so it was a long stalemate. Much of the background to the start of the war and the errors made by the U.S. were compiled in a secret report started in 1967 and finished in 1969 that was commissioned by the then Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, in what were later called ‘The Pentagon Papers’. These were leaked in 1971 to the NY Times and Washington Post newspapers by someone who worked on the report. It revealed many illegal actions by past administrations and lies that misled the public and Congress about the severity of the Gulf of Tonkin incident that was used as a pretext to start the U.S. involvement in the war. It also said that the major reason we stayed in the war many years longer than we should have stayed was to avoid a humiliating U.S. defeat by the Vietnamese. The war resulted in over 50,000 U.S. service men losing their lives (averaging 520 deaths per month for 8 years) and countless trauma to those unsung vets who survived and to families of those who lost a son.
Lives stolen and used up by the rich and powerful decision makers.
Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about this.
Heartbreaking and devastating.
Billy is a Masterful Storyteller and a National Treasure. So much great music that touches your soul.
Aussies were in there with the US and there's a classic Australian song about this too, written a year after Goodnight Saigon. It's a bit more country but the lyrics are powerful. It's by Redgum, called "I Was Only 19". I have been blessed to have lived in a generation that was never drafted into such horror, and I have nothing but respect for those who were. Taking nothing away from Billy's song - he's one of the greatest and this song always hits.
If you want to hear early BJ, his take on heroin addiction is another important song; CAPTAIN JACK.
Thanks for that recommendation. Definitely interested in that one.
I almost always recommend studio versions over live for a first reaction, but the version of “Captain Jack” from his live album “Songs In The Attic” is the best IMO.
Piano Man unico artista che ha solo gioielli nel suo repertorio... Da giovane le sue performance "live" sono leggendarie 🎹👏🎹👏🎹
Awesome tribute to the Vietnam vets but sad that they were ever involved in a senseless war to begin with.
2:28 Love what you were saying there about this man's talent. It's huge quality on every level. His writing, his musicianship, his vocals, and his showmanship. Very few humans can boast that.
Very few artists operate on this level. On all levels.
After 9/11 he started having first responders join the Vietnam vets on stage to sing the chorus.
Well by his writer's skill one would never know he did not go through the experience. Simply love his voice and music. He is legit a excellent writer.
Sometimes I miss a line or three but man••••• Saeed to the rescue. You are so appreciated.
Greetings from South Africa
Saeed you feel the sadness but the unity among the soldiers
Indeed! Feels real and authentic.
Thanks so much for watching. Greetings from Belgium
What a great tribute 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 When you go to war, you don't fully come back 😢😢
100% 😪
Great pick
Powerful song
For years, when he sang this live, all his Vietnam-veteran roadies (which, for a while, was most of them) would come on stage and sing the last chorus. Without fail, every veteran in the place would be crying.
Parris Island, South Carolina was (and still is) where the US Marine boot camp is located.
"Gung ho" is a Marine motto from General Evans Carlson-actually taken from the Chinese communists(!) in the 30s and 40s.
Parris island is a Marines recruit traning base
Thanks for letting me know.
You said it, 'whudda writer!'
So good!
I love the vets singing the chorus.
Much respect for our veterans.
This is one of my favorite Billy Joel songs.
Definitely one of my favorite pieces from Billy Joel's large and extremely honest oeuvre.
BTW, did you know that there probably wouldn't be a Billy Joel today (hard to imagine, right?) had his father not made it out of my country's murderous predecessor in time? (Let's just leave it at that, because even this “simple fact” triggers so many associations and thoughts in me -- and probably in many others -- that they would fill a book...)
Thank you very much, Saeed, for yet another deep and comprehending reaction.
I did not know that. Thanks for sharing that!
My then boyfriend came home with a purple heart. Scars on his side where the bullet went in and scars down the front of his torso where they took it out. Rip Sgt. Roger L.
God bless him🕊️
I live with a Vietnam Vet. He went thru Marine training at Paris Island. This song strikes hard. He explained parts of it to me like the rotors. the vietcong listens to the sound of the rotors to know what was coming. a dustoff or an attack
Yes. I saw that in the series Band Of Brothers I think.
The biggest difference between 1972 and today was the artists were willing yo talk about yhe issues of the day instead of boyfriends breaking your heart.
There definitely were a lot of people doing that.
But there still are artists out there.
And to be fair , i imagine that heartbreak songs have been around for a while 😃
@@SaeedReacts. Which artist is singing about the 30,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, or the 900 killed by Hamas, for that matter. How many are singing songs about school shootings? Who is singing about George Floyd's murder by a policeman. Child Abuse, Rape. Tay- Tay asks young people to register and she is hailed as a brave poet. Not even close. Everyone to scared to lose their asshole fans.
Great song and educational ❤️🎶👌
Billy was a lyrical genius! I love that he always had veterans on stage singing the chorus. So powerful and raw! One of my favorite songs from him. Glad this got unblocked and we got to see your reaction. Knew it would be great! Thank you!
Incredible song! Very powerful. Thanks so much for watching.
The Vietnam War was part of an era in US history that tore at the very fabric of our country.
The men singing in the chorus are Vietnam veterans at each concert he would ask for volunteers to come on stage.
The way so many were treated when they came home was a dark disgusting stain on this country's history as well.
It's on his most underrated songs that's for reacting to it.😊
As an outsider it is hard to know how it is seen in the US itself. War is horrible and it seems like this one was among one of the worst.
Thanks for taking the time to share some background.
Have a great day.
It's hard not to get a tear in your eye watching this, those are real Vietnam Vets singing the chores.
Such a deep and powerful song from Billy. I enjoyed reading the comments as well as hearing your thoughts. Another powerful song i recommend is called Leningrad. The lyrics are very deep.
I will add that one to my list. Thanks!
Every song this man sings is amazing, love him!
i also recommend “Still in Saigon” By charlie daniels band. great vietnam song that is more upbeat.
Definitely need to check out more Charlie Daniels. Thanks for watching and the recommendation.
My oldest brother returned, but we lost him regardless.
That is heartbreaking 😞
billy joel has so many great songs. this one is the most powerful to me.
Very powerful.
Looking forward to more of his music
This is one of my favorite Billy Joel songs ever….heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time 😢
Devastatingly beautiful.
This song I cannot listen to it in its entirety. It hits too close to home. Husband did two tours in Nam and one in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. I worked in two military hospitals when POWs were released. This song is so accurate it’s scary.
I can understand this one is hard to get through for you. Lots of love and strength. 🫂❤️
so good and so true. my dad was in Korea. The stories he has told me..
Great reaction, as always. It's a lot to unpack, and it leaves you emotionally exhausted. Most of the reactors I have seen have totally missed the meaning of the part where they heard the hum of the motors and counted the rotors and basically lay in wait to ambush us.
Incredibly powerful song.
There are so many layers in this song and video. Just like the one you pointed out.
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
It's 3am.
You are awakened in your bed in your home town by a helicopter flying over.
And the flashback kicks in... .
This is one of my favorite top 5 anti-war songs, what a strong one.
The others are:
- Barry McGuire "Eve Of Destruction"
- Roger Taylor "Masters Of War" (a Bob Dylan cover)
- Warren Zevon "The Envoy"
- Reinhard Mey "Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht"
War Pigs by Black Sabbath also qualifies for this list
Baker I believe was code for the American GI and Charlie was code for the Vietnam soldiers.
Thanks for letting me know!
haven't heard this in years. love what he has to say in this one
The nylon curtain is a tremendous album
Bruce Springsteen tells an a moving story about being drafted as an intro to his live version of The River (Live Album)
As the daughter of a 20 year Marine (Viet Nam vet) this song moves me every time
Thank you for the wonderful reaction to this truly haunting piece.👍👍👏👏❤️
Powerful song! Thanks for watching.
In country '70-'72, lotta ... fun. Billy knows.
I lose about two buddies a year to Agent Orange.
Theres no mercy.
When it comes to songwriting you hear praises giving to Lennon and MacCartney, David Bowie, Elton John and rightfully so but in my opinion Billy Joel did it as good as any songwriter in music.
My husband went to Vietnam. He's retired from the army now.
If you want another great Billy Joel video, check out "Leningrad". I would suggest you do a little research first on how that song came to be. It means a lot to some of us Baby Boomers!
Thanks for the recommendation and the advice. I will try to keep that in mind.
In the USA when every man has to sign up for the selective service at the age of 18 now with is basically to be drafted if needed 😮
Luckily at that age for me it was peace time as they call it.
Couldn't imagine having to go off to war. Had a big influence on the music of the area.
Hey Saeed, I think if you got into trouble we would step in to help you! So I don't think you would be as you said "screwed"! I loved your reaction to this great song by Billy Joel!
Thanks so much! Appreciate you!
Thank you for another wonderful heart!
@@SaeedReacts. It's true America would never leave anyone to fend for themselves in any war type situation! We love you!
The Nylon Curtain is a great album.
Been a long time since I heard this classic. Hits hard as always
6:24 you’re exactly right. Lots of guys experimented with drugs there. For an escape I’m sure. 😢
No, no cameras as in no one could document their plight as we can today.
My mom graduated in 1971. Her older sister graduated in 1967 to a co-ed high school in Queens. All and I mean all, class reunions were mostly women. Think about that.
Edit: Paul Hardcastle’s song 19 was the only song brutally shoving the truth in your face about this subject, while the disco crazy went on.
He wrote this song for a friend that got mentally and physically changed after Vietnam
When I was in high school 1971 to 1975 a social studies teacher had the student body watch the yearly draft lottery and come in with our number based on month and day you were born. All 4 years in high school my draft number was in the first 20 numbers. If I was male and 18 I would have been drafted all 4 yrs.
Powerful stuff here love you
Really powerful. Much love
Back then and even today “Gung ho” means unthinkingly enthusiastic eager, especially about taking part in fighting or warfare. In 1937 Col. Evans Carlson, was a Marine observer in China studying the Chinese army. Col. Carlson was impressed by how the Chinese troops worked together using a system of cooperation they called gung ho, which means work together.
You’re right about many young men who went there and came back with drug addictions. Heroin was the worst back then.
My experience was with a boyfriend of mine. His story wasn’t typical. He wasn’t drafted. He signed up to go to war!!!!!!!!!!!
Usually no one did that.
I didn’t meet him until he returned. He was t sent to Vietnam, though. He was sent to Thailand and never saw any action. Strange story. He brought back slides he took of the beautiful scenery in Thailand. There were greens in the grass and trees that I’ve never seen before.
Oh, he said that mostly the group he was with just surfed. Strange.
That is indeed not a typical story. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing it.
Another great Vietnam pop song is *WALKING ON A THIN LINE* by Huey Lewis &The News, which is about a young soldier trained to be a sniper and what he deals with after returning home. A faster beat, if you don't know what it's about it's just a great bop, here's a live version: th-cam.com/video/aL6NdKvVkkQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lGnglCZ5Xp-1cJZk
Glad you mentioned you wrote songs you are a great reactor
I think Saeed is a writer in general rather than a songwriter and has written a book for example.
But many of Billy Joel's song tell a story and that is where the affinity comes in.
Thank you for the kind words.
Sean is correct, i am a novelist and have written a few books and several short stories.
To be fair i have written a few songs when i was younger, maybe like 6 or 7, but i wouldnt call myself a songwriter. So if i did, i misspoke. Apologies.
Question guys? Has Billy gotten the Mark Twain award yet? If not how do we campaign for him. I don't know if he has, anyone?
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❤️❤️❤️
🌸 the song is very very very very very difficult for me to listen to, but once in a while I do, because I think it's important.💔
🫂❤️
My union spent the better part of 20 years having our meetings at a local VFW. In that time, I spoke to MANY Vietnam Vets. Every single one said the song that best represents their return home from "nam is Charlie Daniels "Still in Saigon". Check it out.
That one is on my to do list.
Omg yay thank you. my grandpa fought in vietnam….. lost 4 of his best friends….
Cant imagine going through that.
Really great song.
@@SaeedReacts. Im glad you liked it brother.
I sat in my tent in Saudi in Desert Storm listening to this song and counted myself so lucky to not have been involved in the Vietnam war. It is the worst possible fighting terrain/situation I can think of. At the end of the song they get ambushed and all go down together.
Oh wow. Thanks for sharing that memory
Just joined but impressed for at least my generation Mount Rushmore of song writers of course include Elton John, Billy Joel, Legends of multiple topics. Same era if you want to mix genres id definitely add country Johny Cash ..Man in black or Ira Hayes, some crossing genre Creedance Clearwater Revival ..Fortunate Son or Have You Ever Seen the Rain.. and then of course Ray Charles...Unchain my Heart or Seven Spanish Angels. Served in Marine Corps 89 to 94 so do appreciate the respect for military. Semper Fi
Definitely want to explore the music of the artists you mentioned. Thanks for sharing these.
Billy Joel, nor Bruce Springsteen and others served - year had friends who did -they wanted to tell what their friends, or relatives went though. A few musicians did serve in the 60's-70's - and into modern times. Even Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck were in WW2. Jimi Hendrix was in the US Paratroops. John Fogerty of C.C.R. served in the Army (song "Fortunate Song - essential) Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash served, even the Everly Brothers were both in the Marine Corps! (American list) The Beatles did not serve, as the UK draft was ended, before they were of age. I have several friends, family who have served - I had some health issues, to prevent me - yet. admiration for those who do service. In Ancient Rome, you had to do your trim in the military to vote, own property, or be in politics.
My Dad and two Unle's served during the Vietnam era. My Dad, who was a Doctor, enlisted in the US Air Force -he was stationed at a bomber base (SAC) where the B-52's would go near the USSR, if bombs had to be dropped in the Sixties. Another Uncle was stationed in West Germany. Another Uncle was on the bombers that were over Vietnam.
I had three cousins in the first Gulf War -all survived. Two current friends who serve. This song, and others, respect to those who do serve!
I keep saying, Billy Joel is the George Gershwin of his time...unless you know show George Gershwin was, [which is f-ing sad in itself] you won't get it.
People came back from Nam really messed up. Many newly addicted to heroine. Horrible war among wars. 😔
Truly heartbreaking.
@@SaeedReacts. and the war was for nothing. Fr.
Check out John prine singing " Sam stone" another victim of that evil war
I reacted to that song!
over seas telephone operator to Vietnam at the time it was horrible ps charlie and vega were units that got wiped out
God awful mess!! Thanks❤
Beautiful but dad song.