When I was going through Pararescue Indoc at Lackland we would go the club every weekend and whenever they played this song everyone who wasn't a Marine would get off the dance floor so they could all dance together to it. I liked that.
My dad was in that war he never talked about it. Rest in Peace. I knew it was a traumatic thing in his life. When he was drunk he would play this song and sing at the top of his voice and cry. I can still see him doing it in my head to this day.
20Th SOS MAC-V/SOG - UH-1N Twin Engine Huey Door Gunner - our motto I had engraved on my Zippo lighter - "LIVE BY CHANCE, LOVE BY CHOICE, KILL BY PROFESSION - I added one more line __ "DRINK TO FORGET" thank goodness beer was only 10 cents a can. PS: Recovering addict 35 years Clean & Sober
I'm a Vietnam vet and this song causes me more emotional pain than any other Vietnam related song. It always makes me tear up because of its accuracy and detail, striking to the heart. I've always been impressed that he could write such a powerfully insightful song about the war, having never been in the armed forces or in combat!
I’m french but was listening to this on loop when I was a teen. I could project myself being stuck in this situation in this insane war. I have read somewhere that Billy wanted to join the US army with his friends but these asked him to stay in the US and tell their story on their behalf. They sent him letters with details on their vietnam experience. He took time to digest it before writing this masterpiece. Then in his concerts he used veterans to sing in the choir and asked them to stand on the front of the scene.
Thank you for your service. Billy has said that while writing the concept for this song, he "interviewed" several veterans and he simply put to music what they told him through their own experiences.
You got it exactly right. Billy wrote it at the request of his friends who were in the war. He was hesitant because he wasn’t there, but had his buddies tell him what it was like over there. He hated the war, but thought the soldiers deserved a heroes welcome home that they never received. He brings veterans on stage when he does it in concert. Try the River Of Dreams video for a totally different Billy Joel style. Great reaction.
Thank you, Gentlemen for this. Made my eyes so sweaty. My father, RIP passed in 2009, from pancreatic cancer and mouth cancer and spread throughout his body at the end. Three tours in Vietnam and it broke him. Agent Orange got him. Then I was broken. Thank you for this!!
My beloved Brother In Law died February 5th at 77, from 5 different cancers and kidney failure. He was a Marine 3/4 India Company, 1967-68. He didn’t talk about it but he overcame his PTSD and was able to be a DI at Camp Lejuene. After his service he continued by being a deputy, Assistant Sheriff and Police Chief for 20 years. He retired when his cancers began and he had to step down.
Billy interviewed the vets to get their stories and many of their quotes are now lyrics, yes he has vets singing the chorus, it was shameful how Vietnam vets returned home to judgement...Billy is singing their songs, thank you to those who serve ❤❤❤
Billy Joel saw a lot of his friends drafted into the Vietnam war. He never went, wasn’t drafted. But seeing good friends go affected him so much, he wrote this song. When he plays it live, he ALWAYS Has veterans from allllllll the wars/conflicts come on stage to sing the chorus.
This song kills me. Always has. No he never served and some folks, vets, called him on it, but the song lives on..so relevant today with so much violence in the world. Rock on Billy.
This came out when I was teenager. My dad served in Korea and I had uncles and cousins who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. They never talked about their experiences. I wanted to know more about their service because I was enlisting in the Army. After listening to this, I understood why they didn’t talk about it. It was in their past and they were concentrating on the now. Great reaction as usual. Cheers.
This is incredible live. I saw him back in 87 and it sounded like helicopters landing on the roof of the Forum. The background singers are Vietnam Veterans. Thank you to all who served in Vietnam, Welcome Home.
Two of his close friends were killed in Vietnam and some of his crewmates and friends had been in it and urged him to write it, even though he was hesitant since he hadn't served. But he talked to lots of veterans and there it is.
Billy interviewed vets about Saigon and used their words in his lyrics, the men singing the chorus are vets who shared their stories....Billy was upset about the way Vietnam vets were treated and wanted to help people understand the nightmare they survived. Thank you to all who have served ❤🩹
In WW2 the average age of the combat soldier was 26. In Vietnam, he was 19. My dad was in Vietnam. Never talked about it, but was so quick to anger for the smallest thing. I didn't understand why when I was growing up, but after serving in the military during the first Gulf War, and working for the Dept of Veterans Affairs after that, I finalize realized that he was suffering from PTSD. He passed away from an Agent Orange related condition when he was 54.
At every concert Billy Joel has a group of veterans brought on stage to sing 'and we would all go down together' during the song. It adds an element that brings tears to your eyes.
Along with Brothers in Arms, this is possibly the most powerful songs in honour of those who served.. To all who do, or have served.... THANK YOU is NEVER enough... I had a friend who DID serve, after leaving the service He once said. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't trust people, I can't settle ANYWHERE. WHAT DID I DO WORNG????." This broke my heart and I replied saying this... "You were a kind, gentle, intelligent and thoughtful person as a kid, The Army took you in and broke you down bit by bit, to create a warrior to defend us civvies. They made you part of a brotherhood I'll never understand, where even the comaptriots you HATE you absolutely KNOW will stand back to back with you and fight off oppresssion. You were a completely different person when you were on leave compared to who you were as a kid, but that's what they NEEDED you to be! When you left they just cut you loose, alone into civilian life. So you went from that world where you could trust EVERYONE around you with your life and were dumped into a world where everyone is trying to f**k everyone else over for almost nothing. How can you expect to trust ANYONE in civvie street after that? I can see it! You're around for 3-6 months, then you disappear for 3-6 months, same as your average posting in the military. Let me tell you something.... THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU! NEVER say that to me again! You served with honour, You gave your blood, sweat and tears so we that have the freedoms we have right now. You will ALWAYS have my admiration, respect and friendship till my dying day! Anything you need just ask, even just someone to talk to, you don't need to relive what you went through, just show up and we'll sit quietly or shoot the breeze, I'll be right here." He broke down and wept... This warrior fell apart in front of me and said "How did YOU know?" "Because I watched, because I saw the transitions you went through, most importantly, because I was and always will be your friend, friends, TRUE friends become Family, just like those you served with are, You are the Brother I never had and I couldn't be more PROUD to have known you and counted you as my brother!"
The average age of the soldiers who fought in Vietnam was 19. The most common last words heard by medics were the boys calling for their mothers. Billy's lyrics ring so true. This song makes me weep & I didn't lose anyone in that war. But I was a young teen, horrified by the nightly news as I grew up. A couple of other great songs are "The Downeaster Alexa" (an ode to Long Island fisherman) & "Miami 2017" (hard to describe but evokes apocalyptic chaos). For Billy's lighter side check out "For The Longest Time", Billy's tip of the hat to the street corner acapella groups he loved growing up. I love that ya'll are appreciating this man's talent. 💙☮💙☮💙☮💙☮💙☮💙
this song makes me cry too... My Grandpa was a military man... he was in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.... he was a Sargent... mainly because he didn't want to be an officer. He ended up being a drill Sargent and my mom and dad met while he was stationed in Germany and so was my Dad. My dads time was up.... and he and my mom came back to the US... just before President Kennedy extended the enlisted soldiers. Otherwise my dad would have been one of the first wave of soldiers sent to Vietnam... my mom and Dad probably would not have gotten married and me and my sister would never have been born.. I was lucky and didn't lose anyone there either. My Uncle ( on my moms side)...was a green beret in Vietnam. He had a hard time after the war... mentally. I didn't know a lot about Vietnam when I was growing up. I do remember being taught that soldiers are were to be treated with respect And I could not understand why people were not following that... why after everything they went through.... they were treated so badly. Guess that's one of the many reasons why this song brings me to tears.
@@teresa2845 Oh, my. Your family has such a proud military heritage. Thank you, Teresa, for such an interesting & thoughtful reply. It touched my heart.💙🌿
Your openness to the rock genre is really impressive. My friend, Larry, was Billy's first bass player.. Lucky me, I got to go to all the shows. What a great time in my life.
That’s Veteran’s singing on stage. Today, Our flag is burned in the streets. Our Monuments are torn-down. Forgetting the sacrifices of our US Military.
The song started with those "chopper" blades of Bell UH-1 "Hueys" comin' in. Man, even after decades, i still remember that sound, like I remember my mother's own voice
Hey, guys, if you get a chance, check out Joel's Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. Garth Brooks sang this song, and halfway through, he was joined onstage by a bunch of Vietnam Veterans who sang the chorus. Not a dry eye in the house.
@@AirplayBeats hopefully this is still on your list? It's a great video, seeing Billy being honoured like that and a bunch of artists performing his songs for him.
No, Billy was not in the military But this is an incredible patriotic song. I believe we wrote it about the marines one for all for one. God bless America fellas
THis is an incredible song and the lyrics are moving. You are right about having knowledge about the miltary. I had to look up the meaning of counting the rotors, had something to with knowing which type of helicopter was coming.
Gunships and evac Huey's sounded different so it depended if you were hoping for fire support, or an evac. bird that's what you were hoping to hear, and was listening for.
Gunships and evac Huey's sounded different so it depended if you were hoping for fire support, or an evac. bird that's what you were hoping to hear, and was listening for.
This song as always hit hard with me. Especially now with my "baby" going into basic training in June. For my money, the greatest song written about Vietnam in the history of the medium.
I am a woman, never served, never had any relatives who served in Vietnam, and yet this song always makes me tear up. War is such a tragic blight on every country. So many millions of unnecessary dead, wounded, and forever missing. There has to be a different way.
Alice In Chains do a song called "Rooster". It's songwriter/guitarist Jerry Cantrell's tribute to his father, a Viet Nam vet, and it's sung from Cantrell père's point of view. Mr. Cantrell Sr.'s nickname, even before he went into the service, was "Rooster". That is also what the M60 gunner in a platoon was called. Coincidental, but poetic. there's a line in there that always gets me. It goes _"Gloria sends me pictures of my boy"_ . Gloria was his wife, Jerry Jr.'s mom. Like many vets, Cantrell Sr. became distant or alienated from his family, and years later, this song was a conduit for both father and son to reconnect. As human beings we all need to be validated. The nation, as a whole, never validated the service of Viet Nam veterans. I personally believe that war was a mistake. The way the country treated those it asked to fight it was a sin.
When I was a Soldier stationed in Germany in the 80's, we listened to this song and it always moved us. Thank you for sharing. Please consider Piano Man, Captain Jack, and I've Loved These Days. As Soldiers not long after Vietnam, Brother sin Arms by Dire Straits also moved us.
When me first went to Vietnam they had no idea what to expect. Ask any of the solders in the first couple of years over there, they all thought they'd die!! Also, the Vietnamese would count the beats of the chopper rotors to know when to fire rpgs.
No Billy was not in Vietnam, but many of his close friends were. He was leery about producing the song bc he was not there but always thought that the soldiers deserved recognition for fighting a war pushed by politicians. His veteran friends encouraged him to release the song.
when I seen it was live and that he was older in this performance... I didn't know how this was gonna go. To be honest I didn't think it was going to be good and I was kind of upset... thinking you would never hear the good version.... But I have to say that he did great. Those guys that were singing.... were really there. I didn't hear this song until the 90s...my sister was in the Marines and told me to listen to it... I went out and bought it right away. Starts out hearing a helicopter
20th SOS MAC-V/SOG UH-1N Twin Engine Huey Door Gunner - I obsess on this song not only because of the words but those guys singing the chorus are all Vietnam vets. I was 20 and was paid an extra $4 a Day for that job. Shot a real Mini-gun GAU-2/B - not like the one on COD Black Ops - my grandson got me hooked on the game. My buddies asked if I wanted to go back to Vietnam for closure with them. I asked, "Can I take my gun with me - I think I missed a few." They went without me.
The line "who was wrong, who was right didn't matter in the thick of the fight" is the essential lesson of the Vietnam War. I was a very active Anti- war activist, arrested several times, but it never occurred to me to vilify my fellow Americans for having served, something that many jerk-offs did do. The villains in the war, as always, were the politicians who decided it was a good idea to sacrifice our youth in a far away land. I hope that future potential cannon fodder listen and learn before committing to more suffering for dubious reasons.
Piano Man unico artista che ha solo gioielli nel suo repertorio... E dal vivo nettamente il migliore ... Da giovane era un performer portentoso ... 🎹👏🎹👏
Three important factors regarding Vietnam: 1) The South Vietnamese were our allies because they were supposedly fighting against the spread of Communism, but the truth is that regime was about as corrupt as it gets. The young Americans that were fighting the war were quite split on who was the enemy. The rest of the young people were trying to find a way to get out of being drafted or were protesting in the streets over here to stop the war - or both. Which brings us to fact 2) The draft changed everything. We were being literally kidnapped off the street and sent half way around the world to fight a war that most of us detested. 3) Over 50,000 American boys died there. About 30% of them were draftees. Almost everybody back in the States knew at least one young man that did not come back. The lyric, "Who was wrong and who was right didn't matter in the thick of the fight," was the perfect illustration of the fact that a lot of the soldiers were not in it for any principles. Many might have started with good intentions, but eventually most were just trying to survive and get home to the people they loved. Now with this in mind, react to Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It's about how the rich could find ways to keep their sons out of the draft, but the poor kids just got sucked in. Thanks for the listen. Good job.
Don’t forget that the American phase of the war ended in January 1973. The North Vietnamese were truly beaten. When the Congress was shifted to the Democratic party in 1974, they totally abandoned the south Vietnamese. By 1973 they had become a decent and effective army In theSpring of 1975, the NVA invaded. And they had no more fuel, no ammunition. We left them to die.
Yes Billy Joel was in Vietnam. I feel the same way I was in the Marine corps in the '80s and it's real Marines leave no one behind dead or alive we are all coming home.
To all the 65,000 young men that died in Vietnam. Heros!
As a Marine. This song has always hit deep. Very underrated song that needs more recognition. Great react.
@@TheElevenBravo20feel that bro airborne artillery here
squid boy here. somebody always choppin' onions when this song is on...
Thank you for your service
When I was going through Pararescue Indoc at Lackland we would go the club every weekend and whenever they played this song everyone who wasn't a Marine would get off the dance floor so they could all dance together to it. I liked that.
Thank you, sir.
My dad was in that war he never talked about it. Rest in Peace. I knew it was a traumatic thing in his life. When he was drunk he would play this song and sing at the top of his voice and cry. I can still see him doing it in my head to this day.
@CBNZandar Thank you for sharing that deeply personal, deeply touching memory.
And that is why he drank....we need to take care of our vets better....way better. ❤
@@Merri1961 Damned right we should. Why this is an issue boggles my mind.
20Th SOS MAC-V/SOG - UH-1N Twin Engine Huey Door Gunner - our motto I had engraved on my Zippo lighter - "LIVE BY CHANCE, LOVE BY CHOICE,
KILL BY PROFESSION - I added one more line __ "DRINK TO FORGET" thank goodness beer was only 10 cents a can.
PS: Recovering addict 35 years Clean & Sober
@@wasclit11Thank you for your service sir. fuck the government for putting our young men in a war they werent allowed to win. God bless your soul❤️🇺🇸💯
I'm a Vietnam vet and this song causes me more emotional pain than any other Vietnam related song. It always makes me tear up because of its accuracy and detail, striking to the heart. I've always been impressed that he could write such a powerfully insightful song about the war, having never been in the armed forces or in combat!
Thanks for your service.
I’m french but was listening to this on loop when I was a teen. I could project myself being stuck in this situation in this insane war.
I have read somewhere that Billy wanted to join the US army with his friends but these asked him to stay in the US and tell their story on their behalf. They sent him letters with details on their vietnam experience. He took time to digest it before writing this masterpiece.
Then in his concerts he used veterans to sing in the choir and asked them to stand on the front of the scene.
you have my admiration
Thank you for your service. Billy has said that while writing the concept for this song, he "interviewed" several veterans and he simply put to music what they told him through their own experiences.
Welcome Home
You got it exactly right. Billy wrote it at the request of his friends who were in the war. He was hesitant because he wasn’t there, but had his buddies tell him what it was like over there. He hated the war, but thought the soldiers deserved a heroes welcome home that they never received. He brings veterans on stage when he does it in concert. Try the River Of Dreams video for a totally different Billy Joel style. Great reaction.
Thank you, Gentlemen for this. Made my eyes so sweaty. My father, RIP passed in 2009, from pancreatic cancer and mouth cancer and spread throughout his body at the end. Three tours in Vietnam and it broke him. Agent Orange got him. Then I was broken. Thank you for this!!
❤🩹
My beloved Brother In Law died February 5th at 77, from 5 different cancers and kidney failure. He was a Marine 3/4 India Company, 1967-68. He didn’t talk about it but he overcame his PTSD and was able to be a DI at Camp Lejuene. After his service he continued by being a deputy, Assistant Sheriff and Police Chief for 20 years. He retired when his cancers began and he had to step down.
A veteran of 2-5 CAV, I appreciate your review and comments, thank you gentlemen
Thank you for your service.
Billy interviewed the vets to get their stories and many of their quotes are now lyrics, yes he has vets singing the chorus, it was shameful how Vietnam vets returned home to judgement...Billy is singing their songs, thank you to those who serve ❤❤❤
Billy Joel saw a lot of his friends drafted into the Vietnam war. He never went, wasn’t drafted. But seeing good friends go affected him so much, he wrote this song. When he plays it live, he ALWAYS Has veterans from allllllll the wars/conflicts come on stage to sing the chorus.
This song kills me. Always has. No he never served and some folks, vets, called him on it, but the song lives on..so relevant today with so much violence in the world. Rock on Billy.
His greatest achievement in music is this song!🫡😉💪❤️🙏
This came out when I was teenager. My dad served in Korea and I had uncles and cousins who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. They never talked about their experiences. I wanted to know more about their service because I was enlisting in the Army. After listening to this, I understood why they didn’t talk about it. It was in their past and they were concentrating on the now.
Great reaction as usual. Cheers.
This video was recorded at Nassau coliseum Long Island
His music & arrangements emphasize his glorious lyrics. 💜💜💜
This is incredible live. I saw him back in 87 and it sounded like helicopters landing on the roof of the Forum. The background singers are Vietnam Veterans. Thank you to all who served in Vietnam, Welcome Home.
My Dad and Uncle are both Vietnam Vets. This song always makes me cry.
Dad turned 80 last month. He still seems like, haunted, from his time there.
Two of his close friends were killed in Vietnam and some of his crewmates and friends had been in it and urged him to write it, even though he was hesitant since he hadn't served. But he talked to lots of veterans and there it is.
Billy wrote this for a good friend, who did go.
Billy interviewed vets about Saigon and used their words in his lyrics, the men singing the chorus are vets who shared their stories....Billy was upset about the way Vietnam vets were treated and wanted to help people understand the nightmare they survived. Thank you to all who have served ❤🩹
In WW2 the average age of the combat soldier was 26. In Vietnam, he was 19. My dad was in Vietnam. Never talked about it, but was so quick to anger for the smallest thing. I didn't understand why when I was growing up, but after serving in the military during the first Gulf War, and working for the Dept of Veterans Affairs after that, I finalize realized that he was suffering from PTSD. He passed away from an Agent Orange related condition when he was 54.
Can't ever listen to this and not get choked up. Beautiful song.
Never fails to bring tears....
I love your reaction. This legendary song needs to be felt and you guys were feeling it.
Bill’s best song in my books
All these guys that had to go into war had courage.
At every concert Billy Joel has a group of veterans brought on stage to sing 'and we would all go down together' during the song. It adds an element that brings tears to your eyes.
Along with Brothers in Arms, this is possibly the most powerful songs in honour of those who served..
To all who do, or have served....
THANK YOU is NEVER enough...
I had a friend who DID serve, after leaving the service He once said.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't trust people, I can't settle ANYWHERE. WHAT DID I DO WORNG????."
This broke my heart and I replied saying this...
"You were a kind, gentle, intelligent and thoughtful person as a kid, The Army took you in and broke you down bit by bit, to create a warrior to defend us civvies.
They made you part of a brotherhood I'll never understand, where even the comaptriots you HATE you absolutely KNOW will stand back to back with you and fight off oppresssion.
You were a completely different person when you were on leave compared to who you were as a kid, but that's what they NEEDED you to be!
When you left they just cut you loose, alone into civilian life.
So you went from that world where you could trust EVERYONE around you with your life and were dumped into a world where everyone is trying to f**k everyone else over for almost nothing.
How can you expect to trust ANYONE in civvie street after that?
I can see it! You're around for 3-6 months, then you disappear for 3-6 months, same as your average posting in the military.
Let me tell you something.... THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU! NEVER say that to me again!
You served with honour, You gave your blood, sweat and tears so we that have the freedoms we have right now.
You will ALWAYS have my admiration, respect and friendship till my dying day!
Anything you need just ask, even just someone to talk to, you don't need to relive what you went through, just show up and we'll sit quietly or shoot the breeze, I'll be right here."
He broke down and wept... This warrior fell apart in front of me and said "How did YOU know?"
"Because I watched, because I saw the transitions you went through, most importantly, because I was and always will be your friend, friends, TRUE friends become Family, just like those you served with are, You are the Brother I never had and I couldn't be more PROUD to have known you and counted you as my brother!"
The average age of the soldiers who fought in Vietnam was 19. The most common last words heard by medics were the boys calling for their mothers. Billy's lyrics ring so true.
This song makes me weep & I didn't lose anyone in that war. But I was a young teen, horrified by the nightly news as I grew up.
A couple of other great songs are "The Downeaster Alexa" (an ode to Long Island fisherman) & "Miami 2017" (hard to describe but evokes apocalyptic chaos).
For Billy's lighter side check out "For The Longest Time", Billy's tip of the hat to the street corner acapella groups he loved growing up.
I love that ya'll are appreciating this man's talent.
💙☮💙☮💙☮💙☮💙☮💙
Thank you for watching!!
this song makes me cry too... My Grandpa was a military man... he was in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.... he was a Sargent... mainly because he didn't want to be an officer. He ended up being a drill Sargent and my mom and dad met while he was stationed in Germany and so was my Dad. My dads time was up.... and he and my mom came back to the US... just before President Kennedy extended the enlisted soldiers. Otherwise my dad would have been one of the first wave of soldiers sent to Vietnam... my mom and Dad probably would not have gotten married and me and my sister would never have been born.. I was lucky and didn't lose anyone there either. My Uncle ( on my moms side)...was a green beret in Vietnam. He had a hard time after the war... mentally. I didn't know a lot about Vietnam when I was growing up. I do remember being taught that soldiers are were to be treated with respect And I could not understand why people were not following that... why after everything they went through.... they were treated so badly. Guess that's one of the many reasons why this song brings me to tears.
@@teresa2845
Oh, my. Your family has such a proud military heritage.
Thank you, Teresa, for such an interesting & thoughtful reply.
It touched my heart.💙🌿
Your openness to the rock genre is really impressive.
My friend, Larry, was Billy's first bass player.. Lucky me, I got to go to all the shows. What a great time in my life.
Great！
One of the most moving songs of all time! It is Billy’s most critically acclaimed song.
If you look carefully at Billy Joel's left hand, you'll easily see white bandages on his left thumb.
He was performing with a broken thumb.
That’s Veteran’s singing on stage.
Today, Our flag is burned in the streets. Our Monuments are torn-down. Forgetting the sacrifices of our US Military.
WOW!!!!!! OH GOD, HELP US ALL.
GOD BLESS!
FUNNY, REALLY. WE ALL KNOW WHATS COMING. I LOVE YOU, MY FRIENDS.
The song started with those "chopper" blades of Bell UH-1 "Hueys" comin' in. Man, even after decades, i still remember that sound, like I remember my mother's own voice
First time I heard this was the first time I saw father cry.
Loved when you put your arm around your brother!❤
It means so much in these days!
Hey, guys, if you get a chance, check out Joel's Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. Garth Brooks sang this song, and halfway through, he was joined onstage by a bunch of Vietnam Veterans who sang the chorus. Not a dry eye in the house.
I’ve got to check that out. Thanks for watching!!
@@AirplayBeats hopefully this is still on your list? It's a great video, seeing Billy being honoured like that and a bunch of artists performing his songs for him.
One of the most beautifull, saddest, poignant, hardest hitting songs ever. There's no joy in war, only casualties, dead and living.
Apparently Billy never served in Vietnam but wrote this song as a tribute to his friends who did.
No, Billy was not in the military
But this is an incredible patriotic song. I believe we wrote it about the marines one for all for one.
God bless America fellas
Chills........
THis is an incredible song and the lyrics are moving. You are right about having knowledge about the miltary. I had to look up the meaning of counting the rotors, had something to with knowing which type of helicopter was coming.
Gunships and evac Huey's sounded different so it depended if you were hoping for fire support, or an evac. bird that's what you were hoping to hear, and was listening for.
Gunships and evac Huey's sounded different so it depended if you were hoping for fire support, or an evac. bird that's what you were hoping to hear, and was listening for.
@@davidgross990 Thanks for the explanation .
This song as always hit hard with me. Especially now with my "baby" going into basic training in June. For my money, the greatest song written about Vietnam in the history of the medium.
He didn't serve in the military but he had many friends who did.
I am a woman, never served, never had any relatives who served in Vietnam, and yet this song always makes me tear up. War is such a tragic blight on every country. So many millions of unnecessary dead, wounded, and forever missing. There has to be a different way.
Amen. Unfortunately it makes me think of this:
"War is a continuation of politics by other means"
- Carl Von Clausewitz
this song flaws me every time. Just incredible.
Alice In Chains do a song called "Rooster". It's songwriter/guitarist Jerry Cantrell's tribute to his father, a Viet Nam vet, and it's sung from Cantrell père's point of view. Mr. Cantrell Sr.'s nickname, even before he went into the service, was "Rooster". That is also what the M60 gunner in a platoon was called. Coincidental, but poetic. there's a line in there that always gets me. It goes _"Gloria sends me pictures of my boy"_ . Gloria was his wife, Jerry Jr.'s mom. Like many vets, Cantrell Sr. became distant or alienated from his family, and years later, this song was a conduit for both father and son to reconnect. As human beings we all need to be validated. The nation, as a whole, never validated the service of Viet Nam veterans. I personally believe that war was a mistake. The way the country treated those it asked to fight it was a sin.
I cannot believe this song has not gotten as many hits as it deserves. Many thanks to every vet.
When I was a Soldier stationed in Germany in the 80's, we listened to this song and it always moved us. Thank you for sharing. Please consider Piano Man, Captain Jack, and I've Loved These Days. As Soldiers not long after Vietnam, Brother sin Arms by Dire Straits also moved us.
When me first went to Vietnam they had no idea what to expect. Ask any of the solders in the first couple of years over there, they all thought they'd die!! Also, the Vietnamese would count the beats of the chopper rotors to know when to fire rpgs.
No Billy was not in Vietnam, but many of his close friends were. He was leery about producing the song bc he was not there but always thought that the soldiers deserved recognition for fighting a war pushed by politicians. His veteran friends encouraged him to release the song.
As a Soldier, always respect your Enemy.
Didn't know you guys had done this one 🫡
You guys are getting the music lovers treatment, great choice.
Such a tremendous song
The drums at the end might very well be described as machine gun fire, just a thought. Absolutely touching song, Billy is a legend.
Great review, guys.
when I seen it was live and that he was older in this performance... I didn't know how this was gonna go. To be honest I didn't think it was going to be good and I was kind of upset... thinking you would never hear the good version.... But I have to say that he did great. Those guys that were singing.... were really there. I didn't hear this song until the 90s...my sister was in the Marines and told me to listen to it... I went out and bought it right away. Starts out hearing a helicopter
Check out Garth Brooks performing this at the Kennedy Center Honors Billy Joel 2013. Hardly a dry eye in the house.
20th SOS MAC-V/SOG UH-1N Twin Engine Huey Door Gunner - I obsess on this song not only because of the words but those guys singing the chorus are all Vietnam vets. I was 20 and was paid an extra $4 a Day for that job. Shot a real Mini-gun GAU-2/B - not like the one on COD Black Ops - my grandson got me hooked on the game. My buddies asked if I wanted to go back to Vietnam for closure with them. I asked, "Can I take my gun with me - I think I missed a few." They went without me.
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We all watched it on Tv back then ,This was Vietnam senseless War !
Billy interviewed some vets about experiences in the Vietnam war n told them he was writing a new song.
The line "who was wrong, who was right didn't matter in the thick of the fight" is the essential lesson of the Vietnam War. I was a very active Anti- war activist, arrested several times, but it never occurred to me to vilify my fellow Americans for having served, something that many jerk-offs did do. The villains in the war, as always, were the politicians who decided it was a good idea to sacrifice our youth in a far away land. I hope that future potential cannon fodder listen and learn before committing to more suffering for dubious reasons.
The men singing the chorus are all viet nam vets - and still holding onto each other. F ck war.
Chills, every time!
This concert tour, the nylon curtain was amazing. This was the last song. Not a dry eye around.
Makes me cry every time.
Piano Man unico artista che ha solo gioielli nel suo repertorio... E dal vivo nettamente il migliore ... Da giovane era un performer portentoso ... 🎹👏🎹👏
Until the Night is one of his best songs you never heard It was written as a tribute to the Righteous Brothers .It takes you through an awesome story.
Great song!
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Three important factors regarding Vietnam: 1) The South Vietnamese were our allies because they were supposedly fighting against the spread of Communism, but the truth is that regime was about as corrupt as it gets. The young Americans that were fighting the war were quite split on who was the enemy. The rest of the young people were trying to find a way to get out of being drafted or were protesting in the streets over here to stop the war - or both. Which brings us to fact 2) The draft changed everything. We were being literally kidnapped off the street and sent half way around the world to fight a war that most of us detested. 3) Over 50,000 American boys died there. About 30% of them were draftees. Almost everybody back in the States knew at least one young man that did not come back. The lyric, "Who was wrong and who was right didn't matter in the thick of the fight," was the perfect illustration of the fact that a lot of the soldiers were not in it for any principles. Many might have started with good intentions, but eventually most were just trying to survive and get home to the people they loved.
Now with this in mind, react to Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It's about how the rich could find ways to keep their sons out of the draft, but the poor kids just got sucked in. Thanks for the listen. Good job.
great reaction do more billy!
More Billy on the way!!
Stellar song to say the least...
I love it
Billy did not serve in the military, but he sure can write a story and put it to music!
Cat. Stevens : moon shadow
That stage was one hell of an LZ.
Those boys were kids🇺🇸
Don’t forget that the American phase of the war ended in January 1973. The North Vietnamese were truly beaten.
When the Congress was shifted to the Democratic party in 1974, they totally abandoned the south Vietnamese. By 1973 they had become a decent and effective army
In theSpring of 1975, the NVA invaded. And they had no more fuel, no ammunition. We left them to die.
He was therefor his friend and wrote h this
Yes Billy Joel was in Vietnam. I feel the same way I was in the Marine corps in the '80s and it's real Marines leave no one behind dead or alive we are all coming home.
The visuals in the video aren’t needed. The lyrics are so vivid, as songs tend to be. Chills on this one, every time.
Those are Vietnam vets singing the chorus.
im in australia and i know that he knows how bad it was because it is very well known how bad america was at that war
Another great song . There’s no atheists in foxholes.
I saw hin perform this in los angeles year 2000..vets on stage singing .. , not a DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE!!
Let the dang song flow. It's too beautiful to get so butchered by the love of the pause button.
One of my favorite Billy Joel performances is this version of "And So It Goes." Just heartbreaking.
th-cam.com/video/FHO6a2H-pqY/w-d-xo.html
This sadly didn't get much airplay.
I can tell y'all appreciate storytelling try listening to Gordon Light foot another gifted storyteller.
So you like that one eh ? Here's another beauty for you !
th-cam.com/video/sk_WxTPg1Rw/w-d-xo.html
it was such a horrible war on all sides..
3 millions of vietnamits died for the elits.
im not sure you know what prolific means