We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War

Culture and Politics in the Cold War and Beyond

by Craig Werner, Doug Bradley

For a Kentucky rifleman who spent his tour trudging through Vietnam’s Central Highlands, it was Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” For a “tunnel rat” who blew smoke into the Viet Cong’s underground tunnels, it was Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.” For a black marine distraught over the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., it was Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.” And for countless other Vietnam vets, it was ”I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” or the song that gives this book its title.

In We Gotta Get Out of This Place, Doug Bradley and Craig Werner place popular music at the heart of the American experience in Vietnam. They explore how and why U.S. troops turned to music as a way of connecting to each other and the World back home and of coping with the complexities of the war they had been sent to fight.

They also demonstrate that music was important for every group of Vietnam veterans — black and white, Latino and Native American, men and women, officers and “grunts” — whose personal reflections drive the book’s narrative. Many of the voices are those of ordinary soldiers, airmen, seamen, and marines.

But there are also “solo” pieces by veterans whose writings have shaped our understanding of the war — Karl Marlantes, Alfredo Vea, Yusef Komunyakaa, Bill Ehrhart, Arthur Flowers — as well as songwriters and performers whose music influenced soldiers’ lives, including Eric Burdon, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Country Joe McDonald, and John Fogerty. Together their testimony taps into memories — individual and cultural — that capture a central if often overlooked component of the American war in Vietnam.

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Politics, Military History

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2015

Reviews

[Craig Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bit of self-promotion here. My friend and co-author, Vietnam vet Doug Bradley, and I have been working on this for over a decade, so it's a huge relief to see it in physical form. We did our best to get out of the way and let the voices of the men and women who served in that nightmare of a war take center stage. The book's divided into chapters keyed to each of the presiding presidents--JFK, LBJ, Nixon--along with one on the various ways music reached the soldiers (radio, tape decks, live shows, GI musicians) and one on what music meant/means "back int he world." We made a real effort to reach a diverse group of vets--black, white, Latin, Native; men and women; officers, boonie rats, REMFs. Some of the highlights are the "solos"--sections focusing on individual voices, many of them written for this volume.

[Koeeoaddi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked this up from the library I was disappointed. I thought it was a music CD I had put on hold, not a book. But it was Memorial Day weekend, so even though I generally dislike books about music, I decided to read this one anyway. It was fantastic! From Marines' sarcastic revisions of "The Ballad of the Green Berets"

"Frightened soldiers from the sky/screaming, "Hell, I don't want to die..."/ I know this song won't be a hit/but we Marines could give a shit..."

to soldiers' personal accounts of the war and recollections of what was going on when they heard a particular song and what the music meant to them. Just facsinating stuff.

I was going to put together a Spotify playlist of the songs mentioned, but someone already made an excellent one.

https://open.spotify.com/user/ramithe...

[Ted Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished this book, I wasn't sure whether to put it on my "Vietnam" shelf or my "music history" shelf, as it straddles these two genres very effectively. One will not get anywhere close to a full history of the war in Vietnam or a complete picture of the music of that era. But that is not what the authors intended, as they state very clearly in their introduction, the purpose of the book is to present the story of the music that the American men and women who participated in the war were listening to, and why these particular songs and artists resonated so much. The book shows how the music that the soldiers listened to early on was the music of the late 1950's and early 1960's, with its inoffensive lyrics and mainstream world view. As the war dragged on, and the Baby Boomers began arriving, the music heard in the bunkers and clubs changed and the themes of the songs that the soldiers listened to became much more emotional and topical (even anti-war songs crept into the playlists). While I was pretty aware of how and why bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival were popular, the book provided me with new insight about the importance of 60's country music for many "grunts." The book also discusses the technology of the "delivery" of the music in Vietnam-- radios, reel-to-reel tape players, guitars-- as well as the story of the American radio stations in that nation. For instance, I learned about the true story of Adrian Cronauer (of "Good Morning Vietnam" fame); spoiler: he was nothing like how Robin Williams portrayed him. Finally, the authors finish with a chapter about the music that the vets listened to once they got back home as they attempted to reintegrate themselves into a semblance of normalcy. One nice little tidbit that I appreciated hearing about was the account of Bobby Muller, the founder of Vietnam Veterans of America, who stated that when the organization was faced with dissolution in 1980 due to a lack of funding, the man who came to the rescue and saved the group was Bruce Springsteen. In short, the book is a quick, interesting read, and a real pleasure for anyone who is a fan of the music of the 1960's.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing accomplishment. Werner and Bradley have done so much more than you imagine when you first pick up the book. I expected a story about how all the G.I.'s listened to Rock n Roll and a list of the most popular songs. But the narrative is much deeper than that. Drawing on interviews with thousands of Veterans and the research of psychiatrist on the power of music they have tracked both what the Vietnam Vets listened to and how it affected them. The book is written in three sections: the early part of the war, the later, post-Tet Offensive war, and the aftermath when Vets tried to forge a new life in a country that both hated and betrayed them. In the early part of the war the Vets listened to the corny, predictable early Rock of the 60s. It reminded them of home. It was simple and positive. But as the war ground on and the death toll grew, the Vets listened to music that reflected their sense of hopelessness, fatigue and despair. After the war songs acted both as a trigger and as a balm. This books touches on all the different ways that popular music was interwoven with the Vietnam experience. Vets listened, sang, performed, parodied and eventually remembered and were healed by music. The authors do a great job of showing that there is no "one" Vietnam experience either in general or with music. Every person has a different story and those stories are fascinating, heartbreaking and redemptive. This book has it all and expresses it beautifully. It is a great addition to the canon of Vietnam books.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War by Doug Bradley and Craig Werner (University of Massachusetts Press 2015) (959.7043). Rock 'n roll and country music seem to be the forms of music designated by the authors (and by Hollywood) as the soundtrack to the Vietnam War. Musical choices by the “grunts” on the ground seem to have explicitly not been made along racial lines but rather were a function of the individual soldiers' backgrounds. George Jones and Tammy Wynette may have held more appeal for the majority of white soldiers than did Curtis Mayfield, but Jimi Hendrix arguably led the pack for most all servicemen whether white or black. This book reads like a greatest hits list that cuts across genre and should stir up visceral memories of a troubling time. My rating: 7/10, finished 1/11/17.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

March 2016, update: Vietnam vets filled the big indie bookshop singing along to such favorites as "Leaving On a Jet Plane," "The F-I-S-H Song," and, most energetically, "We Gotta Get Outta This Place." Vets, their wives, girlfriends and many others created a standing-room-only event last night to hear the co-authors of this book talk and play tunes from the soundtrack of the Vietnam War. "This book is about memory," said Craig Werner.

February 2016, original review and comments:

This book released a flood of memories about music and Vietnam. While the book covers 1961 to 1975, the songs before and after 1968 serve as cultural bookends to my own experience in Nam. This book does a good job tracing the history and influence of music in Nam and back home.

The book began twelve years ago at the University of Wisconsin Union, while the professor-authors enjoyed refreshments and the scenery overlooking Lake Mendota. The authors imagined a book of essays that would explore the top twenty favorite songs of Vietnam vets. But as interviews began, they realized that such a list would run over two hundred songs. So they decided on the historical narrative.

The authors, music, book tour, http://wggootp.com

Craig Werner, one of the co-authors, said that each person's Vietnam soundtrack depends on three factors: when we served, where we served and our occupation there.

Two-point-seven million of us served in Vietnam. Each of us has a unique story to tell about music and Vietnam from 1961 to 1975. Here's my story:

I SERVED IN VIETNAM IN 1968, arriving two weeks before the Tet Offensive. Troop strength escalated to half a million that year. Walter Cronkite, of CBS News, declared the war a stalemate. President Johnson knew then that he/we lost the war. And that was the beginning of the end.

I was assigned to a headquarters unit, working as a writer and photographer in an information office that also advised and trained the Vietnamese. Three hundred of us lived in a compound, a former soccer stadium. Two or three guys lived in each room. Music wafted through the compound including from my own reel-to-reel tape deck and stereo speakers.

“Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” stands as the iconic song I remember best from my time there. Otis Redding died near Madison three days after recording it in December 1967.

At a recent family gathering, my sister played "Dock of the Bay." "Oh," I said casually, "that reminds me of Vietnam." Embarrassed, she rushed to turn it off. I stopped her, and we enjoyed the tune. Vietnam memories can include the rough and scary parts as well as good downtime enhanced by music.

WITHIN A YEAR, I lived in three different countries.

January 1968. I left the United States and arrived in Vietnam for a year, a leap year of service.

January 1969. I returned to the U S of A, but it was a different country after a confusing and explosive year of MLK and RFK assassinations, the Democratic Convention in Chicago, and the election of Richard Nixon.

But for a young guy returning to his native soil, the most engaging and hypnotizing change happened on the radio. I left a country of AM radio. In the meantime, my generation moved to FM. I listened day and night to the new captivating sounds of Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service and others, in stereo, using my new Koss headphones as a music IV, putting the songs deep inside my head where they belong.

Before Nam, I was the high school sock hop DJ. So I was current on the tunes through that time. Eighteen months after Nam, I was an underground FM DJ in St Louis, which kept me current on the music of protest and outrage as well as quieter tunes, such as John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance.” And that was my soundtrack.

[Don Inman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a child growing up in the 50's I saw the plentiful offering of "war movies". Looking back on them as an adult I realize they were no more than thinly veiled propaganda. I recall one in particular that ended with a group of "Combat Happy Joes" standing around a piano while one of their group played a tune. There was always at least one former vaudevillian available to play. They had there arms around each other and frosty beer mugs in their hands singing "Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me." Now fast forward to the 1987 movie "Hamburger Hill" which depicts the troopers from 101st Airborne retaking a hill that had no tactical purpose. They are sitting there with their clenched fist in the air singing "We gotta get out of this place" at the top of their lungs. If that juxtaposition doesn't ring true, read no further.
It was easy to read the first two thirds of this book as the authors interviewed a good cross section of vets and collected some great stories. I smiled and laughed as I read. The, as kids say today, the shit got real. The authors attended a veterans rally and started asking vets to rate their top songs and tell why. This was so and sos favorite song. After he was killed we couldn't listen to it any more. Or something similar. After a few of these stories I was crying and my wife told me to put the book down for awhile. But I wasn't crying out of sadness. I was proud of those guys and how they kept their fallen brothers memories alive in song. Fifty years after the fact if you are in a crowd and you hear that opening bass riff for the song "We gotta get out of this place" the Vietnam vets in the crowd will respond immediately.

[Jordon Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

From GI’s on patrol listening to “All Along the Watchtower” to the Red Cross’s Donut Dollies listening to “Chain of Fools”, everyone in almost every situation was listening to some kind of music in the Vietnam War. Written by Doug Bradley and Craig Werner, a military and music criticism novel, We Gotta Get Out of This Place recounts several Vietnam veterans’ experiences, not just about the war, but about how music was their life line in the war.

Bradley and Werner start the book out with an introduction explaining how they gave the book its name, We Gotta Get Out of This Place. The band The Animals, recorded a song by this title in 1965. Although the song was not originally written or intended as a protest song against the Vietnam conflict, it became known as “the soundtrack of the Vietnam War”, and was a very popular song among U.S. troops and protesters throughout the war. There are five chapters of this book each explaining a different part about the war, and the connection the war had to music. In the first chapter, it begins with the early 1960’s, focusing on the soldiers who were raised by veterans of World War II and the beliefs they were taught. It also focuses on how the Vietnam War was the first war of its kind and how different it was than previous wars. The book proceeds to chapter two which focuses on the emergence of the music culture that has come to define the Vietnam War and how it kept soldiers connected to home and helped them cope with what was going on around them. Chapter three focuses on how music at this time was revolving around political, racial, and generational tensions near towards the end of the war. Chapter four mainly focuses on how soldiers got their music. Through the local radio stations like AFVN playing popular music that had come out from new bands like CCR, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles, troops were able to get their music from the easiest way possible. When not listening to radio stations, soldiers often bought cassettes tapes or got cassettes mailed to them from family back in the U.S. to play. Other than listening to already recorded music, soldiers often had guitars and sang their own melodies and tunes. The final chapter wraps everything together and focuses the reader’s attention back to the United States, where veterans were using music to try and understand what had happened while they were gone, and to heal them and their communities and help them cope with what they had just been through.

I give this book a solid four out of five rating. This book was really well written by Doug Bradley, a Vietnam veteran himself, who couldn’t have written it better without the help from a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Craig Werner. The only problem I had personally is how some of the content was organized, however it was all nicely brought together at the end to finish off a very great book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Vietnam conflict and anyone who is studys or is studying music.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting listen!
Even put me on a research librarian mission for a kid from my dad's hometown!

[Nannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Gotta Get Out of This Place
The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War
Author Doug Bradley, Craig Werner
Narrated by Sean Runnette
Publication date June 6, 2017
Running time 10 hrs 12 min
Courtesy Tantor Media

When I was in 10th grade, around 1977, there was a substitute history teacher for one semester. She was younger than most teachers at the school and very cool. For two weeks, we did nothing but listen to music. She checked out a turntable and brought in a bunch of her albums. She played various songs for us and then we talked about them. After my classmates and I commented on the beat or the singer’s voice, she would chide us, “but what about the lyrics?”. She taught us to critically analyse the lyrics of music. What she was playing for us were protest songs. None of us ever knew you could protest other than carrying a sign when the local teamsters were on strike. It was a powerful lesson. One I taught my children using music from each period of history we studies in their pre-college education.

We Gotta Get Out of This Place The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War by Doug Bradley and Craig Werner presents the role of music in the lives of those fighting, working in support roles and protesting the war. For many a particular song was a link to their far away family and home. Other songs gave them a way to express their fear for their lives and their anger at being in a situation that made no sense no matter how it was viewed. The book does a good job of including women who served in VietNam in the discussions.

The authors also explore how the different types of music exposed the racial divide among the troops. Some soldiers found the different music as a way to learn more about each other while others used it as barrier to keep other the “other”. As the Armed Forces Radio refused to allow many popular songs to be played on their network, a string of underground radio stations sprung up with GI’s sharing their own albums over a radio frequency. The tent with the turntable and albums was the most popular tent in the evening.

Many bands from Japan and the Philippines came to VietNam to tour doing concerts for the troops. Soldiers remember the band members only knew the English lyrics to the songs. One of the unique aspects of the book are the “Solos”. A Solo is an extended quote by one of the soldiers about a particular topic. It is not just a line or a paragraph. It is longer and more in depth. It is an excellent way to allow the veteran to really tell their own story.

The last section of the book deals with the role of the same music after the soldiers returned from VietNam. It was a way of connecting with the memories of the friends they lost and those still overseas. As PTSD was finally recognized as a legitimate condition, the music became a way for veterans to connect with each other. It also provided a way to ease into the discussion of difficult topics.

Sean Runnette does a very good job narrating the book. He has a pleasant voice. When he is narrating a soldier’s memories, he conveys their emotions well, especially the individuals with a sense of humor. I would seek him out as a narrator again.

Throughout history music has provided a lens through which to view events. Ken Burns is premiering his newest documentary this fall which happens to be a VietNam. Now is the time to list to this amazing book. It will enhance your understanding of the soundtrack Burns uses and your understanding of the power of music in the lives of those who served in VietNam.

[NJB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quoting Jay Maloney, whose solo ends the book, "There is no such thing as one Vietnam. There were more than two and a half million of them." I particularly enjoyed reading the individual stories of how music defined, helped, and/or healed the Vietnam veterans quoted and interviewed for the book. Each veteran had his own visceral reaction to the music of their personal story and particular era of the war, including before and after they returned "to the world." I found it interesting how even songs that are not considered anti-war songs such as Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walking" held a deep meaning or brought back specific memories for the soldiers. Fascinating book that tells the story of an era from a unique relatable perspective.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors explore the music important to men and women who served in Viet Nam. But, this is not just a recollection of songs but also of how music came to those serving. I also found it interesting to see how music changed during the length of the war and how music continues today with the healing process. The many lengthy recollections bring this book down to a personal level and add richness to the topic.

[Nancy Jurss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book about the Vietnam War, the culture of the soldiers in Vietnam and back home, and the music that influenced it all. With a fair amount of time available to the soldiers there, music was simultaneously a uniting and dividing force, an example of the cultural differences between the soldiers who were in Vietnam as well as the military advisors, and a connection with those back home. The book concludes with the after the war experience of many of the soldiers.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the way the authors traced the music that the American soldiers listened to in Vietnam, how it changed, how they changed, and how the war changed...and what happened to them when they got back home - all based on interviews with the vets themselves. Fascinating book and a tribute to the role music played in this unique war and the anti-war movement in the US. A valuable book.

[Lexie Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Music was a lifeline for soldiers in Vietnam. It formed a powerful connection to home, emotions and fellow soldiers. There are a lot of first person narratives in the book from soldiers about music in their lives, before, during and after Vietnam. For those of us a certain age just reading the song titles starts the music playing in your head, bringing back that time.

[Barbara Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well written, book explores the music that soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines listened to while they served in Vietnam. An interesting way to explore the war & its effects on our service members. You won’t hear these songs the same way again. And you’ll view the experience of Vietnam Vets differently, too.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was right up my alley. It's a collection of first person accounts from Vietnam veterans of the songs that got them through the war. I found this book incredibly interesting!

[Jerry Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Amy Lively · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes far beyond the obvious ("Fortunate Son," "Ohio") and delves into the wide range of music that was meaningful to the wide range of men and women who served in Vietnam. Songs from "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra (1966) to "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen (1984) took on special meaning for those who served.

Just as there were at home, there were issues of regional differences and racial tension that were played out in the genres of music that could be heard in Vietnam. It would be a bit too simplistic to say that they simply carried on the issues from the homefront because the trauma of war -- and the attempt to return to normalcy after the war -- magnified the problems. I especially appreciated the look into the meaning of music for the returning veterans. Just because the fighting stopped did not mean that the effects of it did. The authors also examined how music was consumed (radio, reel-to-reel tapes, vinyl, etc.) and the importance of radio (I knew that the Robin Williams interpretation of Adrian Cronauer was fictional but I didn't realize HOW much!)

The book is thoroughly researched, well-written, and I highly recommend it for those interested in music history and/or the history of the Vietnam War.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Doug Bradley at a retirement party for a mutual friend and he told me about this book. I keep a list of all the books people tell me about, and so I looked it up - and I bought it. I thought it would be an interesting read for one of my book clubs - as the men in the group really go for non-fiction. This seemed like it might be fun non-fiction, and this was the soundtrack of our young teen years.

I liked this book on so many levels! Reminiscing about the music of the 60s and 70s was great. Learning to hear so much more in the lyrics was a bonus. Learning more of the history of the war was invaluable - I was aware of the war, my friends' brothers were all dealing with the draft. My parents were lamenting the anti-war protests. I saw the news in TV. But through this book I got a much better picture of what was really happening - a history lesson.

I enjoyed the way the book was written- the "solos" are very effective, both for their content but also for the variety of voices - something that is usually missing in non-fiction.

I learned a lot about music, too. About styles, of course, but also about music's power.

Of course what will stay with me, are the "characters". I will never take Viet Nam vets for granted after reading this.

I highly recommend this book!

[Brian Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War by Vietnam vet Doug Bradley and professor Craig Werner is a meaty book that gets off to a slow start but comes up to speed quickly in later chapters, making the book well worth a read. I was amazed at the range of tunes that veterans associate with their service. Now, having read the book, I shouldn’t have been surprised. I suspect that most everyone experiences being transported back to another time & place by a song, or even a couple of chords. For Vietnam vets, such an experience often means being transported back to the war. With thorough scholarship, Bradley and Werner, together with an abundance of “Solo” first-person veteran recollections, show how portable music technology made the American war in Vietnam a musical experience. Vietnam was our first war with a soundtrack. The songs both reflected and shaped the experiences of those involved. Bottom line: this is a great book for gaining insight into an important aspect of music and American culture.

[Emily Koester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned more about the Vietnam War Era from this book than I think I ever have from a class, and I know this is true because I honestly don't remember ever learning anything about that war. I definitely think this book should supplement any teaching in school of the Vietnam War Era.

The snippets from Vietnam veterans throughout were perfectly organized and really told the story better than anyone else could have. As I read I listened to the music and watched the performances mentioned to really grasp the meanings and the feelings the vets had from listening to it from wherever they were at the time.

[Ted Quisenberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll have to give this 4 stars as it was insightful and informative in the way it presented a musical Viet Nam perspective. Initially I was expecting to hear more ‘actual’ music but there was none. What we got was a history of what music was out during this time period and the powerful and lasting effect it had on those serving over there. The author conducted exhaustive research including countless artists and soldiers. The narrator read excerpts from these people and at times it was difficult to determine if these were quotes from others or the words of the author. Beyond that the historical content and political scene was top notch.

[Chet Slonina · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are in Vietnam, you are doing your duty and you are called to a higher calling. The music is what held so many G.I.s together. Hendrix, Santana, Country, the Animals all gave each individual soldier a place to make many songs their own anthems. It is a thoroughly and heartfelt tribute to the music that kept people alive, brought people together and kept them going as there was little other choices than to do your duty. “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” was the Mantra for the Military but also for the Animals who were trying to make it big! This read brought between both the war and the music. One was to get you pumped up, the other to pump you down!

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of not only giving the most popular music soldiers listened to in Vietnam, but also talked about how those musical experiences differed from person to person. They did a ton of interviews and the thoroughness of the authors' research really makes this book that much more informative and interesting.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful book about the music which helped the men and women during and after the Vietnam War, I read this as a follow-up to Kristin Hannah's The Women. As a lifelong music lover, I was intrigued to learn the stories behind some of the songs, as well as how the meanings changed for soldiers in relation to their experiences.

[Rosemary Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent review of the music and the role it played for different groups during the Viet Nam war. I enjoyed the "solos". I would recommend it though it brings back a lot of memories of the time and they are definitely not all good.

[Milt · Rating 5 out of 5]

the cong is ended, but the malady lingers on

[Matt Benolkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive, but provides good insight how soldiers used music to get them through the war

[Susan Waldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Powerful. And the music .....