“Some folks are born made to wave the flag. Ooh, they’re red, white and blue.” (Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son 1969). Fortunate Son is arguably the most famous protest song of the Vietnam War. It was the first time music had been used as a medium to protest the war – or anything for that matter. So why did music have such an impact on the Vietnam War? It was the first time soldiers had access to their own national radio, cassette players and portable record players. In America the Vietnam War divided the country, but for the soldiers, music was uniting. 

Because this war wasn’t just being fought in Vietnam, but back in America too. “Young people speaking their minds. Getting so much resistance from behind.” (Buffalo Springfield – For What Its Worth 1967). With the middle and lower socioeconomic classes fighting for their voices to be heard in support of the soldiers, especially after four students were shot and killed during an anti-war in Vietnam demonstration at Kent State Ohio in 1970. In response to the four killed in Ohio, Neil Young wrote the song ‘Ohio’.  As an anti-establishment singer he knew he had the voice and platform to use it. No matter your race, class, gender or opinion, everyone was horrified by what happened to those four students and how they lost their lives. “Soldiers are gunning us down…What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground? How can you run when you know?”. (Neil Young – Ohio 1970). 

During the Vietnam War there were cultural issues around representation and selection of race and class of soldiers – specific to the ballot. Additionally, during this period there was a lot of racial contention surrounding the black civil rights movement. The black civil rights movement had gained traction during the 1950’s, and the Vietnam war provided the perfect backdrop – war, the ballot, racial prejudice and oppression.

Statistically, it was the black and poorer classes of men in America that were drafted to Vietnam. “It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no. It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no.” (Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son 1969). However, what actually happened was the uniting of Black and White people, both at home and in Vietnam. It stopped being about hating your neighbour through necessity and working with them to make sure you survived. “We gotta get out of this place. If it’s the last thing we ever do”. (The Animals – We Gotta Get Out Of This Place 1965). 

In the 60s and 70s music became political – a voice, a cause, a revolution to the oppressed, forgotten and the youth, regardless of your social status. The establishment were made to sit up and listen for the first time. It caused an uprising and made people question – why? Music in the Vietnam War helped all different representations of people come together to unite for a common cause.