The Vietnam War has been discussed and debated for decades, and now two University of Wisconsin authors are beginning to look at it through a different lens — music.
Doug Bradley, University of Wisconsin System spokesperson, and Craig Werner, UW professor and chair of the Afro-American studies department, are in the initial stages of writing a book they hope will tie in personal experiences of Vietnam veterans with the music most meaningful to them and their memories from the war.
The authors say their intention is to incorporate different perspectives from war veterans and musicians of varying backgrounds; Werner noted he and Bradley want the book to be "as inclusive a story as [they] can make it."
At this point, the authors are in the process of conducting interviews, starting with networks of Vietnam War veterans both men already have a connection to.
Bradley, a Vietnam veteran, and Werner, who grew up in the military town of Colorado Springs, have no trouble finding interested people to lend their sentiments.
"When we give talks on these kinds of things, every vet in the audience will come up with stories," Werner said.
Bradley added a look at the war through music is a unique way for veterans to open up about their personal experiences with the Vietnam War and its lasting effects.
"There's a lot written and said about the war, the battles and the combat, but I don't think anyone has talked about the music," Bradley said. "It's a way for vets to open up about things they otherwise wouldn't talk about."
UW Board of Regents President David Walsh, a Vietnam War veteran himself, agreed with Bradley, saying, "Anytime you have a significant experience like that, you can connect it to music."
For Walsh, the song he said most resonates with his experience in the war is "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," mainly because his ship pulled out of San Francisco.
Similar to Walsh's song selection, most of the music popular in veterans' feedback has strayed from the typical protest music of the time, according to Bradley and Werner.
"Movie soundtracks have given us a distorted view of what the music is like," Werner said. "It focuses on the political aspect. But when you're out there in the field, you don't need to be reminded of the war."
Yet both authors agreed the method of music circulation in the Vietnam era led to a relatively universal familiarity with popular songs and artists because everyone could relate to it.
"The difference now is there's broadcasting instead of narrowcasting," Bradley said. "[In the Vietnam era] we all had the same Top 20. Even if we didn't like it, we shared it."
Because of this, the authors noted, many of the songs and music genres consistently acknowledged by veterans as important and reminiscent are very similar.
Werner said rock and soul music comprise a large faction of veterans' music selections, including artists such as The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix and, most commonly, CCR.
According to Werner, songs such as Tom Jones' "Detroit City" with its repeated chorus of "I wanna go home" and The Animals' "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," from which the book takes its title, became an anthem for those living through the Vietnam War.
In addition, the authors will also talk to musicians whose work has resonated with those from the Vietnam era, whether they intended it to or not.
"The people who made these songs want to talk about the relation of their music to Vietnam vets," Werner added.
Werner said he has already spoken to Eric Burdon of The Animals, and expects to interview Bruce Springsteen as well.
While Werner said the book is slated to take a couple years to polish up for publishing, he and Bradley are excited to continue their work.
"Music tells a whole hell of a lot truer story about war, people's experience there, and how they got their lives back afterward," Werner said. "[Veterans] don't always want to talk about it, but this opens up doors for conversation."
