Battle Notes : Music of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is the only complete discography of ALL the music of the Vietnam era. By Lake Superior College professor, Lee Andresen, the book details the famous and infamous songs and combines student essays. It highlights the obscure and unknown tunes. A tremendous source of accurate information. A treasure for Vietnam vets. Many fun illustrations.

About the Author

Andresen teaches history at Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota. His courses are popular and his book is being used as a text in many popular culture classes around the country including Brown University and Pepperdine. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Savage Press (WI); 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886028052
• ISBN-13: 978-1886028050
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #402,826 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #4 in

  Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Military Marches

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Battle Notes: timely, intelligent, and not to be missed!, March 24, 2003

By	John Pumilia (Southern Oregon USA) - See all my reviews

Battle Notes: Music of the Vietnam War
By Lee Andresen
Savage Press, Superior, WI

"Battle Notes" author Lee Andresen teaches a college course entitled Vietnam: Americas Longest War and has integrated the music of that era into the course. For many students, this is the first time they realized that there were two schools of thought concerning the war: the doves (the protesters) and the hawks (the supporters). The books extensive discography covers both the familiar and the obscure.

By uncovering recorded rarities that attracted little or no attention when released, "Battle Notes" appeals to avid record collectors. Dick Clark, the worlds oldest teenager, recorded an appeal for understanding from the older generation. Mrs. Dorothy Gorman recorded Happy Birthday, Son, a birthday message to her son who was about to turn 21 while on a tour of duty in Vietnam.

Many hit songs of the 60s made political statements about the war, but you may not have noticed all of them. "Battle Notes" sheds light on classic rock that music buffs may have missed, such as Eric Burdon and the Animals Sky Pilots, which told a tale about soldiers questioning a priest about the morality of killing!

"Battle Notes" is a bridge between a war-torn society and its music; the theme is just as timely today as it was a generation ago. By intelligently, concisely, and thoroughly outlining both the music of protest and the music of patriotism, this book spans the gap by presenting a forum for both sides. For music lovers or war historians or just those seeking to understand the sentiments of the opposing viewpoint, "Battle Notes" is not to be missed.

Find out more at www.savpress.com

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vietnam Time Travel With Music, December 3, 2001

By	CJ Spence (Aztec, NM United States) - See all my reviews

It is a very insightful way for readers and students to look at the history of Vietnam. If you are a history teacher, student of history, lover of music, Vietnam Veteran I would add this book to my library. cjs

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Battle Notes : 2 thumbs up, June 15, 2007

By	Theresa M. Wagner - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Battle Notes: Music of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

The biggest strength I found in this book was how it spoke less of the war details and more on the emotions of the time. It was easy to connect to people on both sides and it proved how much the war was impacting the American citizens, even though it was not on their soil. Lyrics are a way of telling stories that bring it to a personal level. That is something text books and books filled with data cannot provide.
I would recommend this book to someone that is less interested with war details and more into feeling connected to the era's emotions. I enjoyed the book and it introduced me to a different aspect of the war. It kept my interest and I didn't feel like I was getting lost in the material. The chapter about the aftermath of the war seemed to affect me the most and was portrayed in a graphic way without going overboard. It was interesting to learn about how some of the most famous songs were rooted in the Vietnam War. As a sociology major, I think I enjoyed it because I like to understand how the people were feeling and reacting. I would not recommend this to someone who strictly wants to know more on historical data of the war, because it covers the broadest aspects and focuses mainly on the music.