Jump to content

Bring the Boys Home

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Richhoncho (talk | contribs) at 13:44, 22 February 2019 (added Category:Songs written by Greg Perry (singer) using HotCat). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Bring The Boys Home"
Single by Freda Payne
from the album Contact
B-side"I Shall Not Be Moved"
ReleasedMay 1971
GenreSoul
Length3:08
LabelInvictus Is 9092
Songwriter(s)Angelo Bond, General Johnson, Greg Perry
Producer(s)Greg Perry
Freda Payne singles chronology
"Cherish What Is Dear to You (While It's Near To You)" "Bring The Boys Home" "You Brought the Joy"

"Bring the Boys Home" was a hit for Freda Payne in 1971 during the Vietnam War era. It was an anti-war song which was aimed at the sending of troops to fight in an increasingly unpopular war.

Background

The song was produced by Greg Perry and released on the Invictus label. It was backed with "I Shall Not Be Moved".[1] The song came out at a time when soldiers were returning to America dead and in body bags. A higher than normal amount of the soldiers were black. The soldiers were only boys at the age of 20, which was the average age that many of them were killed.[2] In spite of the healthy amount of airplay it received in the US, the US Command from the American Forces Network banned it. The reason given was that it would be of benefit to the enemy. 50,000 copies of the album Contact were pressed before it was added to the album after it became a hit.[3] It replaced "He's In My Life" which was the first track on side 1.[4][5]

The Soul Source section of the May 22 issue of Billboard named it the best new record of the week.[6]

Chart action

By July 10, the single had moved up Soul Chart from 6 to 4.[7] Also that week on the Hot 100, at its 6th week, gone up 2 notches from no 23 to no 21.[8] The song spent 13 weeks on the Hot 100 chart would eventually peak at no 12.[9]

References