Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on March 05, 2023, 08:18:52 AM
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The Ballad of the Green Berets hit #1 on March 5th, 1966. Something that would never happen today. I was interested to read that it was originally much longer but cut down for radio. I'm going to try and find the original. Here's the airwaves version:
https://youtu.be/BugBwt2ESpo
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/this-day-history-march-5-1966-patriotic-song-ballad-green-berets-hits-no-1
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Written and performed by the same Barry Sadler who wrote a series of books about Casca, the eternal mercenary - a Roman legionnaire cursed by Christ at the crucifixion to remain a soldier until His Second Coming.
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I have fond memories of that song playing at the post snack bar when our family moved to a new Army assignment in Germany. Sadler had an “interesting“ life both before and after his time as an SF medic, and a tragic death.
https://marcleepson.com/sadler/sadlerfacts.html
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I have that CD somewhere. Pretty good for the style of music it is.
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Sadler had an “interesting“ life both before and after his time as an SF medic, and a tragic death.
https://marcleepson.com/sadler/sadlerfacts.html
Wow. I had no idea.
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My dad had that album on vinyl. I used to listen to it on the weekends while playing GI Joe.
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Anyone have a link to the original lyrics (12 verses?) before it was edited down for radio?
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Anyone have a link to the original lyrics (12 verses?) before it was edited down for radio?
I haven't found it yet either. I did find a kraut version while I was looking: "A Hundred Men and One Command".
https://youtu.be/ukL9Gb8w-_s
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Back in the summer of 1987, as a new Cadet in Beast Barracks at West Point, they would play music at frighteningly high volume during the 30 minutes from Reveille to PT formation. Green Beret and the theme from Patton at 0600 do have a way of waking you up.
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Written and performed by the same Barry Sadler who wrote a series of books about Casca, the eternal mercenary - a Roman legionnaire cursed by Christ at the crucifixion to remain a soldier until His Second Coming.
A couple of other authors continued the series after Sadler's death.
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A couple of other authors continued the series after Sadler's death.
I enjoyed reading the Casca series by the original author, but then I read one of the follow-ups by some hack writer named Paul Dengelegi . . . [barf]
I never came across anything written by others . . . who else was involved, and were they any good?
Getting back to the music . . . I did come across another version of the Ballad . . . one I wasn't expecting at all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzNCkM17QIA
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I enjoyed reading the Casca series by the original author, but then I read one of the follow-ups by some hack writer named Paul Dengelegi . . . [barf]
I never came across anything written by others . . . who else was involved, and were they any good?
Getting back to the music . . . I did come across another version of the Ballad . . . one I wasn't expecting at all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzNCkM17QIA
Two were written by a Michael B Goodwin, but were pulled from publication due to allegations of plagiarism. The rest are written by one Tony Roberts. They are decent enough pulp fiction.
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Two were written by a Michael B Goodwin, but were pulled from publication due to allegations of plagiarism. The rest are written by one Tony Roberts. They are decent enough pulp fiction.
I just checked ebay for the Tony Roberts books - judging from the asking prices, people are inordinately fond of them and really don't want to let them go.
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I enjoyed reading the Casca series by the original author, but then I read one of the follow-ups by some hack writer named Paul Dengelegi . . . [barf]
Getting back to the music . . . I did come across another version of the Ballad . . . one I wasn't expecting at all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzNCkM17QIA
Quite a few different covers, from Johnny Paycheck to Elvis Hitler.
https://secondhandsongs.com/work/118714/all
bob
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I just checked ebay for the Tony Roberts books - judging from the asking prices, people are inordinately fond of them and really don't want to let them go.
They are available on Kindle for not very much if you read ebooks.
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They are available on Kindle for not very much if you read ebooks.
I just downloaded book #1 in the series. It was $5.98 on Kindle and $106.91 in paperback. :rofl:
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I just downloaded book #1 in the series. It was $5.98 on Kindle and $106.91 in paperback. :rofl:
Curious what you think about it once you've read it.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ca4FHwsLr4
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Curious what you think about it once you've read it.
I'll let you know. =)
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I vaguely remember reading one or more Casca books many years ago. I remember the song and I always liked it.