Author Topic: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History  (Read 521 times)

Ben

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 45,744
  • I'm an Extremist!
The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« on: March 05, 2023, 08:18:52 AM »
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
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

HankB

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16,564
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2023, 08:56:19 AM »
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.
Trump won in 2016. Democrats haven't been so offended since Republicans came along and freed their slaves.
Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. - Mark Twain
Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction in stolen goods. - H.L. Mencken
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain

Unisaw

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,415
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2023, 10:04:01 AM »
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
Well, if you have the sudden urge to lick your balls you'll know you got the veterinary version... K Frame

MechAg94

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 33,622
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2023, 10:18:24 AM »
I have that CD somewhere.  Pretty good for the style of music it is.
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

Ben

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 45,744
  • I'm an Extremist!
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2023, 10:48:10 AM »
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.
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

dogmush

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13,671
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2023, 10:50:45 AM »
My dad had that album on vinyl.  I used to listen to it on the weekends while playing GI Joe.

HankB

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16,564
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2023, 01:07:03 PM »
Anyone have a link to the original lyrics (12 verses?) before it was edited down for radio?
Trump won in 2016. Democrats haven't been so offended since Republicans came along and freed their slaves.
Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. - Mark Twain
Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction in stolen goods. - H.L. Mencken
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain

Ben

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 45,744
  • I'm an Extremist!
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2023, 01:27:22 PM »
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
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

T.O.M.

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,400
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2023, 07:25:20 PM »
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.
No, I'm not mtnbkr.  ;)

a.k.a. "our resident Legal Smeagol."...thanks BryanP
"Anybody can give legal advice - but only licensed attorneys can sell it."...vaskidmark

Viking

  • ❤︎ Fuck around & find out ❤︎
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,207
  • Carnist Bloodmouth
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2023, 05:05:35 AM »
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.
“The modern world will not be punished. It is the punishment.” — Nicolás Gómez Dávila

HankB

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16,564
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2023, 08:32:32 AM »
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
Trump won in 2016. Democrats haven't been so offended since Republicans came along and freed their slaves.
Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. - Mark Twain
Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction in stolen goods. - H.L. Mencken
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain

Viking

  • ❤︎ Fuck around & find out ❤︎
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,207
  • Carnist Bloodmouth
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2023, 12:13:20 PM »
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.
“The modern world will not be punished. It is the punishment.” — Nicolás Gómez Dávila

HankB

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16,564
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2023, 12:20:28 PM »
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.
Trump won in 2016. Democrats haven't been so offended since Republicans came along and freed their slaves.
Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. - Mark Twain
Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction in stolen goods. - H.L. Mencken
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain

BobR

  • Just a pup compared to a few old dogs here!
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,246
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2023, 12:21:06 PM »
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

Viking

  • ❤︎ Fuck around & find out ❤︎
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,207
  • Carnist Bloodmouth
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2023, 04:42:02 PM »
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.
“The modern world will not be punished. It is the punishment.” — Nicolás Gómez Dávila

Ben

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 45,744
  • I'm an Extremist!
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #15 on: March 08, 2023, 04:59:16 PM »
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:
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

Viking

  • ❤︎ Fuck around & find out ❤︎
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,207
  • Carnist Bloodmouth
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #16 on: March 09, 2023, 02:14:16 PM »
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.
“The modern world will not be punished. It is the punishment.” — Nicolás Gómez Dávila

RoadKingLarry

  • friends
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 21,841
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams

Ben

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 45,744
  • I'm an Extremist!
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2023, 03:00:08 PM »
Curious what you think about it once you've read it.

I'll let you know.  =)
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

grampster

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,435
Re: The Ballad of the Green Berets - This Day in History
« Reply #19 on: March 09, 2023, 06:41:02 PM »
I vaguely remember reading one or more Casca books many years ago.  I remember the song and I always liked it.
"Never wrestle with a pig.  You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."  G.B. Shaw