3 Famous Songs From 1971 That Are Connected to the Vietnam War

Three 1971 songs are linked to the Vietnam War through their focus on the human costs of conflict and soldiers’ return to civilian life. Freda Payne’s “Bring the Boys Back Home” calls for soldiers to return alive, while Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” follows a veteran returning to a changed America.

John Prine’s “Sam Stone” tells of an ex-soldier who dies from morphine addiction; the song does not identify him as a Vietnam veteran, though many listeners have made that connection. Prine said he wanted to write about soldiers themselves, rather than produce another straightforward protest song. The article also notes the parallel between morphine addiction among post-Civil War soldiers and heroin’s impact during the Vietnam era, and says Gaye drew lyrical inspiration from his brother Frankie, who served in Vietnam.