Ballad of the Green Berets
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| “Ballad of the Green Berets” | ||
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| Single by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler from the album Ballads of the Green Berets |
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| Released | 1966 | |
| Genre | Ballad, Patriotic | |
| Label | RCA Victor | |
| Writer(s) | Robin Moore, Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler | |
"Ballad of the Green Berets" is a patriotic song in the ballad style about the Green Berets, an elite special force in the U.S. Army. It is one of the very few songs of the 1960s to cast the military in a positive light and yet it became a major hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Charts for five weeks in 1966.
The song was written by Robin Moore and Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler, while the latter was recuperating from a leg wound suffered as a medic in the Vietnam War. Moore also wrote a non-fiction book, The Green Berets, about the force.
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[edit] Popularity
The recording of the song was the number one hit in the United States for five weeks in 1966 and was the number twenty-one song of 1960s, despite the later unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Refer to United States Army Special Forces in popular culture
It has sold over nine million singles and albums. It was the top single of a year in which the British Invasion, led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, dominated the U.S. charts.
It is currently used as one of the four primary marching tunes of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.
[edit] In film
The song is heard in a choral rendition by Ken Darby in the 1968 John Wayne film The Green Berets, which was based on Moore's book. The score of the movie was never released as an album until Film Score Monthly released it in 2005. A film tie in featuring artwork from the film and a cover version by Ennio Morricone was released in Europe, though the other tracks on the album were soundtracks from A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More.
It also appears in the film More American Graffiti.
It can also be heard in the gun show scene from the 2002 film Showtime.
[edit] Covers and derivatives
There are many cover versions of the song including in different languages rewritten to reference local units, these include
- The Royal Netherlands Army's Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) use the original lyrics. The only difference is that in the chorus, instead of singing "These are men, America's best", they sing "These are men, The Netherlands' best". Also in the final chorus, referring to the son of a deceased Green Beret, they sing "Make him one of The Netherlands' best". This version of the original ballad is sung to recruits who have successfully completed the harsh Basic Commando Training (ECO), and who receive their Green Beret.
- Rhodesian singer-songwriter John Edmond recorded the "Ballad of the Green Berets" with reference to the soldiers of the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), commando-style fireforce units of Rhodesian Security Forces who wore berets of green color. Also, in South Africa, the "Ballad of the Green Berets" was recorded as the "Ballad of the Maroon Berets". The Maroon beret is a symbol of the South African Special Forces Brigade and the South African 44 Parachute Regiment.
- The Swedish version "Balladen om den blå baskern" is a salute to the Swedish soldiers serving in the United Nations' peace-keeping forces (the Blue Berets).
- A German version (Hundert Mann und ein Befehl), sung by Freddy Quinn and later again by Heidi Brühl had considerable success in Germany. The German version is a song against the war. It rejects any sacrifice, not only for the son, but not even for the father. Freddy Quinn sings the song from the point of view of the reluctant but forced soldier, Heidi Brühl from the point of view of the crying girlfriend of the soldier.
[edit] Parodies
- In 1966, The Beach Bums, an ad hoc group featuring a young Bob Seger, recorded "The Ballad of the Yellow Beret". The song was a clear send-up of "The Ballad of the Green Berets", chronicling the adventures of a draft dodger. The record was withdrawn after a cease and desist letter from Sadler.
- The Residents parodied the song on their Third Reich & Roll album.
- Another parody was used on Saturday Night Live in 1986, "Ollie North, The Mute Marine" as a satire of Oliver North and his refusal at that point to speak up about his participation in the Iran-Contra Affair. The parody may seem odd to contemporary viewers, since North's outspoken defense of the operation in 1987 is now far better remembered.
- The song is used to humorous effect in Michael Moore's film Canadian Bacon as ill-informed Americans prepare for an invasion by Canada.
- In the movie Wag the Dog the fictitious unit 303 Special Forces has a song created titled The Men Of The 303 that is played to the same tune.
- In the film Caddyshack, Carl Spackler, played by Bill Murray, mumbles the song under his breath, dragging a water hose as he prepares for final battle with his gopher nemesis.
- "New Super Yellow Hydraulic Banana Teeny Bopper Blue" by Jamie Brockett parodies both the song and the social acceptance of it at the time.
- In an episode of Cheers, Norm and Cliff sing a few bars of the song.
| Preceded by "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single March 5, 1966 |
Succeeded by "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" by The Righteous Brothers |
| Preceded by "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham |
Billboard Hot 100 Number one single of the year 1966 |
Succeeded by "To Sir, with Love" by Lulu |
