If you liked anything about the movie, "GOOD MORNING VIETNAM", it was most likely the music.
If so, read this. It's about you, it's better and 10 times longer than that movie.
I'd been in country a month when one of my buddies bought a reel to reel recorder, at the Cholon PX, and on the 4th of July 1970 we recorded the broadcast from AFVN, GIANT RADIO 54 (540 AM) in Saigon.
Not just a few minutes, news clips or station ID, we recorded the 4th of July Special Saturday Stateside Top 300 broadcast from AFVN, Armed Forces Viet-Nam, radio network in Saigon and because they, the songs, were the reason for recording it in the first place, in the beginning the tapes tends to stop and start with some information deleted (jam cut editing). Pretty soon we just let the tape roll, and yet, ironically, it's those news items and clips between songs that now make the tapes of some importance nearly 45 years later. I've done my best to note the DJs, all of whom are credited at the end of the day at midnight, with a sign off you're gotta love.
The tapes include some on-air jokes about Cuban Terrorists and Henry Fonda's lovely daughter Jane, two years before her infamous trip to North Viet-Nam. Some of the best, 4th of July, sound clips which sound like they were done by Edward R. Murrow. Music for the day was from a list of the Top 300 Hits, as of July 1970. They, AFVN, played vinyl so you hear all the pops and an unpredictable skip or two.
The Number One, song was Light My Fire, by the very much alive Jim Morrison...as you may remember, he would die a year later on the 3rd of July 1971. Number 300 was John Fred & the Playboy Band... Judy In Disguise. You will like the midnight sign off at the end of track 16 (at 19:45m/s on the track), by Tom Watson. He lists the day's DJs and bids us that somewhat subdued "Good Night Viet-Nam".
When America was just 194 years old, I celebrated it in Saigon. And as those DJs remind us... "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Beat Goes On". Listening to these hours of music you may have thought we were all having the time of our lives, and, in some respects that was true.
The tapes sat around until about ten years ago when I transfered them to CDs and donated the originals to a hopeful Vietnam Museum. Then, a few years back I contacted another Nam Vet who sells on eBay. I gave him a couple copies of the 17 hours I had and he agreed to sell them online, with a catch. I asked nothing in return except a donation to Chris Noel's VETSVILLE CEASE FIRE HOUSE, a Veterans' Halfway House. Hopefully you know who Chris Noel is, and even if you don't remember her, his copies of the CDs comes with a signed photo of her and some information on her foundation. Chris is not on these tapes.
If you are interested, go to eBay and type in AFVN CD or AFVN VIETNAM 4TH JULY 1970 24 HOUR MARATHON TOP 300 STATESIDE HITS ON 2 CD'S.
Not to brag, but these off-air recordings are broadcast quality. Again, so you know, I receive nothing from your purchase.
