[stylist] Vietnam Memorial: Teh Wall rewrite

Brad Dunse' lists at braddunsemusic.com
Wed Nov 2 20:11:20 UTC 2011 

Good to hear Brenda, thanks.

Brad



On 11/2/2011  08:07 AM Brenda said...
>I have always liked the content of this piece, 
>but this one was a much easier read.
>brenda
>
>On 11/1/2011 10:19 PM, Brad Dunse' wrote:
>>In case anyone is interested in the re-rite, I 
>>took the advice of removing some redundancy, 
>>some extraneous detail maybe???  many of the 
>>I's and me's, which I love that process in 
>>re-writing as it always brings more forward 
>>movement and better flow,  besides I know a 
>>national writer with, dare I say what many 
>>know, an ego the size of Texas that fills his 
>>newsletters with them and it bugs the snot out 
>>of me :). At any rate, here it is for what it's worth.
>>
>>Non-fiction, war song related,  G rated piece.
>>
>>
>>Vietnam Memorial Wall
>>
>>
>>
>>Canvas bags draping slumped shoulders, buckles 
>>digging into tired muscles, nervous fingers 
>>losing their sweaty grip every tenth step, I 
>>huffed my gear through the crowds of soldiers. 
>>Spotting a slightly wooded area to escape the 
>>baking sun, the bags almost magnetically pulled 
>>themselves towards cover; reaching it they slid 
>>off the shoulders with a sigh through puffed cheeks.
>>
>>
>>
>>Rubbing the burn from sore neck muscles, 
>>stretching out the back, and taking in the 
>>action all around; I wondered what the day 
>>might look like in hindsight, and which one of 
>>the souls out there might be a new found friend by day's end.
>>
>>
>>
>>A bit nervous of what to expect amid the battle 
>>experienced soldiers out there, wonderment gave 
>>way to doubt as to whether the ability to even 
>>identify with what they have seen allows for friendship.
>>
>>
>>
>>Finally, two gents approached asking if I was 
>>who I was. Confirming it with handshakes, we 
>>began chatting as bags were opened and gear 
>>pulled out. Opening the case and sitting on a 
>>stool, I began to fiddle around on my guitar.
>>
>>
>>
>>No, we weren't killing time prior to reporting 
>>for duty in a US military base in Vietnam, we 
>>arrived at the State Capitol grounds in St. 
>>Paul, Minnesota; at a kickoff event the 
>>governor of Minnesota declared as Vietnam Day.
>>
>>
>>
>>So why was I there? It wasn't for doing a tour 
>>of duty in Vietnam; I was born about a decade 
>>and a half too late for that. Besides age being 
>>a factor, though I probably didn't know it at 
>>18-years old, there was a hereditary disease 
>>slowly scattering throughout my retinas 
>>affecting peripheral and night vision; and very 
>>likely it would have pulled a 4F medical 
>>discharge anyway. If that wouldn't have 
>>prevented being shipped out, eventually from 
>>mere survival of the fittest, some Asian would 
>>have shipped me back in a box, carving my name 
>>in the Memorial Wall with the business end of his weapon.
>>
>>
>>
>>I was at the Vietnam Day event by invitation 
>>from a grass roots effort, to come and play 
>>some music. Sort of a 1960's protest style 
>>thing, only we weren't protesting, we were 
>>joining the proclamation and recognition of the 
>>brave men and women who served in Vietnam.
>>
>>
>>
>>A compilation CD of Vietnam songs had recently 
>>been released, designed to help heal emotional 
>>wounds and not let the world forget what 
>>suffering went on back then; and a song I 
>>co-wrote with two other writers (Mitch Townley 
>>and Judy Gorman King), was picked as the 
>>featured song for the CD. The song is entitled, "The Wall."
>>
>>
>>
>>Once the gear was set up out on the large 
>>grounds of the Capitol, we started playing. We 
>>played for children, fellow musicians, curious 
>>event attendees, friends and families of 
>>soldiers who stopped to listen, and then they came.
>>
>>
>>
>>Mike, one of the gentlemen who gave the invite, 
>>rounded the corner with a group of Viet Vets. 
>>As they approached, battle earned metals 
>>clinked on silver haired gents as they jokingly 
>>milled about asking if I knew any Hank 
>>Williams; and then Mike said, "Brad, why don't 
>>you play your song for these gentlemen?"
>>
>>
>>
>>I will tell you, having played for many people 
>>at all kinds of gigs throughout the years, 
>>nerves had never been tested in this way 
>>before. Staring out with what vision was 
>>musterable, looking at this group of amazing 
>>souls standing before me who­all but a handful 
>>of decades ago were scared, brave young men 
>>watching their buddies tore apart right next to 
>>them in fox holes, on the battle field, and in 
>>transport jeeps­facing unknown emotional 
>>battles of uncertainty whether the local people 
>>there approaching them, men, women or children 
>>all equal in ability; were allies of safety, or 
>>enemies about to cut them down. Miraculously, 
>>here they were standing anxiously, staring at 
>>me expectantly, wanting to hear the song that 
>>was written just for them; and me desperately 
>>hoping we had gotten what they felt inside, right.
>>
>>
>>
>>Swallowing hard and slow, raking a few strums 
>>on the guitar to get emotionally anchored, I started to sing:
>>
>>
>>
>>When you were searching for my name today
>>
>>I saw you standing there
>>
>>Man you look different
>>
>>With that silver in your hair
>>
>>Me, I haven't changed a bit
>>
>>Still all of twenty-one
>>
>>That's the thing about us spirits
>>
>>We're forever young
>>
>>At the wall ..., here at the wall
>>
>>
>>
>>Mid-way through the song with quivering lips 
>>and doubts I could even make it all the way 
>>through without choking up, I began to feel a 
>>reverence for these men stronger than ever 
>>before; men who endured not only a very 
>>different war out on the battlefield and in the 
>>jungle, but also the unexpected one of 
>>patriotic betrayal soon after the planes wheels screeched the tarmac back home.
>>
>>
>>
>>I don't think one strand of hair laid flat the 
>>entire length of the song but I did make it 
>>through to the end. When I finished, a nervous 
>>silence loomed for a second or two; wondering 
>>to myself, "Brad? What did you just do? You had 
>>better not offended them assuming you know what 
>>they feel inside." The silence stood for a few 
>>seconds more and I was immediately swallowed up 
>>with soldiers shaking my hand 60's style, 
>>giving pats on the back, and profusely giving 
>>thanks for writing the song. We snapped a quick 
>>picture with them, all the while me thanking 
>>them for their service, and that it was only a 
>>shame that the song had need to be written in 
>>the first place. That was one of the, if not 
>>the, most special experiences I'd ever had playing.
>>
>>
>>
>>Prior to "The Wall" being written, I'd thought 
>>pretty heavy on writing a song about Vietnam. 
>>Considering it further, it seemed an obvious 
>>decision to write one dealing with the wall, 
>>maybe the Traveling Wall? Going back up on the 
>>National Memorial website, I spent hours up 
>>there reading profile entries that folks left 
>>for their loved ones. There were old goodbyes 
>>and present tense conversations: words from old 
>>high school buddies, family members keeping up 
>>a vigil, neighborhood friends who popped in 
>>after thinking about them, school teachers who 
>>wrote shortly after the news, and of course 
>>those uniquely bonded souls who served with 
>>them in the war ...; excuse me ..., "police action."
>>
>>
>>
>>Reading the entries was addictive, and more 
>>gripping than a Friday night suspense flick. 
>>Hopping up on the site before dinner, I didn't 
>>pull away from the computer until the morning 
>>sun popped up. After spending the night reading 
>>droves of profiles of 21-year olds who never 
>>came back, the desire to write a song about 
>>Vietnam and the wall was there now more than ever.
>>
>>
>>
>>As strong a desire it was to write a Vietnam 
>>wall song, I hadn't told anyone of the plan. 
>>The goal was to have a solo write, so the idea 
>>never left the writing room. After a week and a 
>>half of knocking around some ideas and not 
>>really settling on any particular idea, an 
>>email came through from a songwriting buddy of 
>>mine. He said he ran into a poet at a veteran's 
>>event in Nashville, got permission to use the 
>>poem as foundation for a lyric, and wanted to know if I wanted in on the song.
>>
>>
>>
>>Stunned at the timing of this opportunity, I 
>>naturally agreed. A few days later we came out 
>>with our song entitled, "The Wall".
>>
>>
>>
>>I often wonder, after nearly two weeks of 
>>milling it around, surfing the web, staying up 
>>all night mesmerized by what I was reading, 
>>trying to pour my soul into the boots of those 
>>kids and their surviving families, not saying 
>>anything to anyone about my desire to write 
>>such a song about the Vietnam Wall, and then 
>>out of the blue to be approached with this 
>>opportunity? ­I don't know­is that just a 
>>simple coincidence? Or could there have been more to it than that?
>>
>>
>>
>>The Wall has been played at a variety of places 
>>ranging from major commercial country radio, to 
>>web stations, to live performances at local 
>>memorial ceremonies, to my own gigs; and I am 
>>very humbled it will be performed by a youth 
>>band raising brows up and down the east coast, 
>>as they play it as part of their invitation to 
>>perform at the National Memorial event in 
>>Washington DC this Veterans Day on November 11.
>>
>>
>>
>>Hear the song in it's entirety and read the 
>>lyrics at: 
>><http://www.braddunsemusic.com/music-45.html>http://www.braddunsemusic.com/music-45.html
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Brad Dunse
>>
>>"Instead of waiting out the storm, learn to dance in the rain." --Unknown
>>
>>http://www.braddunsemusic.com
>>
>>http://www.facebook.com/braddunse
>>
>>http://www.twitter.com/braddunse
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Brad Dunse

"When it comes to change, don't wind up like concrete...
all mixed up and permanently set!" --Unknown

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