"The big mistake at Songmy," the young Lieutenant said,
"Was just the way of killing them, and not the number dead.
We should have faked a fire fight, and no one would complain.
We did our job; we cleared the town; you would have done the same."
"The big mistake at Songmy," The Master Sergeant said,
"Was just the way of killing them, and not the number dead.
They should have had a 'copter, and come in from the air,
A couple Fifty Calibers, and say it was an error."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the Sergeant Major said,
"Was sending out an officer who couldn't use his head.
He should have had an alibi, to cover up the cries,
To tell his men those kids and girls were commies in disguise."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the Air Force General said,
"Was just the way of killing them, and not the number dead."
The body count would be the same, and no one would be blamed,
If bombers came from thirty thou, and leveled off the plain."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the Saigon spokesman said,
"Was not the way of killing, nor the ages of the dead.
There are no kids in Viet Nam, no civilian casualties;
If not Saigon, they are Viet Cong; only friends or enemies."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the bearded picket said,
"Was how and why and when and where we tallied up those dead.
We shouldn't be in Viet Nam, to fight for liberty,
Until we learn to treat all men with human dignity."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the veterans' leader said,
"Was letting that damn blabbermouth tell all about the dead.
I bet he is a communist, or hates his own country,
To tell such things to hurt our cause to make the world free."
"Was just the way of killing them, and not the number dead.
We should have faked a fire fight, and no one would complain.
We did our job; we cleared the town; you would have done the same."
"The big mistake at Songmy," The Master Sergeant said,
"Was just the way of killing them, and not the number dead.
They should have had a 'copter, and come in from the air,
A couple Fifty Calibers, and say it was an error."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the Sergeant Major said,
"Was sending out an officer who couldn't use his head.
He should have had an alibi, to cover up the cries,
To tell his men those kids and girls were commies in disguise."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the Air Force General said,
"Was just the way of killing them, and not the number dead."
The body count would be the same, and no one would be blamed,
If bombers came from thirty thou, and leveled off the plain."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the Saigon spokesman said,
"Was not the way of killing, nor the ages of the dead.
There are no kids in Viet Nam, no civilian casualties;
If not Saigon, they are Viet Cong; only friends or enemies."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the bearded picket said,
"Was how and why and when and where we tallied up those dead.
We shouldn't be in Viet Nam, to fight for liberty,
Until we learn to treat all men with human dignity."
"The big mistake at Songmy," the veterans' leader said,
"Was letting that damn blabbermouth tell all about the dead.
I bet he is a communist, or hates his own country,
To tell such things to hurt our cause to make the world free."
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Sul massacro di My Lay si veda Everybody's Got A Right To Live di Pete Seeger
This broadside ballad was composed as a song for St. Cecilia's Day, Nov. 22,1969.
It can be sung to several traditional ballad melodies.
Duke Rank