Lyr Req/Add: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)

Subject: Lyr Req: Something about the CIA in Vietnam?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 May 11 - 02:29 PM

Heard once on an eclectic music station traveling, so I don't know what station... and I don't remember really any of the lyrics, but it was about the CIA dealing drugs in Vietnam, kind of a raggae-ish beat, with the something something something of the C.I.A.

Help? Can't locate on google with that little info... but I figure you guys will know, or at least somebody will know whom to ask!

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Something about the CIA in Vietnam?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 May 11 - 10:44 PM

Hi, Mrr-
I can't think of such a song right off, but I'll keep looking.
I crosslinked your thread to the other Vietnam threads. Maybe that will help. I wondered if this song might have come up in Lydia Fish's Vietnam Vets Oral History Project. That's another lead to pursue.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Something about the CIA in Vietnam?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 19 May 11 - 01:18 AM

Only song I can remember with drugs and Vietnam is Tom Paxton's Talking Vietnam Pot Luck Blues. Has Army in it, but no CIA.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Something about the CIA in Vietnam?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 May 11 - 07:39 AM

This verse used to resonate at Michigan State University back in the late 1960's:

It's the CIA, and AID,
What's good for you is good for me --
Doing the tenure tango!

But maybe you had to be there to fully appreciate such lyrics.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Something about the CIA in Vietnam?
From: autoharpbob
Date: 20 May 11 - 07:41 AM

There's the Fish Cheer - "Feel like I'm fixin to die rag" - Country Joe and the Fish - but again no mention of the CIA.

Subject: ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 21 May 11 - 11:47 AM

Got a response from one of the radio stations I tried..

It's Alan Ginsberg! Called the CIA Dope Calypso - I ws right about the -ish, I guess.

You can hear him sing it here, and here are the lyrics:

CIA Dope Calypso

CIA DOPE CALYPSO
(Alan Ginsberg)

In nineteen hundred forty-nine
China was won by Mao Tse-tung
Chiang Kai Shek's army ran away
They were waiting there in Thailand yesterday

Supported by the CIA
Pushing junk down Thailand way

First they stole from the Meo Tribes
Up in the hills they started taking bribes
Then they sent their soldiers up to Shan
Collecting opium to send to The Man

Pushing junk in Bangkok yesterday
Supported by the CIA

Brought their jam on mule trains down
To Chiang Mai that's a railroad town
Sold it next to the police chief's brain
He took it to town on the choochoo train
Trafficking dope to Bangkok all day
Supported by the CIA

The policeman's name was Mr. Phao
He peddled dope grand scale and how
Chief of border customs paid
By Central Intelligence's U.S. aid

The whole operation, Newspapers say
Supported by the CIA

He got so sloppy and peddled so loose
He busted himself and cooked his own goose
Took the reward for the opium load
Seizing his own haul which same he resold

Big time pusher for a decade turned grey
Working for the CIA

Touby Lyfong he worked for the French
A big fat man liked to dine & wench
Prince of the Meos he grew black mud
Till opium flowed through the land like a flood

Communists came and chased the French away
So Touby took a job with the CIA

The whole operation fell in to chaos
Till U.S. intelligence came in to Laos

Mary Azarian/Matt Wuerker I'll tell you no lie I'm a true American
Our big pusher there was Phoumi Nosavan

All them Princes in a power play
But Phoumi was the man for the CIA

And his best friend General Vang Pao
Ran the Meo army like a sacred cow
Helicopter smugglers filled Long Cheng's bars
In Xieng Quang province on the Plain of Jars

It started in secret they were fighting yesterday
Clandestine secret army of the CIA

All through the Sixties the dope flew free
Thru Tan Son Nhut Saigon to Marshall Ky
Air America followed through
Transporting comfiture for President Thieu

All these Dealers were decades and yesterday
The Indochinese mob of the U.S. CIA

Operation Haylift Offisir Wm Colby
Saw Marshall Ky fly opium Mr. Mustard told me
Indochina desk he was Chief of Dirty Tricks
"Hitch-hiking" with dope pushers was how he got his fix

Subsidizing the traffickers to drive the Reds away
Till Colby was the head of the CIA

Should one still do the official Lyr Add sep thread?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Something about the CIA in Vietnam?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 May 11 - 07:04 PM

Interesting song, Mrr. No need for a separate thread. Request, add, lyrics, tune, and chords are best all together in the same thread. You'll note that I put the song in Digital Tradition format, with the title in ALLCAPS and the songwriter's name in parentheses on the second line.

Good find!

-Joe-

Subject: RE: req/ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Donuel
Date: 21 May 11 - 07:10 PM

Indonesia was the big CIA dope connection as of 15 years ago.
You could hitch a ride on CIA planes that were full of dope if you had the right connections.

Today I suppose Afghanistan is the center of CIA dope rides.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 21 May 11 - 08:04 PM

Thanks, Joe, I really liked it too! Thanks for the elvish touch,

-Mrr

Subject: RE: req/ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 May 11 - 12:14 PM

An amazing song!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: req/ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 22 May 11 - 12:47 PM

The song is available on the following albums:

Allen Ginsberg - First Blues
Water Music 166 2-CD 2006

Allen Ginsberg - New York Blues: Rags, Ballads & Harmonium Songs CD
Locust CD 2002

Allen Ginsberg - Holy Soul Jelly Roll: Poems And Songs 1949-1993 CD
Rhino Word Beat 4-CD 1994

Best wishes, Thomas.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 May 11 - 12:55 PM

Do you know which album cover is shown on the video?

Subject: RE: req/ADD: CIA Dope Calypso (Alan Ginsberg)
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 23 May 11 - 02:56 PM

The image on Youtube appears to be a photograph, with writing at the
bottom edge. T do not think it is album cover for any of the 3 items listed, unless it is from the liner or booklet....
Ciao, Thomas.