Lyr Req: Little Play Soldiers (Marty Cooper)

Subject: anti-war "and sent them to die"?
From:
Date: 25 May 97 - 05:22 PM

My mother-in-law has been looking for years for the words of a song she heard on the radio in the Vietnam war era... As far as I can gather, there was something about "we hug them and kiss them and send them to die" or thereabouts. Anybody know what she's talking about? Thanks- H.Burhans

Subject: RE: anti-war
From:
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 02:50 PM

Don't know if this is the one, but at Woodstock, I think Country Joe and the Fish sang

Well, it's one-two-three What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn Next stop is Vietnam

And it's five, six, seven Open up the pearly gates Well, there ain't no time to wonder why Whoopee! We're all gonna die.

Subject: Lyr Add: I FEEL LIKE I'M FIXIN' TO DIE RAG
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 06:11 PM

Here's this lovely little ditty (It's a hoot to sing, though). Hope it's the one you're looking for. Also called "The Fish Cheer"...Tiger

I FEEL LIKE I'M FIXIN' TO DIE RAG—Country Joe & The Fish

Come on, all of you big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He's got himself in a terrible jam,
Way down yonder in Vietnam,
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

CHORUS
And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
next stop is Vietnam,
And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates,
Ain't no time to wonder why,
whoopee, we're all gonna die.

Come on generals, let's move fast,
Your big chance has come at last.
Now you can go out and get those Reds,
'Cause the only good commie is the one that's dead,
And you know that peace can only be won
When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

CHORUS

Come on, Wall Street, don't be slow
Why, man, this war is à-go-go.
There's plenty good money to be made
By supplying the army with the tools of its trade.
Let's hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
They drop it on the Viet Cong.

CHORUS

Come on, mothers, throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on, fathers, don't hesitate,
Send your sons off before it's too late,
And you can be the first ones on your block
To have your boy come home in a box.

CHORUS

Subject: RE: anti-war
From: Angus McSweeney
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 07:02 PM

I believe the song you are looking for is "Little Play Soldiers". If memory serves me (and it seldom does)...

Two Little soldiers, their games are such fun
Each with his helmet and little toy gun
Pretending they're laying on a battlefield dead
Instead of tucked away safe in their beds.

Chorus: Little Play Soldiers, if only you knew
What kind of battles are waiting for you. A few of the remaining lines...

Little play soldiers, their games are such fun
Each with his helmet and little toy gun
Little play soldiers will never know why
We hug them and kiss them and then send them to die.

It was recorded by the Kingston Trio in the late 60's. I think it was on the "Nick,Bob,John" album. Hope that helps in your search.

Subject: RE: anti-war
From: Again, Angus
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 07:21 PM

If no one else can fill in the missing words for you, let me know. I'm sure I have it somewhere. If I don't, I can call my brother and we'll each have a couple of shots (scotch is what we're talking about here)and put that song back together in no time.

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE PLAY SOLDIERS (from Brothers Four)
From: rich r
Date: 09 Jun 97 - 07:48 PM

The Brothers Four recorded a version of this on "The Honey Wind Blows". Here are the lyrics from that version:

LITTLE PLAY SOLDIERS

Two little soldiers their games are such fun
Each with his helmet and little toy gun
Pretending they're lying on the battlefield dead
After they're tucked away safe into bed
Little play soldiers if only you knew
What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Quiet don't disturb all the innocence of youth
Tel them not to lie but never tell them the truth
That men will fall and die while little boys grow
But little play soldiers are too busy to know
Little play soldiers if only you knew
What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Little white crosses and their rows are so long
How will it end if you don't know it's wrong
For little play soldiers will never know why
We love them and kiss them and send them to die
Little play soldiers if only you knew
What kind of battles are waiting for you.

[Repeat 1st 4 lines ending at "bed"]


I have the Kingston Trio disk at another location so I cannot compare the words, but it is also on that album.

rich r

Subject: RE: anti-war
From: Gene
Date: 01 Apr 98 - 04:41 PM

RE UP!

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Little Play Soldiers (Marty Cooper)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 01:53 PM

Barry T asked about this song in a Brothers Four thread. I hadn't really paid attention to the song before, so I'm glad Barry brought it up. I found this biographical information on songwriter Marty Cooper in the Google cache of a Website that has changed, so I figured I should post it here.

Source: http://www.tinpansouth.com/performer.cfm?artistid=770

Marty Cooper is a storyteller who still believes in the power of a song. His material has been recorded by artists as varied as Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Ventures and Bobby Bare. He is the recipient three ASCAP Awards, including one for his number-one record "You Can't Be A Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine)" as recorded by Donna Fargo.

More recently, Cooper's material has found its way into pop culture and advertising campaigns, which has introduced his songs to whole new generation of listeners. When you hear "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock 'N Roll" coming from Country Elmo or in the recent Pepsi commercial featuring the Osmonds and the Osbournes, or hear Cooper's first chart record, "Peanut Butter" in the Peter Pan peanut butter commercial, you can see the effect Cooper has had on American culture.

"Peanut Butter," the 60's classic, which Cooper also produced, went on to be recorded by Billy Vera, Chubby Checker and even Barney the Dinosaur.

Cooper was a strong voice in the changing political scene of the Vietnam era; His emotionally-charged "Little Play Soldiers" was recorded by two of the top acts of the era, The Brothers Four and The Kingston Trio. Despite national TV performances and strong chart activity, enthusiasm for the anti-war movement in its early stages was just too much for radio and it eventually was dropped from the airwaves. Similarly, Burl Ives' recording of "One More Time, Billy Brown" was pulled from the shelves after Ives performed the song on national television.

After a series of chart successes, Cooper reevaluated his artistic goals and moved to Malibu, CA where he concentrated on his writing. On the advice of the great balladeer Burl Ives, who had recorded four of Cooper's songs, he went into the studio to record his own album. "A Minute of Your Time" produced one of top easy-listening singles of 1974, "The Indiana Girl," in addition to many cover recordings, including "Cowboys and Daddies" by Bobby Bare.

A second album of Cooper's originals was released in Australia, Scandinavia and Germany to glowing reviews and produced perhaps the most well-known of Cooper's songs, "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock 'N Roll." This song became the centerpiece of the long-running Donny & Marie television series with a lyric changed to suit the show's stars. The original version can be heard in Cooper's set.

It's easy to realize why audiences have found Cooper's material to be so engaging. His rich detail and imagery draw the listener into his stories of love and lust, tragedy and broken dreams. Most of all, his songs carry an air of truth and believability. Cooper likens his songs to maturing children: "Songs continue to grow after they're brought to life, and like a person, can mean different things to different people, but no matter what anybody thinks, they're still your children."

---

Allmusic.com says Marty Cooper (also known as M.H. Cooper) was a member of the 1960's group "The Shacklefords" with Lee and Naomi Hazlewood. Naomi's maiden name was Shackleford - I think she and Hazlewood are divorced now. The Shacklefords did folkie-type stuff in the early 1960's. I can't tell for sure if this is the same Marty Cooper, but it seems likely.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE PLAY SOLDIERS (from Kingston Trio)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 02:07 PM

I thought I'd post what I hear on the Brothers Four The Honey Wind Blows album (1965), although it's almost the same as what was posted by Rich R. The only part I hear differently is "in their bed," and I added punctuation).


LITTLE PLAY SOLDIERS
(Marty Cooper)

Two little soldiers, their games are such fun,
Each with his helmet and little toy gun;
Pretending they're lying on the battlefield dead
After they're tucked away safe in their bed.
   Little play soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Quiet, don't disturb all the innocence of youth.
Tell them not to lie, but never tell them the truth
That men will fall and die while little boys grow,
But little play soldiers are too busy to know.
   Little play soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Little white crosses and their rows are so long;
How will it end if you don't know it's wrong,
For little play soldiers will never know why
We love them and kiss them and send them to die.
   Little play soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Two little soldiers, their games are such fun,
Each with his helmet and little toy gun;
Pretending they're lying on the battlefield dead
After they're tucked away safe in their bed.

---

While I'm at it, I guess I should post the Kingston Trio version. It's from the Nick-Bob-John album, which was released on Decca December 7, 1964.


LITTLE PLAY SOLDIERS
(Marty Cooper)

Two little soldiers, their games are such fun,
Each with his helmet and little toy gun;
Pretending they're lying on a battlefield dead
After they're tucked away safe in their bed.
   Little play soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Quiet, don't disturb all that innocence of youth.
Tell them not to lie, but never tell them the truth
That men will fall and die while little boys grow,
But little play soldiers are too busy to know.
   Little play soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.

Little white crosses and their rows are so long;
How will it end if you don't know it's wrong,
For little play soldiers to never know why
We love them and kiss them and send them to die.

Two little soldiers, their games are such fun,
Each with his helmet and little toy gun;
Soon they will lie on some battlefield dead
Instead of tucked away safe in their bed.
   Little play soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.
   All you little soldiers if only you knew
   What kind of battles are waiting for you.


I transcribed both of these by ear. They're from good-quality recordings, but it's possible I heard a word wrong here and there.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Little Play Soldiers (Marty Cooper)
From: breezy
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 05:00 PM

I thought it was

'Hush, dont disturball that innocence of youth

'hush' being one syllabub, 'Quiet' being 2 and clumsy


'Instead of being tucked away safe in their beds'

and my source was the K trio

I recorded it on my 1st album, in 1988 sadly now deleted and only available on casstte anyway

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Little Play Soldiers (Marty Cooper)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 05:46 PM

Hi, Breezy - I just listened to the Kingston Trio album again, and I'm convinced my transcription is right on those two points. Makes sense either way, though. What I hate is when the singer's words don't make sense, but he/she sings them that way nonetheless.

I got stuck at church the other day, reading a text that didn't make sense - and I didn't know what to do with it. Usually, I can correct stuff like that on the fly, but at the moment, I couldn't decipher what the writer wanted to say. Turned out there was an extra word in the text that wasn't supposed to be there.

-Joe Offer-