Chances are, you’ve heard chatter about Ken Burns’ newest multi-chapter documentary, “The Vietnam War” from PBS. Maybe you’ve seen an installment or two. Along with co-documentarian, Lynn Novick, Burns once again takes a slice of American history and brings it home on screen. In fact, many screens.
But as we discussed in yesterday’s post about audio signatures, sound can play an integral role in a film, TV show, or series. And in the case of “The Vietnam War,” put an exclamation point on it.
This is a tough topic – a big hunk of unfinished business for America. And music became part of Burns and Novick’s storytelling mechanism.
As Novick told USA Today‘s Matt Alderton, “The music of the time is a character in the film.”
And speaking of its impact on our psyches, Burns added, “Music is the fastest art form there is. Two notes, and you feel something.”
In the case of “The Vietnam War,” there are actually three soundtracks – traditional Vietnamese melodies from Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble, the original score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and of course, the soundtrack of the ’60s and ’70s that we now know as the earliest years of Classic Rock.
The Beatles’ Apple Corps group worked to make sure the Fab Four were a part of the project. The Beatles never before had licensed any of their songs for soundtracks. As Apple’s Jeff Jones told USA Today, “Knowing how important music would be to the telling of the Vietnam story, we knew we had to be their music partner.”
Other contributors included Experience Hendrix, and appropriately, there are several Jimi Hendrix songs in the doc as well, as long as many other evocative titles from the era.
And the documentary’s producers did their homework. They interviewed 100 people (yup, the size of a typical auditorium test) and divided them into “protestors” and “service members.” Each had to submit their 10 song list of favorites from the era – that’s right, their perfect Vietnam playlist. And it made for a true crowd-sourced soundtrack, a reason why “The Vietnam War” reeks of audio authenticity for all its 18 hours.
The timing of this seminal documentary is interesting and even intriguing for the radio industry. That’s especially the case as Classic Rock programmers grappling with the role of the ’60s on their stations. Ironically, decades old music from the Vietnam War period holds up well in most markets, but here’s the kicker:
Oftentimes, it’s the youngest audience – Millennials and thirtysomethings – who are most enthusiastic and even purist about this original era of ’60s rock. While they have a sense of appreciation for the ’80s, corporate rock, Hair bands, and some of the other Classic Rock subgenres, it’s the original British Invasion and Vietnam era soundtrack songs that most often resonates with the youngest listeners.
And it’s a reminder to all of us mature and experienced programmers and marketers that Classic Rock isn’t just for selling SUVs, hotel rooms, and new pharmaceuticals. It is still evocative, provocative, and powerful. It is a statement of the times in which we lived, something that Burns and Novick have brilliantly captured in their amazing documentary.
Right on.
Here’s a trailer from “The Vietnam War,” airing this week and next on your area PBS station, but also available digitally from numerous sources.
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Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Outstanding series, especially for ’60s Boomers. Classic Rock soundtrack is powerful. Wonder if The Fish Cheer will make the cut. Clark, Boston.
I’ll be the “Fish Cheer” ended up on several of those top 10 lists. Thanks, Clark.
Super-timely. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it, Tim.
It just drives me crazy that the music content gate keepers of the classic rock format can get schooled on the place of mid to late 60’s pop/rock. This is the very foundational music of album rock radio. I am wondering if some of those folks even like music. How does this happen? I’ll hang up now and listen for the answer. Thank you.
Dan, it comes back to the 25-54 dictates so many stations get from advertisers, balanced with the true “sweet spot” of the music. But as I mention in the post, it’s interestingly counter-intuitive that some of the youngest listeners are fans of the oldest rock. Thanks as always for the comment and your passion.
Disturbing and entertaining at the same time…great series! I was in Viet Nam when Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was released (I bought in when I was in Hong Kong for R&R). It’s scary to realize that our government knew the war was unwinnable–2 years before I served there! I had my reel-to-reel tape deck with me, and my sister would send me records to play on my little record player in the tent I shared with 9 other guys. Music meant so much to us while we there (“We Gotta Get Out Of this Place”). the classic rock, as well as the original music, ties everything together in the series.
Amazing memories, Mike. Thanks for sharing them and reaffirming just how impactful the music was whether you were here at home – or in the thick of the action in Nam. Much appreciated.
Nice piece Fred. The usage in this series has me thinking of how culturally front and center Rock was in this era. – Jack Isquith
No question about it, Jack. Music was the voice of the times, a far cry from where we are now. Surprising, isn’t it, that artists aren’t stepping up and using the music to convey the mood of now. Appreciate the comment.
After watching one episode I was immediately struck by how little we learned from Vietnam and keep repeating the same mistakes elsewhere in the world.
As for the music and gold based stations phasing it out, I come back to the same idea, we asked everyone but the audience. I continue to play some 60’s music (more than most classic hits stations) and continue to see healthy 25-54 and 18-49 results. It’s just as you pointed out, younger listeners are discovering the music and probably find it more authentic then what is on current formats.
Fascinating, isn’t it, that the youngest listeners have a reverential feeling about the music, Keith. Thanks for the comment.
This is a powerful and moving Music/Radio/Vietnam tale from a music blog I read. This individual had just returned from chaos of Vietnam and went out with friends but it just didn’t feel right. Over the next couple weeks, he retreated to his room as his parents became increasingly concerned with his withdrawal. One day, he heard a song on the radio unlike anything he had ever heard before. When the song ended the DJ said it was a band called the Allman Brothers and the song was “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”. He went out that day and bought the album and played it over and over. After that, he had to go out and tell his friends about the great discovery. So the Allman Brothers and Radio helped ease his trip back from Vietnam and into the world. The name of his first daughter – Elizabeth.
The power of the music. As Lou Reed wrote, “Her life was saved by rock n’ roll.” Thanks for the story.
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Nothing more to say.
Thank you!