Daniels began writing and performing in the 1950s. In 1964, Daniels wrote a song called "It Hurts Me" which Elvis Presley recorded. He worked as a session musician, including playing on three Bob Dylan albums during 1969 and 1970. Daniels recorded his first solo album, Charlie Daniels, in 1970. His first hit, the novelty song "Uneasy Rider", came off his 1972 second album, Honey in the Rock, and reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1974, Daniels organized the first in a series of Volunteer Jam concerts based in or around Nashville, Tennessee. Except for a three-year gap in the late 1980s, these have continued ever since.
In 1975, he had a top 30 hit as leader of the Charlie Daniels Band (CDB) with the Southern rock self-identification anthem "The South's Gonna Do It Again". "Long Haired Country Boy" was also a minor hit in that year.
Daniels won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance in 1979 for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", which reached #3 on the charts.
Subsequent Daniels pop hits included "In America" (#11 in 1980), "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" (#31 in 1980), and "Still in Saigon" (#22 in 1982).
In the late 1980s and 1990s several of Daniels' albums and singles were hits on the country charts. Daniels also released several gospel and Christian records.
Charlie Daniels has never shied away from politics. "The South's Gonna Do It" had a mild message of Southern cultural identity within the Southern rock movement. Daniels was an early supporter of Jimmy Carter's presidential bid and performed at his January 1977 inauguration.
"In America" was a reaction to the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis; it described a patriotic, united America where "we'll all stick together and you can take that to the bank / That's the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks." In contrast, "Still in Saigon" (written by Dan Daley) was an effective portrayal of the plight of the American Vietnam veteran ten years after the war; it was part of an early 1980s wave of attention to the subject, in contrast to treatments such as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." and "Shut Out the Light", Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon", and somewhat later Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road".
In 1990, Daniels' country hit "Simple Man" seemingly advocated a pseudo-Biblical form of vigilantism; lines such as "Just take them [rapists, killers, child abusers] out in the swamp / Put 'em on their knees and tie 'em to a stump / Let the rattlers and the bugs and the alligators do the rest," got Daniels considerable media attention and talk show visits.
In 2003, Daniels published an Open Letter to the Hollywood Bunch in defence of George W. Bush's Iraq policy. His 2003 book Ain't No Rag: Freedom, Family, and the Flag contains this letter as well as many other personal statements. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Daniels acknowledged that having never served in the military himself, he did not have the right to criticize John Kerry's service record.
In 2005, he has made a cameo appearance along with Larry the Cable Guy, Kid Rock, and Hank Williams, Jr. in Gretchen Wilson's music video for the song "All Jacked Up", whose album has been released.
In November 2007, Daniels was invited by Martina McBride to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
In October 2016, Daniels officially became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
On October 26, 2018, Daniels released a new side album project that was not solo or CDB, but a new band called Beau Weevils, along with CDB bass player, Charlie Hayward, producer James Stroud on drums and Billy Crain on guitar.
Still In Saigon
Charlie Daniels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And got off in Vietnam
I walked into a different world
The past forever gone
I could have gone to Canada
Or I could have stayed in school
But I was brought up differently
Thirteen months and fifteen days
The last ones were the worst
One minute I'd kneel down and pray
And the next I'd stand and curse
No place to run to
Where I did not feel that war
When I got home I stayed alone
And checked behind each door
Cuz I'm still in Saigon
Still in Saigon
I am still in Saigon
In my mind
The ground at home was covered in snow
And I was covered in sweat
My younger brother calls me a killer
And my daddy calls me a vet
Everybody says I'm someone else
And I'm sick and there's no cure
Damned if I know who I am
There was only one place I was sure
When i was still in Saigon
Still in saigon
I am still in saigon
In my mind
Every summer when it rains
I smell the jungle, I hear the planes
I can't tell no one, I feel ashamed
Afraid some day I'll go insane
That's been ten long years ago
And time has gone on by
Now and then I catch myself
Eyes searching through the sky
All the sounds of long ago
Will be forever in my head
Mingled with the wounded cries
And the silence of the dead
'Cuz I'm still in Saigon
Still in Saigon
I am still in Saigon
In my mind
I am still in Saigon
I am still in Saigon
Yes, I'm still in Saigon
In my mind
The song “Still in Saigon” by Charlie Daniels Band is a powerful story about a Vietnam War veteran who is still haunted by his traumatic experiences in the war. The song tells the story of a soldier who joined the army rather than dodging the draft or fleeing to Canada. He was shipped off to Vietnam, where he stayed for thirteen months and fifteen days, the last ones being the worst. The song describes his struggle with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and how it has affected his life since he returned home.
The soldier struggles to come to terms with his experiences and feels isolated from those around him. He describes how he feels like a stranger in his own country and how his family and friends no longer understand him. The song tells of his fear of going insane and how the memories of the war will always be with him. The soldier is still in Saigon, in his mind.
The song is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of war on the lives of those who fight it. It highlights the struggles of veterans in dealing with PTSD and the challenges they face in reintegrating into civilian life. The lyrics of the song deliver a message of compassion and understanding for these soldiers who often find themselves forgotten and struggling to cope.
Line by Line Meaning
Got on a plane in 'Frisco
I boarded a flight in San Francisco
And got off in Vietnam
And disembarked in Vietnam
I walked into a different world
I found myself in a completely different reality
The past forever gone
My previous life was irretrievably lost
I could have gone to Canada
I had the choice to flee to Canada
Or I could have stayed in school
Or I could have continued with my education
But I was brought up differently
But my upbringing prevented me from deserting
I couldn't break the rules
I was unable to disobey orders
Thirteen months and fifteen days
I spent a year and a month in Vietnam
The last ones were the worst
The end of my tour was the most difficult
One minute I'd kneel down and pray
At times I found solace in prayer
And the next I'd stand and curse
While at other times I expressed my anger vocally
No place to run to
There was nowhere I could escape from the war
Where I did not feel that war
I was constantly aware of the war, no matter where I went
When I got home I stayed alone
When I returned home I kept to myself
And checked behind each door
I was paranoid and suspicious, always checking my surroundings
Cuz I'm still in Saigon
Because in my mind I am still in Saigon
Still in Saigon
Mentally, I am still in Vietnam
I am still in Saigon
My memories of Vietnam are still fresh
In my mind
Even though physically I am in a different place
The ground at home was covered in snow
When I returned home it was during winter
And I was covered in sweat
Despite the cold, I was still experiencing heavy sweating
My younger brother calls me a killer
My brother believes that I took human lives in Vietnam
And my daddy calls me a vet
While my father acknowledges my service in the war as a veteran
Everybody says I'm someone else
Those around me see me in a different light
And I'm sick and there's no cure
I am emotionally and psychologically unwell and there seems to be no remedy
Damned if I know who I am
I have lost my sense of identity and am uncertain of who I am
There was only one place I was sure
The only thing I am certain of is that I still feel trapped in the past
Every summer when it rains
Whenever it rains during summertime
I smell the jungle, I hear the planes
I am reminded of Vietnam, I can smell the vegetation and hear the aircraft
I can't tell no one, I feel ashamed
I cannot share these feelings with anyone, I am embarrassed
Afraid some day I'll go insane
I fear that I may lose my mind due to the trauma I experienced
That's been ten long years ago
It has been a decade since my involvement in Vietnam
And time has gone on by
The years have passed
Now and then I catch myself
Occasionally I find myself
Eyes searching through the sky
Looking up at the sky, scanning for signs of danger
All the sounds of long ago
The sounds that I heard in Vietnam
Will be forever in my head
Will be with me for the rest of my life
Mingled with the wounded cries
Combined with the agonizing screams of the injured
And the silence of the dead
And the haunting absence of those who lost their lives
'Cuz I'm still in Saigon
Because mentally, I am still in Vietnam
Yes, I'm still in Saigon
Indeed, I am still mentally trapped in the war
In my mind
Despite being physically removed from Vietnam
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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