Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story
Jedi Mind Tricks feat. R.A. The Rugged Man Lyrics
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...I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history, of this Nation. ... I have always tried to do what was best for the Nation.
[1950's American Public Service Announcement]
Duck, and cover!
[Vinnie Paz]
Yeah
They sent me here to Vietnam to kill innocent people
My mother wrote me, said, "The President, he doesn't care"
He tryna leave the footprints of America here
They say we're tryna stop Chinese expansion
but I ain't seen no Chinese since we landed
Sent my whole entire unit, thinkin' we could win
against the Viet Cong guerrillas there in Gia Dinh
I didn't sign up to kill women or any children
For every enemy soldier, we killin' six civilians
Yeah, and it ain't right to me
I ain't got enough of mother fuckin' fight in me
It frightens me, and I just wanna see my son and moms
But over here they droppin' seven million tons of bombs
I spend my days dodgin' all these booby-traps and mines
and at night, prayin' to God that I get back alive
And I'm forced, to sit back and wonder
why I was a part of Operation Rollin' Thunder
In a foxhole with nine months left here
Jungle like the fuckin' harbinger of death here
I don't want to be here. I'm scared, I just wanna go home.
[R.A. the Rugged Man]
You fuckin' kiddin' me? Don't be a pussy. Don't you love your country?
I like being here. I'm ready.
True story
Call me Thorburn, John A., Staff Sergeant
Marksman, skill in killin', illin', I'm able and willin'
Kill a village elephant, rapin' and pillage a village
Illegitimate killers: U.S. military guerrillas
This ain't no real war, Vietnam? Shit
World War II, that's a war, this is just a military conflict
Soothin', drug-abusin', Vietnamese women screwin'
Sex, gamblin', and boozin', all this shit is amusin'
Bitches and guns, this is every man's dream
I don't wanna go home, where I'm just a ordinary human bein'
Special OP, Huey chopper gun ship, run shit
Gook run when the mini-gun spit, won't miss
Kill shit, spit four-thousand bullets a minute
Victor Charlie, hit trigger, hit it, I'm in it to win it, get it
The lieutenant hinted the villain, I've ended up killin'
I did it, cripple, did it, pictures I painted is vivid, live it
A wizard with weapons, a secret mission, we 'bout to begin it
Government funded, behind enemy lines
Bullets is sprayin', it's heatin' up, a hundred degrees
The enemy's the North Vietnamese, bitch please
Ain't no sweat, I'm told "Be at ease"
Until I see the pilot got hit, and we 'bout to hit some trees
Tail rotor broke, crash land
American man in Cambodia, right in the enemy hand
Take a swig of the whiskey to calm us
Them yellow men wearin' black pajamas, they want to harm us
They all up on us, bang, bang, bullet hit my chest, feel no pain
To my left, the captain caught a bullet right in his brain
Body parts flyin', loss of limbs, explosions
Bad intentions, I see my best friend's intestines
Pray to the one above, it's rainin', I'm covered in mud
I think I'm dyin', I feel dizzy, I'm losin' blood
I see my childhood, I'm back in the arms of my mother
I see my whole life, I see Christ, I see bright lights
I see Israelites, Muslims, and Christians at peace, no fights
Blacks, Whites, Asians, people of all types
I must've died, then I woke up, surprised I'm alive
I'm in a hospital bed, they rescued me, I survived
I escaped the war, came back
But ain't escape Agent Orange, two of my kids born handicapped
Spastic, quadriplegia, microcephalic
Cerebral palsy, cortical blindness, name it they had it
My son died he ain't live, but I still try to think positive
'Cause in life, God take, God give
The first two lines of the song feature snippets from Richard Nixon's Resignation Speech in 1974 and a Public Service Announcement from the 1950s titled “Duck and Cover” which was created to instruct American children on how to survive a nuclear attack. The song centers around two soldiers, Vinnie Paz and R.A. The Rugged Man, both sharing their experiences of fighting in the Vietnam War. The two soldiers shared different experiences from the war, with Vinnie Paz expressing his regret and disillusionment about the war while the Rugged Man expressed his desire to stay on in war.
Vinnie Paz raps about his disillusionment with the war, his regret of signing up for a job that involves killing innocent people. He expresses concern about the number of civilians being killed and the monstrosity of the bombings. He paints a picture of a fearful soldier who seeks safety and wishes to be reunited with family. RA the Rugged Man, on the other hand, sees war as a glorious adventure and expresses his readiness to fight. He narrates the impact of bullets flying around, death of fellow soldiers, and his survival from the war with the after-effects of his time at war.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why I'm over here, this job is evil
I am confused and afraid about why I was sent to Vietnam, and I do not believe that killing innocent people is morally just
My mother wrote me, said, "The President, he doesn't care"
My mother informed me that the President does not care about the lives of the soldiers he sent to Vietnam
He tryna leave the footprints of America here
The President is attempting to establish a presence in Vietnam as a symbol of American power and influence
They say we're tryna stop Chinese expansion
We were told that our mission was to prevent Chinese expansion in Vietnam, but I have seen no Chinese soldiers since we arrived
Sent my whole entire unit, thinkin' we could win
Our entire unit was sent to Vietnam with the belief that we could emerge victorious in this conflict
against the Viet Cong guerrillas there in Gia Dinh
We were tasked with fighting against the Viet Cong guerrilla forces in Gia Dinh
I didn't sign up to kill women or any children
I did not enlist in the military with the intention of killing innocent civilians, including women and children
For every enemy soldier, we killin' six civilians
We are killing six innocent civilians for every enemy soldier that we successfully take down
I spend my days dodgin' all these booby-traps and mines
My daily routine involves avoiding dangerous and unpredictable hazards like booby-traps and mines
In a foxhole with nine months left here
I am currently stationed in a cramped underground bunker with only nine months remaining before I can return home from Vietnam
You fuckin' kiddin' me? Don't be a pussy. Don't you love your country?
I am being ridiculed and belittled by a soldier who thinks that I am weak and unpatriotic for wanting to leave Vietnam and go home
I like being here. I'm ready.
Contrasting with the previous line, another soldier expresses that he is content with his role in Vietnam and feels prepared for any challenges that may come his way
True story
These lyrics are based on a factual account of a soldier's time spent fighting in Vietnam
Illegitimate killers: U.S. military guerrillas
The U.S. military is resorting to immoral tactics, such as guerrilla warfare, in their fight against North Vietnam
Vietnam? Shit. World War II, that's a war, this is just a military conflict
The singer believes that Vietnam is not a legitimate war compared to World War II, and that their involvement in Vietnam is just a military conflict devoid of true purpose
Bitches and guns, this is every man's dream
The artist is desensitized to the violence and sexual exploitation that is happening around him, and views it all as a typical male fantasy
I see my childhood, I'm back in the arms of my mother
The artist is experiencing a near-death experience, and is seeing glimpses of his past as he comes to terms with his own mortality
My son died he ain't live, but I still try to think positive
The singer's child was born with severe disabilities caused by Agent Orange exposure, and although one of their children did not survive, the singer tries to maintain a positive outlook on life
Contributed by Kennedy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Morand, Alec
As a veteran of the Heroin wars of Afghanistan, that last line hits so fucking hard
God takes
God gives
God took my friends
God gave me a second chance
Why?
I may never know
And that caused a LOT of mental anguish
23 vets commiy suicide a day on average
Please
Reach out if you see someone
And ask for help if you need it
Cant worry about your ego if your dead bro
Drop it and TALK to someone
I love you guys
God bless from Michigab
Ragzzy - R
for people who come across RA for the first time:
this verse is a real story. He spits in the view of his father, John A. Thorburn who fought the Vietnam war and was affected by the after effects of "Agent Orange" a herbicide used against the enemies. Because of this, RA's sister and brothers were affected heavily. His sister was born blind with brain damage and died when she was 26 Years old.
Zaitsev.
Thanks. A lot.
I am relatively new to RA since I only listened to this and i'd be more than happy if you can recommend me something else.
And about this song in particular... I've always felt there was much more behind it, and now it just hits way harder than it did the first time.
God bless us all.
nelson Tolbert
@Zaitsev. legends never die.
Matt Matt
@Zaitsev. a star is born - ra the rugged man explains a lot I am from where he is from
Elver Galarga
@Zaitsev. Friend i first got introduced to R.A. from a song called Stanley Kubrick and another called 50,000 heads...
Big John Stud
it appears that a bunch of his fam was affected..check them out at the end of the vid..
Rhys O'Brien
It's a crime that RA isn't bigger. This verse is unbelievably good.
Miss Miagi
lol idk what you're talking about...he's HUGE! Dude went up against 2Pac back in the day too! ☺ so incredibly talented, ChinoXL too. They were born natural wordsmiths ❤
Dusty Luminox
"I still try to think postive; cause In life God take, God give." That hit heavy. 🔥
drielCap91
Same here my mom passed away then god gave me my son 9 months later