Frontman Bryan Jones and rhythm guitar player Dave Aronson left the band early on. Bryan Jones had broken his leg at one of their gigs and his parents denied him permission to play in the band any further. Bassist Rick Jones (Bryan's brother) switched to vocals and Chris Doherty of Gang Green took over on rhythm guitar. It was this line-up that recorded the classic 12 song LP Is This My World? on X-Claim in 1983, featuring songs such as "Cracks In The Wall", "Build Me A Bomb" and "Vietnam Syndrome". They broke up in 1985, but reformed in 1987 with a more speed metal sound and released an LP on Taang! Records entitled Kill Kill Kill. Reflex/Wolfpack Records released a limited re-issue of the Is This My World? LP in 2002. The band reunited again in 2004 and has been playing several shows per year around Boston since then. Their current recording plans, if any, are unknown.
Vietnam Syndrome
Jerry's Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He gave his mind to Uncle Sam
He thought he had control of his life
But he went demented and grabbed a knife -
LODGED DEEP INSIDE HIS HEAD
VISIONS OF WAR
VISIONS OF THE DEAD
His pencil becomes a bayonet
You tried to help but the fire's set
Now he's after you and he's after me
We're not American, we're VC
CHORUS
So thanks very much for his kick in the face
He's not alright, he's in outer space
Just give him a shot, he'll be alright
Man, you just want him out of sight
The lyrics of Jerry's Kids's song Vietnam Syndrome paint a picture of a soldier who has returned from the Vietnam War and is now struggling with the trauma and the horrors he experienced during his time there. The line "Ten years back from Vietnam, he gave his mind to Uncle Sam" reveals that the man enlisted a decade ago, but instead of finding purpose and control, the war has left him mentally unstable. The next line, "He thought he had control of his life, but he went demented and grabbed a knife" tells us that the soldier has lost control of his life as a result of the war and is now struggling with mental health issues that have led to violent behavior.
The chorus reveals a bitter resentment towards the government and society that sent this soldier to war, only to have him come back damaged and violent. The line "So thanks very much for his kick in the face" speaks to the betrayal and abandonment of soldiers who were sent to fight a war that many Americans did not believe in. The line "We're not American, we're VC" shows a growing sense of disillusionment with the American cause, as the soldier begins to see everyone as his enemy. The use of "VC" or "Viet Cong" as a way of identifying with the enemy shows how extreme the soldier's disillusionment has become.
Overall, the song is a scathing critique of the Vietnam War and the government's treatment of its soldiers. It highlights the trauma that soldiers experience and the mental health issues that are often ignored or stigmatized. At its core, Vietnam Syndrome is a call to acknowledge the physical and mental toll of war and to treat veterans with the respect and support they deserve.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten years back from Vietnam
Ten years after coming back from Vietnam
He gave his mind to Uncle Sam
He dedicated his mind and life to serve his country
He thought he had control of his life
He believed he had control over his own life
But he went demented and grabbed a knife
But he lost control and became mentally ill, starting to behave dangerously
LODGED DEEP INSIDE HIS HEAD
Images and memories from the war are deeply ingrained and affecting his mental state
VISIONS OF WAR
He constantly sees disturbing visions of the war
VISIONS OF THE DEAD
He sees gruesome images of death and destruction
His pencil becomes a bayonet
He starts to see harmless objects as weapons
You tried to help but the fire's set
Even with help, his mental state is still out of control
Now he's after you and he's after me
He's dangerous and chasing after anyone and everyone
We're not American, we're VC
He confuses innocent people as being from the enemy side
CHORUS
Refrain/Chorus of the song
So thanks very much for his kick in the face
Thanks for sending him to war and ruining his mental health
He's not alright, he's in outer space
He's not okay, he's lost in his own world of mental illness
Just give him a shot, he'll be alright
Just give him medicine and he'll be cured, but it's not that simple
Man, you just want him out of sight
You just want to hide him away because he's inconvenient and disturbing
Contributed by Isabelle Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.