He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Arkansas. Wells moved to Chicago in 1948 and first made his mark at age 18 playing in Muddy Waters' band. He later worked with Buddy Guy in the 1960s and recorded for Delmark Records. His most memorable songs are "Messin' With the Kid" and "Little by Little," and his best-known album, 1965's Hoodoo Man Blues, which evokes the smoky atmosphere of the era's Westside Chicago blues bars.
Wells made an appearance in the 1998 movie Blues Brothers 2000, the sequel to The Blues Brothers. The movie was released less than a month after his death.
On his passing in 1998, Junior Wells was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago.
Vietcong Blues
Junior Wells Lyrics
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I was feelin' kind of blue
My landlady said you got a letter here
And I began to sing the blues
It was from my brother
Don't you know the boy's laying down in Vietnam
Lord they say, you don't have no reason to fight baby but
(but you got to be wrong, don't you hear me, you got to be wrong, now pick up -)
You wake up early in the mornin' baby
And you don't have nothin' to eat
You can't buy yourself no clothes baby
Lord knows who can you meet
My brother's in Vietnam
People don't you know just why I'm singin' these blues
You might have no respect for your country darlin'
But that's why, that's why I'm singin' these blues
(you better pick up baby and get with it, you hear me? Looka here -)
The mothers, all the wives,
All the fathers, that have sons,
In Vietnam, you hear me?
This is to you
Always
Oh I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
Lord I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
It's so sad, it's so sad to think about your people
Lord when the other man thinks they're wrong
(you're not right baby. Hear this just before I go -)
Lord I woke up in the mornin' (*)
You're gonna look up, you're gonna look up and find yourself gone
Lord I woke up this mornin'
You're gonna look up and find yourself gone
(how would you feel if it was your brother over there, eh? How would you feel?)
Lord then you're gonna ask the good Lord to forgive you
Please forgive me for my sins.
The song "Vietcong Blues" by Junior Wells is a poignant and powerful expression of frustration and sadness about the Vietnam War. The lyrics describe the feeling of waking up early in the morning and feeling blue, which is soon followed by learning that the singer's brother is fighting in Vietnam. The song seems to be aimed at people who question the purpose of the war, with the lyrics questioning whether there is a legitimate reason to fight. The song also touches on the difficulties faced by those who are left behind, with descriptions of poverty and desperation.
Throughout the song, the singer's frustration and anger are palpable. He implores his listeners to consider the mothers, wives, and fathers of soldiers who are fighting and reminds them that these people are part of their own community. The lyrics seem to suggest that people who are critical of the war should still feel a sense of obligation to the soldiers who are fighting, even if they don't support the cause. Overall, the song is a powerful reminder of the humanity involved in armed conflict and the many ways in which war affects the lives of those who are touched by it.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up early this mornin'
The singer woke up early in the morning
I was feelin' kind of blue
The singer was feeling sad
My landlady said you got a letter here
The landlady informed the singer about a letter addressed to him
And I began to sing the blues
The singer started to sing a sad song
It was from my brother
The letter was from the singer's brother
Don't you know the boy's laying down in Vietnam
The singer's brother is serving in Vietnam
Lord they say, you don't have no reason to fight baby but
People are saying that there is no reason to fight in Vietnam
Lord knows you think you're right
The singer believes that fighting in Vietnam is right
(but you got to be wrong, don't you hear me, you got to be wrong, now pick up -)
The singer acknowledges that people are saying he is wrong, but he disagrees
You wake up early in the mornin' baby
The singer is addressing someone who wakes up early in the morning
And you don't have nothin' to eat
The person doesn't have any food to eat
You can't buy yourself no clothes baby
The person can't afford to buy new clothes
Lord knows who can you meet
The person doesn't have any money to go out and socialize
My brother's in Vietnam
The singer's brother is in Vietnam
People don't you know just why I'm singin' these blues
The singer is singing because of his brother's situation in Vietnam
You might have no respect for your country darlin'
The singer is addressing someone who has no respect for their country
But that's why, that's why I'm singin' these blues
The singer is using the blues song to express his frustration with the situation
(you better pick up baby and get with it, you hear me? Looka here -)
The singer is urging the person to pay attention to the situation and take action
The mothers, all the wives,
The singer is addressing the mothers and wives of soldiers
All the fathers, that have sons,
The singer is addressing the fathers who have sons serving in Vietnam
In Vietnam, you hear me?
The singer is emphasizing that he is talking about the situation in Vietnam
This is to you
The song is dedicated to the families of soldiers serving in Vietnam
Oh I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
The singer is talking about his frustration waking him up early in the morning
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
The singer is losing his mind due to the situation
It's so sad, it's so sad to think about your people
The singer is saddened by the situation of his people
Lord when the other man thinks they're wrong
The singer believes that people who oppose the war in Vietnam are mistaken
(you're not right baby. Hear this just before I go -)
The singer wants to make clear his position on the war before ending the song
Lord I woke up in the mornin' (*)
The singer woke up again to emphasize his frustration with the situation
You're gonna look up, you're gonna look up and find yourself gone
The singer warns people that if they don't take action, they will regret it in the future
(how would you feel if it was your brother over there, eh? How would you feel?)
The singer challenges people to empathize with his situation
Lord then you're gonna ask the good Lord to forgive you
The singer implies that people who do not take action will regret their inaction in the future
Please forgive me for my sins.
The singer appeals for forgiveness for the situation in Vietnam
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JUNIOR WELLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind