The track is about America's involvement in the Vietnam War and the effect it had on the soldiers who served. "19" features sampled dialogue and news reports from Vietnam Requiem, an ABC television documentary about the post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by veterans.
Song information
The title "19" comes from the documentary's claim that the average age of an American combat soldier in the war was nineteen, as compared to the claim of World War II's 26. This claim has since been disputed. Undisputed statistics do not exist, although Southeast Asia Combat Area Casualties Current File (CACCF), the source for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, shows a disproportionate number of all deaths (38%) were ages 19 or 20. According to the same source, 23 is the average age at time of death (or declaration of death.)
Nineteen topped the pop charts in the UK for five weeks, and reached the top twenty in the USA, where it also topped the dance chart. For a while it was the top selling single in thirteen countries (helped by the fact that versions of the song were recorded in French, Spanish, German and Japanese), and it received the Ivor Novello award for Bestselling Single Of 1985. Hardcastle was later sued by ABC for his unauthorised use of samples from the documentary.
Famous record and television producer Simon Fuller named his management company 19 Entertainment after he signed Paul Hardcastle to Chrysalis Records and the single went to number one.
UK progressive rock musician Mike Oldfield claimed that a melodic element of "19" had been copied from a sequence of his multi-million selling concept album, Tubular Bells, and a settlement was made.
The same year British comedian Rory Bremner, using the band name The Commentators, released a parodied version of the song as N-N-Nineteen Not Out, about England's tragic performance in test cricket, with references to the England cricket team's disastrous 1984 home series against the West Indies in which the England captain David Gower had averaged 19.
19
Paul Hardcastle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was different in many ways, as so were those that did the fighting
In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was twenty-six
In Vietnam he was nineteen
In inininininin Vietnam he was nineteen
In inininininin Vietnam, he was nineteen
In Vietnam, he was nineteen
The heaviest fighting of the past two weeks
Continued today twenty-five miles northwest of Saigon
I really wasn't sure what was going on
N-n-n-n-nineteen, nineteen
N-nineteen, nineteen
In Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve-month tour of duty
But was exposed to hostile fire almost every day
N-n-n-n-nineteen
(N-n-n-n-nineteen) nineteen
In Saigon a US military spokesman said today
More than seven hundred enemy troops were killed last week
In that sensitive border area
In all of South Vietnam
The enemy lost a total of two thousand six hundred eighty-nine soldiers
All those who remember the war
They won't forget what they've seen
Destruction of men in their prime
Whose average age was nineteen
D-d-d-d-d-destruction
D-d-d-d-d-destruction
According to a Veteran's Administration study
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered From what psychiatrists call
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Many vets complain of alienation, rage, or guilt
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts
Eight to ten years after coming home
Almost eight-hundred-thousand men
Are still fighting the Vietnam War
None of them received a hero's welcome
Nineteen
S-S-S-S-Saigon
Nineteen, n-n-n-n-n-ninteen
N-n-n-n-n-ninteen
Nineteen n-n-n-n-n-ninteen
N-n-n-n-n-ninteen, nineteen
(Vietnam, S-S-S-S-Saigon)
Purple heart, Saigon
(I wasn't really sure what was going on)
The song "19" by Paul Hardcastle is a commentary on the Vietnam War and the psychological impact the conflict had on its soldiers. The lyrics highlight the contrast between World War II and the Vietnam War, as the average age of soldiers fighting in Vietnam was 19, while in WWII, it was 26. The repetition of "In Viet-nam, he was nineteen" emphasizes this fact and its significance.
The song also touches on the sheer destruction of the war, with the lyrics, "Destruction of men in their prime, whose average age was nineteen." Hardcastle refers to a study by the Veteran's Administration which revealed that half of Vietnam combat veterans suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, with many experiencing alienation, rage, guilt or suicidal thoughts. The veterans weren't welcomed home as heroes despite their sacrifice and suffering.
"19" is unique in that it pulls no punches when addressing the horrors of war and the impact it has on those who fight. The song is a commentary on how war dehumanizes people, especially young soldiers, and the toll it takes on those who are expendable in the eyes of the society they serve.
Line by Line Meaning
In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war, but it wasn't
Vietnam War was not just another foreign war, it was different in many ways
It was different in many ways, as so were those that did the fighting
Those who fought in Vietnam were different from those who fought in other wars
In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was twenty-six
The average age of soldiers in World War II was older than those in Vietnam
In Vietnam he was nineteen
In Vietnam, the combat soldier was younger, only nineteen years old
In inininininin Vietnam he was nineteen
The soldier fighting in Vietnam was just nineteen years old
The heaviest fighting of the past two weeks
Recent fighting has been intense
Continued today twenty-five miles northwest of Saigon
Fighting is still ongoing near Saigon
I really wasn't sure what was going on
The artist is confused about the situation
In Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve-month tour of duty
The typical tour of duty for a soldier in Vietnam was one year
But was exposed to hostile fire almost every day
Soldiers in Vietnam faced danger on a daily basis
In Saigon a US military spokesman said today
The US military made an announcement in Saigon
More than seven hundred enemy troops were killed last week
Over 700 enemy troops were killed in the past week
In that sensitive border area
The fighting took place in a tense border area
In all of South Vietnam
The entire South Vietnam area
The enemy lost a total of two thousand six hundred eighty-nine soldiers
The enemy lost 2689 soldiers in total
All those who remember the war
Those who have memories of the war
They won't forget what they've seen
The memories of the war will stay with them forever
Destruction of men in their prime
The war destroyed young men in their prime
Whose average age was nineteen
The young men destroyed in the war were on average nineteen years old
According to a Veteran's Administration study
A study by the Veteran's Administration revealed
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered From what psychiatrists call
Half of the veterans of the Vietnam War experienced
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Many vets complain of alienation, rage, or guilt
Many veterans may feel disconnected, angry, guilty, or other emotions
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts
Some veterans sadly turn to suicidal thoughts
Eight to ten years after coming home
Years after returning home from the war
Almost eight-hundred-thousand men
Nearly 800,000 men
Are still fighting the Vietnam War
Are still dealing with the aftermath of the war
None of them received a hero's welcome
These men did not receive the appreciation they deserved
Nineteen
The age of the combat soldier in Vietnam
S-S-S-S-Saigon
The capital of South Vietnam
Purple heart, Saigon
A reference to the military decoration and the location where the war was fought
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WILLIAM COUTURIE, PAUL HARDCASTLE, JONAS MCCORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ianedmonds9191
This song dropped when I was 11 and still in primary school in Scotland.
After the Falklands war the UK had a period of glorification of the special forces. SAS, Paras, Commandos etc and rightly so.
This song which was entirely new and very interesting to all my friends on account of the first use of a sampler really made everyone that heard it and digested it's message very conflicted about the glorious heroes we'd been celebrating.
Now maybe they were victims.
I'm sure my young mind never crystalised these thoughts but I do remember a certain cognitive dissonance at liking this song and getting it's message and also feeling like the falklands war was a glorious win for the UK.
War is foul and the evidence of a complete lack of competence of both sides politicians and diplomats.
There should be a standing rule that if a war breaks out all governments and Diplomatic core are sacked and replaced. The one thing they are there to do is to stop wars.
Realistically there has to be an exception for defending ourselves or allies against an unjust invasion but it's hard line to draw.
I have no hard lines to draw.
Oh well.
Luv and Peace.
@dn2610
How ironic when this song first came out, it was 1985, and I was 19 year's old, I had a older brother who died in Vietnam in 1968, he was also 19 year's old. Miss him very much.
@mayaralzreine5763
It's sad😔
@mamadukebrooks9537
Thanks for sharing - wow
I was 19 too! Soon to be 20.
@krandom9283
First heard this in a carpark playing on a friend's car stereo in early 1985 in Norfolk, UK, I was 19
still remember the exact moment I heard it 35 year's later.
@suededogs9670
I am sorry for your loss . It hurts , however long its been , dosent it ? I heard this track today on the radio . It came out when I was 14. As kids , you dont really know what the Vietnam war was about . We just loved the tune . I think we were all shocked to know how young those boys were when they were drafted in. Hearing it today just made me cry , 35 years on , with all the pain of the world right now.
@leighleverrier6014
So sad for you and your family
@LadyTinaMarie1
Much love to my Daddy. A Vietnam vet from 1965 - 1967. Thank the Lord he's still with us. Love you, Daddy!
@soggydoggy671
Very happy your Dad is still with you, I hope he doesn't carry too many of the scars of that conflict. I was born in '67, and the Vietnam War is a special interest of mine. May you have many more happy years with your Dad...
@LadyTinaMarie1
@@soggydoggy671 So very sweet. Thank you. 😀
@osimanmabhachi5047
🙏🙏🙏 greetings from South Africa....grew up in Zimbabwe....we learnt about the Vietnam War in school