Dolly Parton’s cover of the “Ballad of the Green Berets” will wow people that listen to it. People who were used to listening to the usual Dolly Parton songs were surprised that the icon covered it, but in the end, everyone was happy when she did.
In hindsight, Dolly Parton has always been a strong supporter of the military. That’s why her recording “Ballad of The Green Berets” shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. That said, there’s no denying that it was a highly patriotic move on her part.
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The iconic song has a patriotic tale that comes with it too. It’s a song written by former Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler, and dedicated to the Elite Special Force Team of the U.S. Army.
Saddler wrote the song during the Vietnam War while training to become a medic in the Special Forces. With the help of the book “The Green Berets” by author Robin Moore, Sadler managed to compose the lyrics to the song and acquire an RCA Records recording contract.
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A part of the song’s lyrics is a tribute to James Gabriel Jr. James was a Special Forces operator killed by Viet Cong gunfire during a training mission. He was also the first Hawaiian native to lose his life in Vietnam during the war.
Sadler recorded the ballad in 1966. Its patriotic message, in addition to casting the military in a positive light, helped the song quickly turn into a massive hit. It peaked at the top spot of the Hot 100 chart, holding that position for five weeks.
Of course, the same happens with Dolly Parton’s cover of “Ballad of the Green Berets.” It became a hit, not only because of the country music icon’s star power but also because of the song’s patriotic message. Now, if you want to rouse your patriotism and honor our country’s soldiers, you can listen to the cover here.
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