19
Paul Hardcastle
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In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war, but it wasn't 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 N-n-n-n-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)
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Written by: WILLIAM COUTURIE, PAUL HARDCASTLE, JONAS MCCORD
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Release Information"19" by Paul Hardcastle was released as the lead single from his self-titled third studio album in April 1985.
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Chart PerformanceThe song topped the charts in the UK, becoming Hardcastle's only number one single in the UK Singles Chart.
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International RecognitionBesides its success in the UK, it also topped the charts in 13 other countries including Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.
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Subject MatterThe song's title "19" refers to the average age of the American combat soldier in the Vietnam War, which Hardcastle learned from a television documentary that aired in 1984.
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Music StyleThe track is known for its use of audio cut-ups and sampling; Hardcastle combined spoken word samples from the documentary with a catchy synth-pop instrumental.
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SamplingThe song is an early example of the Electronic Dance Music genre and broke new ground in its extensive use of samples.
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Remix Versions"19" was remixed several times throughout the years, including an update by Hardcastle himself in 2019 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Vietnam War's conclusion.
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AwardsThe song won an Ivor Novello award in 1985 for the Best-selling A-side.
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ControversyDespite its success, some radio stations in the US refused to play "19" due to its controversial Vietnam War subject matter, viewing it as a criticism of the US military. Hardcastle insists the song is not an anti-American statement but a statement against war.
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SignificanceThe song was groundbreaking for its time, popularizing the use of sampling in music, and remains Hardcastle's most well-known song to this day.
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Social ImpactBeyond its commercial success, "19" is considered an important piece of protest music and a potent reminder of the emotional toll wars can have on young soldiers.
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