Universal Soldier
Buffy Sainte-Marie
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He's five feet two and he's six feet four He fights with missiles and with spears He's all of 31 and he's only 17 He's been a soldier for a thousand years He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an athiest, a Jain, a Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew and he knows he shouldn't kill and he knows he always will kill you for me my friend and me for you And he's fighting for Canada, he's fighting for France, he's fighting for the USA, and he's fighting for the Russians and he's fighting for Japan, and he thinks we'll put an end to war this way And he's fighting for Democracy and fighting for the Reds He says it's for the peace of all He's the one who must decide who's to live and who's to die and he never sees the writing on the walls But without him how would Hitler have condemned him at Dachau Without him Caesar would have stood alone He's the one who gives his body as a weapon to a war and without him all this killing can't go on He's the universal soldier and he really is to blame His orders come from far away no more They come from him, and you, and me and brothers can't you see this is not the way we put an end to war
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Written by: Buffy Sainte-Marie
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
16 facts about this song
Songwriter and Original Singer"Universal Soldier" was written and first recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie for her debut album "It's My Way!" in 1964.
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Donovan's CoverAfter the song's release by Buffy, it was popularized by Scottish singer Donovan who released his cover version in 1965.
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Themes and MessageThe song is a protest against war, conveying a message about individual responsibility for war and how one has the power to stop it. The song describes the "universal soldier" who fights wherever the country tells them.
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Misunderstanding about Song's OriginFor a long period, many people thought Donovan was the original writer of "Universal Soldier," but it was indeed written by Buffy Sainte-Marie.
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Glen Campbell's VersionIn 1965, country singer Glen Campbell also recorded a cover version of "Universal Soldier.”
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Billboard Chart PerformanceDonovan's version of the song reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Part of Anti-Vietnam War MovementThe song became part of the popular music response to the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War and became an anthem for the anti-Vietnam War movement.
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Buffy Sainte-Marie’s JourneyBuffy Sainte-Marie, a Cree songwriter, and educator, has been a leading figure in Native American music and activism for more than five decades.
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Recognition for Buffy Sainte-MarieSainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier" was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.
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Inclusion in Films"Universal Soldier" has been featured in numerous documentaries and films addressing war or peace themes.
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Donovan’s ImpactDonovan, though not the original writer, played a key role in broadening the audience for this peace-oriented song during the 1960s folk revival.
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Immortalized in Cover VersionsOver the years, "Universal Soldier" has been covered by numerous artists across various genres, further cementing its place in music history.
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Controversial BanSome radio stations reportedly banned the song during the Vietnam War due to its anti-war message.
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Cultural Icon of the 1960s"Universal Soldier" stands as an icon of the 1960s counterculture and protest movements.
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Additional LanguagesThe song was translated and performed in multiple languages, including French and German due to its global appeal.
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Change in LyricsDonovan changed some of the lyrics in his cover version, but the anti-war message of the song remained consistent.
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Citation
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"Universal Soldier Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/1646946/Buffy+Sainte-Marie/Universal+Soldier>.
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