One Tin Soldier
Encyclopedia
"One Tin Soldier" is a 1960s era anti-war
song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. The Canadian pop group Original Caste
first recorded the song in 1969. The track went to No. 6 on the RPM Magazine charts and hit the No.1 position on Canada's most influential radio chain, CHUM-AM, in Canada and reached Number 34 on the American pop charts in early 1970. A 1972 remake by Skeeter Davis
had light success on the American country charts but did very well in Canada, peaking at number 4 on the Canadian country chart and #2 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. The song has occasionally been sung by children choirs on and around Remembrance Day
.
".
condemning prejudice and greed. The refrain contains lines about hating one's neighbor and cheating one's friend, indicating that despite trying to justify things like hatred and violence to oneself, it is wrong all the same.
The lyrics of the chorus mention Biblical concepts such as Heaven
, Judgment Day (Last Judgment
), and justification, leading many to believe that the song had Judaic and Christian
origins. Specifically, it contains a notable line about using religion ("Do it in the name of Heaven") as an excuse for prejudice or violence, indicating that doing so will not necessarily be viewed as righteous by God when facing the Last Judgment.
in 1972, earning her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal and major chart success in Canada. An animated version of the song, sung by singing duo Sonny & Cher
, was created by animator
John David Wilson
for The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
Comedienne Roseanne Barr
parodied the song on her 1990 album I Enjoy Being a Girl.
The song has been covered by other groups, including Gimp, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
, and Killdozer
. Actress Brittany Murphy
, in character as Luanne Platter, sang the song on the King of the Hill
soundtrack. This song was also covered by Voices for Peace, a band consisting of a group of voice actors including Greg Ayres
and Tiffany Grant
.
sang the song at a 1971 session with the film's orchestra as part of the soundtrack for the Warner Brothers movie Billy Jack
. Jinx asked that her band, Coven, be listed on the recording and film, not her name as a solo artist. This Warner release, titled as "One Tin Soldier: The Legend of Billy Jack," reached #26 on Billboard's Hot 100 in fall 1971, only to be pulled from the charts by the Billy Jack film producers as it was moving up due to legal squabbles over the rights to the recording.
The full Coven band then reluctantly re-recorded the song for their MGM album. Thus the MGM album containing a second version of this song displayed their whited-out faces on the cover, contrived again by the film's producer Tom Laughlin. The recording then hit the charts again in both 1973 and 1974 near the end of the Vietnam War
and the release of the film The Trial of Billy Jack
. The Coven recording was named Number One All Time Requested Song in 1971 and 1973 by the American Radio Broadcasters Association. A slightly different version recorded by Guy Chandler (titled "One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)") charted in summer 1973.
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. The Canadian pop group Original Caste
Original Caste
The Original Caste is a Canadian folk-pop group. Its style is characterized by rich tight vocals and a clean sound; the group was compared to The Carpenters, The Mamas & the Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, John Denver and Peter, Paul and Mary. The band formed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1966 under the...
first recorded the song in 1969. The track went to No. 6 on the RPM Magazine charts and hit the No.1 position on Canada's most influential radio chain, CHUM-AM, in Canada and reached Number 34 on the American pop charts in early 1970. A 1972 remake by Skeeter Davis
Skeeter Davis
Mary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo...
had light success on the American country charts but did very well in Canada, peaking at number 4 on the Canadian country chart and #2 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. The song has occasionally been sung by children choirs on and around Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
.
Lyrics synopsis
"One Tin Soldier" tells the abstract story of a hidden treasure and two neighboring peoples, the Mountain People and the Valley People. The Valley People are aware of a treasure on the mountain, buried under a stone; they send a message to the Mountain People demanding it. When told they can share the treasure, the Valley People instead decided to take it all by force. After killing all the Mountain People, the victors move the stone and find only a simple message: "Peace on EarthWorld peace
World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to...
".
Interpretations
The song is a parableParable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
condemning prejudice and greed. The refrain contains lines about hating one's neighbor and cheating one's friend, indicating that despite trying to justify things like hatred and violence to oneself, it is wrong all the same.
The lyrics of the chorus mention Biblical concepts such as Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, Judgment Day (Last Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
), and justification, leading many to believe that the song had Judaic and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
origins. Specifically, it contains a notable line about using religion ("Do it in the name of Heaven") as an excuse for prejudice or violence, indicating that doing so will not necessarily be viewed as righteous by God when facing the Last Judgment.
Other Recordings
"One Tin Soldier" was recorded by Skeeter DavisSkeeter Davis
Mary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo...
in 1972, earning her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal and major chart success in Canada. An animated version of the song, sung by singing duo Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop music duo, actors, singers and entertainers made up of husband-and-wife team Sonny and Cher Bono in the 1960s and 1970s. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector....
, was created by animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
John David Wilson
John David Wilson
John David Wilson is an English artist, animator and producer. He owns his own production studio, Fine Arts Films.-Early years:...
for The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
Comedienne Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Cherrie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, television producer and director. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy at clubs before gaining fame for her role in the sitcom Roseanne. The show was a hit and lasted nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997...
parodied the song on her 1990 album I Enjoy Being a Girl.
The song has been covered by other groups, including Gimp, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
, and Killdozer
Killdozer (band)
Killdozer was an American noise-rock band, formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1983, with members Bill Hobson, Dan Hobson and Michael Gerald. They took their name from the 1974 TV movie, directed by Jerry London, itself based on a Theodore Sturgeon short story. They released their first album,...
. Actress Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
, in character as Luanne Platter, sang the song on the King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
soundtrack. This song was also covered by Voices for Peace, a band consisting of a group of voice actors including Greg Ayres
Greg Ayres
Gregory Scott Ayres is an American voice actor who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films...
and Tiffany Grant
Tiffany Grant
Tiffany Lynn Grant is an American voice actress and script writer who is known for her English-dubbing work with the former ADV Films on such anime films and television series as Neon Genesis Evangelion, in which she voiced the character Asuka Langley Soryu...
.
The Billy Jack connection
Jinx Dawson of the band CovenCoven (band)
Coven is an American rock band formed in the late 1960s, composed of vocalist Jinx Dawson, bassist Oz Osborne , Chris Neilsen on guitar, Rick Durrett and later John Hobbs on keyboards, and drummer Steve Ross...
sang the song at a 1971 session with the film's orchestra as part of the soundtrack for the Warner Brothers movie Billy Jack
Billy Jack
Billy Jack is a 1971 action film. It is the second, and highest grossing, in a series of motion pictures centering on a character of the same name, played by Tom Laughlin who also directed and co-wrote the script. Filming began in Prescott, Arizona, in fall 1969, but the movie was not completed...
. Jinx asked that her band, Coven, be listed on the recording and film, not her name as a solo artist. This Warner release, titled as "One Tin Soldier: The Legend of Billy Jack," reached #26 on Billboard's Hot 100 in fall 1971, only to be pulled from the charts by the Billy Jack film producers as it was moving up due to legal squabbles over the rights to the recording.
The full Coven band then reluctantly re-recorded the song for their MGM album. Thus the MGM album containing a second version of this song displayed their whited-out faces on the cover, contrived again by the film's producer Tom Laughlin. The recording then hit the charts again in both 1973 and 1974 near the end of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and the release of the film The Trial of Billy Jack
The Trial of Billy Jack
The Trial of Billy Jack is a 1974 film starring Delores Taylor and Tom Laughlin. It is the sequel to the 1971 film Billy Jack and the third film overall in the series. Although commercially successful, it was panned by critics.-Plot:...
. The Coven recording was named Number One All Time Requested Song in 1971 and 1973 by the American Radio Broadcasters Association. A slightly different version recorded by Guy Chandler (titled "One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)") charted in summer 1973.