THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS
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Testo e musica: Barry SadlerMenu
Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live, off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage deep, from the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request
Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live, off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage deep, from the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request
Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret
Note
La canzone è dedicata ai "Berretti verdi", forze speciali dell'esercito statunitense.Fu composta dal sergente dei marines Barry Sadler, in onore del berretto verde James Gabriel Jr., il primo americano nativo delle Hawaii morto in Vietnam, ucciso da un Viet Cong mentre era in missione d'addestramento l'8 aprile 1962. Una strofa delle versione iniziale citava direttamente il nome di Gabriel, ma venne poi eliminata dalla versione definitiva poi registrata.
Si tratta di una delle poche canzoni degli anni sessanta a ritrarre i militari sotto una luce positiva, e per questo venne all'epoca considerata un brano altamente reazionario e conservatore dalle schiere di giovani hippie. Nonostante questo, il brano divenne un grosso successo di classifica, conquistando la vetta della classifica statunitense di Billboard per cinque settimane consecutive nel 1966. La canzone raggiunse la prima posizione anche nella classifica Billboard Easy Listening e la numero 2 in quella Billboard Country.
La canzone fu inserita nella colonna sonora del film del 1968 di John Wayne Berretti verdi.