Napalm Sticks to Kids

"Napalm Sticks to Kids" is a call and response running cadence occasionally used in the U.S. military.^[1] The earliest recorded example is from 1972. A version containing a third verse is found in final draft the movie An Officer and a Gentleman, but only two verses made it into the film. The line of "Dow Chemical don't give a shit" was changed to "chemical service don't...", most likely to avoid liability^{[citation needed]}.

This ironic song was influenced by the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo taken in June 1972, showing Vietnamese children fleeing from a South Vietnamese Air Force napalm attack.

Recorded versions

• Gravedigger album by Janus (German band, 1971)

References

1. ^ The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving In Iraq. Helen Benedict, Beacon Press, p. 37

• Lyrics on Digital Tradition Page
• Burke, Carol. 1989. "Marching to Vietnam," Journal of American Folklore 102(406): 424-441.