Safe In My Garden.
Ace Records.
Format: CD.
Release Date: 31st October 2025.
The Vietnam War began in 1955 and ended in 1975. During that period, over 160,000 young Americans were wounded and 58,193 lost their lives. They came from small towns and cities across America and laid down their lives fighting for their country. However, not all young Americans were willing to fight for their country.
Across America, from Alabama to Wyoming, each morning, many young Americans dreaded the arrival of the post. They knew that their draft notice was due to arrive, and didn't want to fight for their country.
Mother and fathers feared for their sons, sisters for their brothers and girlfriends for their boyfriends. They knew that it was a bloody war and one where each year the casualties were rising.
In 1966, the war in Vietnam was raging and 6,143 Americans lost their lives. This was more than the first ten years of the War. Sadly, things were about to get much worse.
The following year, 1967, 11,153 American servicemen lost their lives in Vietnam. Many of the young men who were due to be drafted saw the devastation on the news and were reluctant to join up and serve their country.
They fall into two categories draft evaders and draft resisters. Millions of men avoided the draft, while thousands resisted the conscription system and actively opposed the Vietnam War. Eventually, it was calculated that 570,000 young men were classified as draft offenders, and 210,00 were formally accused of draft violations. However, only 8,750 were convicted and a mere 3,250 were jailed. That's only part of the story.
There were also many young men who were eligible for the draft who publicly burned their draft cards. However, the Justice Department only brought charges against 50 men, and just 40 were convicted.
As many young American men headed to Vietnam to fight for their country, many musicians were anti-war. This included the late protest singer political activist Phil Ochs who penned 'The Draft Dodger Rag.' It was released in 1965.
The following year, 1001 Ways to Beat the Draft a supposed satirical Vietnam War protest pamphlet written by Robert Bashlow and Tuli Kupferberg cofounder of the rock band The Fugs.
Then in 1967, folksinger Arlo Guthrie wrote 'Alice's Restaurant' which became the title-track to his eponymous debut album. It's a satirical talking blues track where Guthrie protests about the Vietnam War.
By 1967, many musicians were writing antiwar protest songs. Some of these musicians had failed to report for military service. One of the most high profile was Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys. He was a conscientious objector. When he failed to report for military service, he was indicted for draft evasion. Wilson was only released from custody on a $15,000 bond.
However, many musicians fought and served in Vietnam. This included Archie Bell, Jimi Hendrix, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Tim Hardin, jazz violinist Billy Bang and Gary Lewis of The Playboys.
During the late-sixties to early-seventies, many singer-songwriters and bands wrote songs that expressed the feelings of despair, despondency and hopelessness that many young people felt. The war in Vietnam was beginning to look like one that America might not win. If they did, it might be a Pyrrhic victory. In 1968, there were 16,592 casualties and 11,616 in 1969.
For many, music was a way to protest and express how they were feeling about life in America between 1967 and 1972. However, it wasn't all despair, despondency and hopelessness. Some musicians were much more optimistic and wrote songs about rebirth, others that offered hope, were joyous, offered escapism or painted pictures about a simpler world. This includes some of the twenty-four tracks on 'Safe In My Garden,' which will be released by Ace Records on CD and LP on 31st October 2025.
Opening the compilation is 'Always You' by The Sundowners. It's a track from their 1969 album 'Captain Nemo.' It was released on Decca and was the only album the group from Glens Fall, New York released. With its orchestral introduction and lyrics full of social comment, it's thought-provoking song and one of the highlights of their debut album.
'She' by Tommy James and The Shondells was released as a single on Roulette in 1969. Despite the quality of this dreamscape it reached just 23 in the US Billboard 100 charts. It's a a beautiful ballad where lush strings, dramatic drums and soaring harmonies combine to create a song that's a reminder of another musical era.
In 1968, Brewer and Shipley's 1968 released their debut album 'Down In L.A.' on A&M. Backed by members of the Wrecking Crew, the duo recorded an album of folk rock with elements of country. The album was well received upon its release but failed to find the audience it deserved. Since then, it's become a cult classic. One of the highlights of the album is 'Dreamin' In The Shade (Down In L.A.)' where folk and country combine.
'Knock On Wood' was covered by Harpers Bizarre in 1969. The track featured on their album 'Harpers Bizarre 4.' It's slowed down and has a trippy sound despite the addition of lush strings. Lenny Waronker's production reinvents a song made famous by Eddie Floyd.
The Cyrkle's sophomore album 'Neon' was released on Columbia in 1967. It was arranged and produced by John Simon. The highlight of the album is 'The Visit (She Was Here).' It's beautiful, cinematic, dreamy, expressive and encourages reflection.
'I See It Now' was the title-track of Fargo's one and only album. It's a beautiful baroque track that paints pictures in the mind's eye. Sadly, when this hidden gem of an album was released on RCA Victor in 1969 it failed to find the audience it so richly deserved.
The Critters were a New Jersey-based band formed by high school friends Don Ciccone and Bob Podstawski. By 1968, the group was signed to the Project 3 Total Sound label, and released their sophomore album 'Touch'N Go With The Critters.' It featured 'A Moment Of Being With You' which features a needy, hopeful vocal that's delivered against a dreamy arrangement that floats along.
When The New Wave recorded their eponymous debut album, they were backed by the Wrecking Crew and Gene Page was responsible for the intricate baroque arrangements. This includes on 'Little Dreams' where strings and woodwind play an important part in the arrangement and compliments the dreamy, otherworldly vocal. Listen carefully and elements of soft psych pop combine with baroque pop to create what is, without doubt one of the album's highlights. Sadly, when the album was released on the Canterbury label in 1967 it failed commercially. It was the only album the duo released.
In 1968, singer-songwriter Nancy Priddy's debut album 'You've Come This Way Before,' on the Dot label. The album was produced by Phil Ramone. It featured the cinematic dreamscape 'Christina's World' which is one of the highlights of the album, and the indeed, the compilation.
The Eighth Day are another group that only released one album. This was 'On The Eighth Day…' It was released on Kapp Records in 1968, and featured 'How Can I Stop Loving You' a where soft rock and sunshine pop are combine on this song about loss.
'Love Is A Rainy Sunday' is a track from Love Generation's 1968 album 'Montage.' It was released on the Imperial label, and is an uplifting, hopeful and joyous song from the group's sophomore album.
'Prairie Grey' by New Colony Six closes 'Safe In My Garden.' It's a track from the group's 1969 album on Mercury, 'Attacking A Straw Man.' There's an element of drama to this thought-provoking song. It considers what it meant to be a man in America in 1969.
'Safe In My Garden' is a carefully curated compilation that features baroque pop, folk-rock, psychedelia, soft pop, soft rock and sunshine pop. There's tracks from familiar faces and what will be new names to many people. On the compilation there's harmonies aplenty, dreamscapes, songs about escaping, loss, rebirth and creating a simpler future.
While some of the songs offer hope for the future, the messages in others are dark. That's not surprising as the twenty-four tracks on 'Safe In My Garden' were recorded or released between 1967 and 1972 when the Vietnam War was raging, and thousands of young American men were losing their lives in a faraway foreign land. These young American men made the ultimate sacrifice.
That's why when listening to the music on 'Safe In My Garden' which veers between heartachingly beautiful, hopeful and joyous to melancholy and wistful, it's impossible not to think about of the sacrifice made by those brave young American me.
However, much of the music on 'Safe In My Garden' is innovative and shows how music was changing between 1967 and 1972. Sadly, many of the artists and bands on the compilation didn't enjoy the commercial success they deserved. Many of the albums these tracks are taken from are worth checking out, and this could be the start of an exciting musical voyage of discovery.
'Safe In My Garden' is which was compiled by Bob Stanley, and is the companion to 'State Of The Union (The American Dream In Crisis 1967 – 1973' is well worth buying. The only thing that lets the compilation down is the album cover. It's not the best, and for me, is a case of deja vu. Apart from that, 'Safe In My Garden' is one of the best compilations released over the past couple of months.
Safe In My Garden.
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