I'll admit that I have never been a Big and Rich fan but when I heard them sing the 8th of November on the ACM's it got my attention.
I was channel surfing the other night and just happened to catch the documentary they did on the making of the 8th of Nov. video. The took the man named Niles, (I think) the video is about him. They took him back over to Viet Nam and he buried his boots there where all the casulities of that day had taken place. David was watching it with me. He had been over there too but several years later. This happened 11-8-65.
Our anniversary is the 8th of Nov. but now I will also remember what happened on that day in 1965. I have a new respect so to speak for Big and Rich. They were talking about why they made the song in the first place so that Viet Nam veterans got some credit for all they went through. It was really a very intersting documentary, if anyone happens to get the chance to watch it you should. It's on GAC. I don't know it it will be repeated or not but it probably will. Like any patriotic song it gives you cold chills.
Full Version: Big & Rich's 8th of Nov.
Thanks for bringing this topic up, Deb...I recorded that show yesterday, but I have not watched it yet...actually, it was Maegan who said, 'please Momma, I know you don't care that much for Big & Rich, but please record this show..it might be good'...so I did...and now, even tho I haven't watched it yet, I'm glad that I did...
My uncle served in both Korea and Vietnam as a Marine, and he has told me some really 'hair raising' stories about his experiences in both of those wars..I too believe that our military has been completely overlooked for the duty that they carried out in both of these wars (especially Vietnam) and I personally think that we all owe them a debt of gratitude for everything they suffered, bled and many even died for over there. To me, it's no different than any of the other wars, or the current war that is going on now..whether we are politically 'for' or 'against' what is happening, we should always honor those that are protecting us and those that have given their lives to protect our freedoms and our way of life here...I had a great uncle that died at Normandy during WWII...so, it is never far from my mind that our independence is not and never has been free...it takes only to look at the tombstones in many cemetaries to understand what an awesome price has been paid and continues to be paid for our freedom...
My uncle served in both Korea and Vietnam as a Marine, and he has told me some really 'hair raising' stories about his experiences in both of those wars..I too believe that our military has been completely overlooked for the duty that they carried out in both of these wars (especially Vietnam) and I personally think that we all owe them a debt of gratitude for everything they suffered, bled and many even died for over there. To me, it's no different than any of the other wars, or the current war that is going on now..whether we are politically 'for' or 'against' what is happening, we should always honor those that are protecting us and those that have given their lives to protect our freedoms and our way of life here...I had a great uncle that died at Normandy during WWII...so, it is never far from my mind that our independence is not and never has been free...it takes only to look at the tombstones in many cemetaries to understand what an awesome price has been paid and continues to be paid for our freedom...
Big Kenny and John Rich have my respect, that's for sure! Within 2 minutes of the documentary, all I could say was, "My GOD, those guys have a HUGE heart!" I lost many friends in that awful war, and my uncle was a gunner on a helicopter - of which he can not to this day speak of!!!
What Kenny and John did to bring the focus on the Vietnam veterans, and especially for those lost and still living from 11/8/65 is in my mind one of the greatest things anyone has ever done! The "ride a cowboy" song that I openly spoke of my disgust --- just no longer matters!!! I can overlook that song anytime now in hopes to hear "The 8th of November!" Big and Rich gained not only my respect --- but my love also! GOD bless those boys!!!!!!!!!!! They didn't write that song for a "hit" ---- they wrote that song for Niles Harris and The Herd!!!!! I wish them tremendous success monetarily for their Big & Rich heart!!!!
Becky --- this is history --- Maegan should see the documentary. Maybe not at her tender age now --- but perhaps a little later. Oh my goodness --- I can't say enough about it. Well, I can say that I haven't slept a good night's rest since I first saw the documentary. It bothered me so bad!!!!! I keep thinking about Derek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
----- I keep watching the documentary!!! It grabbed my heart and soul 100%. Niles Harris is quite a MAN!!!!!
What Kenny and John did to bring the focus on the Vietnam veterans, and especially for those lost and still living from 11/8/65 is in my mind one of the greatest things anyone has ever done! The "ride a cowboy" song that I openly spoke of my disgust --- just no longer matters!!! I can overlook that song anytime now in hopes to hear "The 8th of November!" Big and Rich gained not only my respect --- but my love also! GOD bless those boys!!!!!!!!!!! They didn't write that song for a "hit" ---- they wrote that song for Niles Harris and The Herd!!!!! I wish them tremendous success monetarily for their Big & Rich heart!!!!
Becky --- this is history --- Maegan should see the documentary. Maybe not at her tender age now --- but perhaps a little later. Oh my goodness --- I can't say enough about it. Well, I can say that I haven't slept a good night's rest since I first saw the documentary. It bothered me so bad!!!!! I keep thinking about Derek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
----- I keep watching the documentary!!! It grabbed my heart and soul 100%. Niles Harris is quite a MAN!!!!!
The only thing I never liked was Save a Horse and Coming To Your City . Anything else I have heard them do I have liked and I really like what they did on the ACM. Very good.
Thanks for the extra info, Cathy...we always 'preview' anything we let Maegan watch...she knows how much I don't care for 'Save a Horse' also..and everytime she hears the song 'Coming To Your City', she'll sing it the way they do...when she says 'C-I-T-A-Y'...except she says, 'You're not coming to our C-I-T-A-Y'...!!! I have always said that John Rich is a wonderful songwriter, but I wasn't sure how much songwriting that Big Kenny does...not saying that Big Kenny isn't a good songwriter, I just have heard more of the songs that John has written is all...I do admire them for writing this song, the subject matter needs to be brought to the attention of the American people..we don't need to ever forget what has happened in the past...or the people that paid the ultimate price for the luxuries we all enjoy today...I want Maegan to love history...she saw me get emotional last night when I was watching Tom Selleck read 'The Gettysburg Address' in Ford's Theater...she didn't really understand it all, but I tried to explain it to her...Lincoln has always been one of my favorite Presidents...I have read several books about him...and to think that back then the Presidents wrote their own speeches...The Gettysburg Address is a beautiful speech and to think that Lincoln thought so little of it after he wrote it and gave it...
Becky:
With Maegan being so young yet, it might be a good idea for you to watch the documentary and then talk with her about it and explain to her what all happened on that horrible day. She'll eventually want to watch it, as she should, but I know how it made me feel and I would worry about tender young hearts seeing something like that. It troubled me and could trouble her. It troubled me because, like I said, I lost several very, very close friends in that war, and I worry so much about my nephew now in Baghdad. Could be that Maegan could watch it and see it as "history" and think no more of it. I guess I'm just too close to the situation right now! Who knows.
With Maegan being so young yet, it might be a good idea for you to watch the documentary and then talk with her about it and explain to her what all happened on that horrible day. She'll eventually want to watch it, as she should, but I know how it made me feel and I would worry about tender young hearts seeing something like that. It troubled me and could trouble her. It troubled me because, like I said, I lost several very, very close friends in that war, and I worry so much about my nephew now in Baghdad. Could be that Maegan could watch it and see it as "history" and think no more of it. I guess I'm just too close to the situation right now! Who knows.
I'm pretty sure my stepfather was in Vietnam...he would have been in his late teens/early 20s, but most of his life he spent in the Marines, until he retired back in the early 1980s shortly after he and my mom got married. He retired as a Master Seargent and still has 'ties' to the service. He taught JROTC for over 10 years, and now he volunteers and works with the Young Marines. I didn't get to see the documentary, and won't because I don't have CMT or GAC, but wasn't it Vietnam where they used Agent Orange? My mom thinks that's what caused his cancer, although they have no proof, and probably won't ever have the proof.
Valerie ,I thought that our government had finally admitted the agent orange thing and included the guys, exposed to it,for coverage of treatment .I do know that so many of Congress has fought for years over this issue.
QUOTE(Anna Leighton @ Jul 6 2006, 07:27 AM) 
Valerie ,I thought that our government had finally admitted the agent orange thing and included the guys, exposed to it,for coverage of treatment .I do know that so many of Congress has fought for years over this issue.
Anna,
I think they did admit finally that Agent Orange caused cancer and even listed the specific cancers that it caused, but the kind my stepfather had wasn't on the list. What he had is very rare, called Amaloydosis...it's a cancer that's apparently in the blood and can/will infect every organ in the body if not caught and treated...and there aren't very many treatments for that type of cancer, what they did was give my stepfather a bone marrow transplant using his own blood. They somehow 'cleaned' the bone marrow and then transfused it back into him. And I think his diagnosis/treatment was before the government admitted about Agent Orange. Plus his treatment was in Houston at Methodist Hospital, not at a VA Hospital (thank goodness...I really doubt any of the drs would have had a *clue* as to what he had/how to treat him...none of his regular drs here had a clue).
QUOTE(countrycrazy @ Jul 6 2006, 02:35 PM)
Anna,
I think they did admit finally that Agent Orange caused cancer and even listed the specific cancers that it caused, but the kind my stepfather had wasn't on the list. What he had is very rare, called Amaloydosis...it's a cancer that's apparently in the blood and can/will infect every organ in the body if not caught and treated...and there aren't very many treatments for that type of cancer, what they did was give my stepfather a bone marrow transplant using his own blood. They somehow 'cleaned' the bone marrow and then transfused it back into him. And I think his diagnosis/treatment was before the government admitted about Agent Orange. Plus his treatment was in Houston at Methodist Hospital, not at a VA Hospital (thank goodness...I really doubt any of the drs would have had a *clue* as to what he had/how to treat him...none of his regular drs here had a clue).
We all really do owe a debt to all the men and women who have fought so many wars - my dad in WWI, my brother in WW!! and all of my cousins and uncles were also in the service during WWII then my hubby during the Korean War and our son in AF during Grenada invasion - remember that? I like Big and Rich for 8th of Nov also and I really hadn't liked their save a horse song but didn't John write Faith Hill's "Mississippi Girl"? That struck a chord with me since my parents and brother were from Mississippi.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.