Sing for a Cease-Fire

Whatever happens in Viet Nam, the pop-record business is ready for it. Once there were songs in praise of the Green Berets and Lieut. Calley. Last week appeared a number called The Battle Is Over ("The battle is over/ We've laid down our guns./ And now we must linger/ To see what we've done..."). Written by Jim Siegling and Frank Larabee, the ditty was recorded by John Wagner, previously best known for a country and western tune called Little Bit Late. "To me this song really captures the mood of the country," said Wagner. "It's a sad song, but it has a churchy feeling, a mood of hope, and I think one hearing of it will convince anybody we're not trying to make money off the peace agreement." He said he first released the recording in 1968. Only then, the first two lines read: "The battle is over/ The victory is won."

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