"Luang Prabang" is a song written by

Dave Van Ronk David Kenneth Ritz Van Ronk (June 30, 1936 – February 10, 2002) was an American folk singer. An important figure in the American folk music revival and New York City's Greenwich Village scene in the 1960s, he was nicknamed the "Mayor of Mac ...

, originally recorded by

Patrick Sky Patrick Sky (born Patrick Linch; October 2, 1940May 26, 2021) was an American musician, folk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was noted for his album ''Songs That Made America Famous'' (1973). He was of Irish and Native American anc ...

for his album ''

Songs That Made America Famous ''Songs That Made America Famous'' is the fifth album by Patrick Sky, released on Adelphi Records in 1973. Sky recorded the album in 1971 but had difficulty finding a label to release it, as the satirical lyrics are explicit. Track listing All ...

'' (finally released in 1973). Van Ronk recorded a version himself for '' Going Back To Brooklyn'' in 1985. It is named for the city

Luang Prabang Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...

in Laos. It is one of the few songs Van Ronk wrote himself. Patrick Sky discussed at a concert how Van Ronk was supposed to appear on the album but for some reason did not.WBAI Free Music Store New York concert, 4-21-73 At this concert in 1973, Sky and Van Ronk performed the song together. The song is based on the tune "

Byker Hill "Byker Hill" is a traditional English folk song about coal miners, Roud 3488 that has been performed by many contemporary acts. There are at least three different tunes to which the song is sung. Byker Hill is in the east end of Newcastle, as is ...

", but with lyrics about the

Vietnam war The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, and a refrain at the end of each verse of the song "now I'm a fuckin' hero".

References

{{authority control 1973 songs Anti-war songs Songs of the Vietnam War Satirical songs