Happy Birthday Leonid Brezhnev by Joan Baez

Album: not released on an album (1985)

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Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was First Secretary of the Soviet Union from October 1964 until his death on November 10, 1982. He presided over what might rightly be described as difficult times for his country and for the entire Eastern Bloc, including the disastrous invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 - which inspired the song "Guns For The Afghan Rebels" - and saw the rise of Solidarno?? - Solidarity - in one of its satellites.

Two days after Brezhndev's 75^th birthday, martial law was declared in Poland, which appears to have been the principal inspiration for this somewhat lyrically awkward capella.
In her youth, Baez was regarded as a subversive by her native USA, and served time in 1967 for protesting against the Vietnam War. Later, she ran into trouble with "What Have They Done To The Rain" in Japan; "Happy Birthday Leonid Brezhnev" will hardly have endeared her to the Evil Empire anymore than did her previous protest songs to the Land of the Rising Sun and the Great Satan. >>
Suggestion credit:
Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

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