To reiterate a point from the last post, nationalism appears here and there in South Vietnamese music, not in one place.  Strong arguments will necessarily come from a broad survey of songs, not a few.  For now, however, I will zoom in on just one song in the hope of illustrating certain aspects of nationalism in the Republican South.

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The band Vì Dân (For the People) in 1959, with Hoài Linh holding the accordion (source: khanhly.net)

What is Ba Lần Mẹ Khóc, whose title I have Englished as Thrice Mother Wept, opting for old-style “thrice” over “three times” in order to cut down on syllables? Like Tuổi Trẻ Chúng Tôi, it was recorded only once in South Vietnam. KEEP READING!