Ken Burns ‘The Vietnam War’ highlights the music of the times

PBS premieres its ten-part 18 hour documentary series, “The Vietman War,” a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. The series tells the story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. 

Visceral and immersive, the series explores the human dimensions of the war through personal testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides—Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as combatants and civilians from North and South Vietnam.

Music was an important part of the 60s and of The Vietman War

“The Vietnam War” features more than 120 iconic popular songs that define the era, including tracks from The Beatles; Rolling Stones; Bob Dylan; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; The Jimi Hendrix Experience; Simon & Garfunkel; Big Brother & The Holding Company (feat Janis Joplin); B.B. King; Creedence Clearwater Revival; Barry McGuire; Buffalo Springfield; The Byrds; Otis Redding; Santana; Marvin Gaye; Ray Charles; Nina Simone; The Temptations; Booker T. and the M.G.s; Pete Seeger and more.

The series also features new, original music written and recorded by Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, as well as new music arranged and performed by Grammy Award-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble. Additional music in the film was composed by David Cieri and Doug Wamble, both of whom are longtime collaborators with Florentine Films.

A sample of some of the music is listed below. 

The series premieres Sunday, September 17 at 8:00 p.m. on PBS.

Album Soundtrack

Original Music