Bunbury musician Steve Spouse helps pay tribute to wartime footy

By James Taylor
April 23 2014 - 10:55am

WHEN Private John Heaney was faced with a choice between receiving military detention or organising a football competition to boost troop morale during the Vietnam war – the choice was clear.

Almost 50 years later Bunbury musician Steve Spouse and long-time friend David Morgan have recorded an ode to the wartime footy competition, which ran from 1966 to 1971.

Titled Forever We Will Run, the song will be released in Vietnam just four days before annual Anzac Friendship Match, held at the original Vung Tau grounds.

The Vietnam Swans and the Malaysian Tigers will face off to commemorate the sacrifice of both Australian and Vietnamese soldiers during the war.

Mr Spouse said he was inspired by Mr Morgan’s enthusiasm.

“Dave was living in Vietnam and was talking to a guy that was the president of the Vietnam Swans,” Mr Spouse said. 

“He was interested in the history of it all and decided to write a song about it.”

He said the song would likely be popular for the Vietnam audience, with his previous music taking off.

“Original songs written and sung in English are really popular.”

“The most popular one is Saigon Heart, it gets played all the time on Vietnamese radio.”

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