Iran, known from ancient times as Persia, has a culture that dates back to early biblical times. It is one of the oldest major civilizations in the Middle East, and from time-to-time was an empire of major proportions. Persia was conquered by Islamic forces in the seventh century. The Shia sect is and has been Iran’s official religion since around 1500. It was ruled by the Shah or king.
During World War I, the country was occupied by British, Ottoman and Russian forces but was essentially neutral. In 1919, after the Russian revolution and its withdrawal from the conflict, Britain unsuccessfully attempted to establish a protectorate in Iran.
In 1921, a military coup established Reza Khan, an officer of the Persian Cossack Brigade, as the dominant political figure for the next 20 years. In 1925, after being prime minister, Reza Khan became the king of Iran (Shah) and established the Pahlavi dynasty. The Pahlavi dynasty secularized the country at the expense of the Muslim clerics and advanced western cultural ideas. Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi replaced his father as kings of Iran in 1941.
Post World War II, the United States foreign policy became decidedly pro-Iranian, adopting a policy favoring the Pahlavi dynasty. The United States’ interest in Iran grew because of Middle East oil, and the fact that Iran could serve as a buffer to Soviet expansion. The United States was little concerned that the Shah’s government was very unpopular with the Iranian people. Clerics preached anti-western, pro-Muslim sermons, resulting in increased resentment against the Shah. In 1953, the Shah was deposed, but he was reinstalled by a CIA led coup. Between 1974 and 1978, Iran received the largest amount of American arms with sales amounting to 15 billion dollars. (Carroll, p. 230.)
Although the reinstalled Shah was popular among wealthy, western Iranians, in the slums of Teheran and in rural, poverty stricken villages, there was little respect, admiration, or love for his regime. Iran under the Shah had been one of the nations most frequently accused of practicing torture. Estimates of the number of political prisoners in Iran ranged from 25,000 to 100,000. It was widely believed that most of the prisoners had been tortured by SAVAK, the Shah’s secret police. (Carroll pp. 230-233.)
In the early fall of 1978 through early 1979, revolutionary forces made up of various leftist and Islamic organizations and Iranian students who’d joined movements led by the Shia cleric known as the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, ousted the Shah. The revolution replaced the Pahlavi monarchy with an Islamic Republic that was decidedly anti-American. Significantly, Khomeini had called the U.S. “The Great Satan.” (Id.)
The Islamic regime in Iran demanded that the United States extradite the Shah, who’d come to the United States for medical treatment then sought refuge. U.S. government officials believed that the Shah would be treated as a political prisoner and tried for alleged abuses, so they refused the extradition request. This exacerbated the already strong anti-American feelings.
On Nov. 4, 1979, 500 Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Teheran, seized 66 members off the embassy staff and held them hostage for the return of the Shah. The Shah died while in Cairo, Egypt in July 1980, but the Iranian militants refused to release the embassy prisoners, who were held captive for 444 days, and endured all kinds of disrespectful, threatening actions, physical abuse, and deprivations.
During the period of captivity, both Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News and ABC’s Nightline broadcast began or ended their telecasts noting the number of days the hostages had been held. People around America placed yellow ribbons around their trees to show they were supporting the hostages, an act which was inspired by the song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree,” by Tony Orlando and Dawn. (https://youtu.be/FjqBhZj_37U)
On April 24, 1980, President Jimmy Carter ordered U.S. Special Forces to launch an unsuccessful and disastrous rescue attempt, during which eight American servicemen were killed, and three military helicopters were damaged. It wasn’t until January 20, 1981, on the day of President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, that the hostages were released. (Carroll, Id.) The Iranian hostage crisis is generally considered one of the major reasons Jimmy Carter lost the 1980 presidential election to Ronald Reagan.
“Bomb Iran,” recorded by Vince Vance & The Valiants in 1980 (to a tune written by the Regents and made popular by the Beach Boys, “Barbara Ann”). Here is the original, a well-known musical reaction to the hostage crisis: (https://youtu.be/zBGPw_LBiRA) Senator John McCain of Arizona once sang it during a public question-and-answer session: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zoPgv_nYg.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb Iran
Let’s take a stand
Bomb Iran
Our country’s got a feelin’
Really hit the ceilin’, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb IranWent to a mosque, gonna throw some rocks
Tell the Ayatollah, “Gonna put you in a box!”
Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb Iran
Our country’s got a feelin’
Really hit the ceilin’, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb IranOl’ Uncle Sam’s gettin’ pretty hot
Time to turn Iran into a parking lot
Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb Iran
Our country’s got a feelin’
Really hit the ceilin’, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb IranCall the volunteers; call the bombadiers;
Call the financiers; better get their *** in gear
Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb Iran
Our country’s got a feelin’
Really hit the ceilin’, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran
(Let’s nuke ’em! Whoo!)Call on our allies to cut off their supplies
Get our hands untied, and bring em’ back alive
Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb Iran
Our country’s got a feelin’
Really hit the ceilin’, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb IranBomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb Iran
Let’s take a stand
Bomb Iran
Our people you been stealin’
Now it’s time for “dealin”, bomb Iran
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran
An alternative version sung by troops in the Middle East during the Persian Gulf War (see below) used the following lyrics.
Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Go bomb Ira-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Because I ca-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Bomb Ira-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
With Shock and Awe, they will be reelin’.
More oil, we’ll be stealin’.
Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!Still pissed at France, ’cause they wouldn’t dance.
Gonna bomb Iran, re-election to enhance.
Let’s bomb Iran…
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
With Shock and Awe, they will be reelin’.
More oil, we’ll be stealin’.
Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Go bomb Ira-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Because I ca-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Bomb Ira-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
With Shock and Awe, they will be reelin’.
More oil, we’ll be stealin’.
Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!Me and my crew, still have much to do.
Think I’ll bomb Iran; distract from scandals anew.
Let’s bomb Iran…
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
With Shock and Awe, they will be reelin’.
More oil, we’ll be stealin’.
Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Go bomb Ira-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Because I ca-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
Bomb Ira-a-an!
(Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran…)
With Shock and Awe, they will be reelin’.
More oil, we’ll be stealin’.
Bomb, bomb, bomb! Bomb, bomb Iran!Bomb Iran, bomb Iran… bomb Iran, bomb Iran…
“Storm the Embassy,” was written by James Mc Donnell and Brian Robert Setzer, performed by Stray Cats (https://youtu.be/cmzfgkKtitE), gives a perspective on the Iranian revolution and the embassy crisis.
Fifteen men taken captive in a hostile, foreign land
Scorchin’ sun beaming down onto miles and miles of sand
A Mideast country being ruled by a man who thinks it’s fun
To hold our people in return for a Shah that’s on the runI think it’s funny
Freedom takes moneyIt’s a heartache and it’s hard luck
Well, that’s tough shit, man, it’s no fun
Storm the Iranian embassy
Before they start shooting down you and meScores of suits in control of the diplomatic mess
While the nations of the world look on and can’t care less
The Soviet Union won’t agree to an economic plan
And then they laugh and march their troops into AfghanistanOrders from Moscow
Invade Tehran nowIt’s a heartache and it’s hard luck
Well, that’s tough shit, man, it’s no fun
Storm the Iranian embassy
Before they start shooting at you and me, heyA nation worries and reads the papers
Hoping that no one has died
Hearing rumors that the hostages
Will soon be tried as spiesDemonstrations on the street
Saying that the end is near
The man from the New York Times on vacation
Wants to know what’s happened hereAggressive acts now
We want the best now
Fifteen moms crying
Is my son dying?It’s a heartache and it’s hard luck
Well, that’s tough shit, man, it’s no fun
Storm the Iranian embassy
Before they start shooting at you and me