Amphibious Assault (1968) – Leonard Nimoy

Inextricably intertwined with his persona as Star Trek’s Mr. Spock, and gifted with one of the greatest voices in entertainment, Leonard Nimoy embraced his Vulcan alter-ego in such recordings as “Highly Illogical,” “The Difference Between Us,” and “Where It’s At.” “Amphibious Assault,” an anti-Vietnam War commentary, remains pertinent even today, given the general lack of serious protest against the war in Iraq by a privileged society that carries on with its own concerns. It could easily be a narrative by Spock—the First Officer—or Nimoy—the recording artist; either way, “Amphibious Assault” commandeers the imagination with its surrealistic whimsy.

A military scenario opens the vignette, Nimoy’s stoic elocution impressing the gravity of the situation. Regal French horns, a Vox-amped guitar, and a military snare stamp an insignia of ‘60s primetime drama. An amphibious craft prepares to attack enemy shores. Oddly enough, on that same craft, a soirée for high-ranking military officers is in full swing. Cue cocktail music, serving as a backdrop for mingling socialites. A hydraulic ramp lowers to release a lone soldier, momentarily diverting the attention of the partygoers, who watch the soldier run laboriously onto the beach, his heavy breathing filled with purpose and fear. A single gunshot rings out . . . silence. The military fanfare, lounge band, and conviviality resume, as the warcraft abandons the slain soldier on the beach–a sacrificial deposit in the name of democracy.

Delightfully bizarre.

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See also "Once I Smiled" (1968) - Leonard Nimoy