19 (song) 19 (song) "19" is a song by British musician Paul Hardcastle released as the first single from his self-titled third studio album "Paul Hardcastle" (1985). The song has a strong anti-war message, focusing on America's involvement in the Vietnam War and the effect it had on the soldiers who served. The track was notable for early use of sampled and processed speech, in particular a synthesized stutter effect used on the words 'nineteen' and 'destruction'. It also includes various non-speech, re-dubbed sampling, such as crowd noise and a military bugle call. "19" features sampled narration (voiced by Peter Thomas), out-of-context
William Hardcastle (broadcaster) William Hardcastle (broadcaster) William Hardcastle (26 March 1918 – 10 November 1975) was a British journalist, editor of the "Daily Mail" and first presenter of the lunchtime news programme "The World at One" on BBC Radio. Hardcastle was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and educated at the Newcastle Preparatory School and Durham School. His early intention to follow his father into the medical profession was thwarted when he contracted osteomyelitis as a fifteen-year-old, and in 1938 he joined the "Shields Gazette" as a reporter. Unfit for active service, Hardcastle remained a journalist throughout the Second World War, moving in turn