| Jethro Tull – Bungle In The Jungle Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I agree with the Vietnam War interpretation, but with a slightly different interpretation of a few lines. The "monkeys in dark tents" are US soldiers, going out and getting drunk at their "Friday" R&R and being mocked by the VC for how easily they are ambushed. The "Lions and Tigers" are in turn the VC, lurking in the jungle shadows, making swift lightning attacks and then retreating back, but rarely carrying out extended formal campaigns, spending their nights out in the wilds of Vietnam. The "Bungle in the Jungle" chorus is the VC saying "Hey, we have nothing to loose. We aren't going anywhere. Bring it on." The analogy of tigers and snakes has to do with Ho Chi Minh: during the WWII he initially appealed to FDR for American assistance in his revolution, potentially making a valuable US ally (tiger). But then Truman took over, followed by a succession of other anti-Communist presidents which backed the wrong people and eventually invaded and made and "enemy" out of Vietnam. NOTE: I'm not saying N. Vietnam was in the right, but the US certainly made some poor choices in the leaders they chose to support (Diem). The next verse is about how the VC are constantly popping out of nowhere, suddenly at the backs of US soldiers. The thunder and lighting are an interpretation of gunfire and explosions. The VC are also sarcastically thanking the US for aid (dinner), since the US had a tendency to send assistance to the Vietnamese peasants with the hope that they would gain allies, but mostly what happened is they used the US aid to secretly supply the VC via the Ho Chi Minh Trail and other secret supply routes. While the US may be winning in numbers, the sneaky VC through their animal-like strategies are ultimately winning the war. The last verse could either refer to Ho Chi Minh or the American leaders. Both of them while not at war were really very nice people with children, family and friends (kittens), but during the war, they could be as vicious and sneaky as anything. The "King" is probably Minh, lying in wait for more explosions to light up his land with the US more than willing to react. There. That's my $0.02. PS. I know there were more countries involved than the US, but as an American, they are the soldiers I happened to think of first. I am not trying to belittle the contributions of other nations. |
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