This is the most under rated elton john song. It's one of his best hands down.
Taupin's narrator longs to head south and fight in one of the few major engagements unknowingly fought after the peace treaty ending its war had been signed. You know: "The Battle of New Orlearns." So we have the British-to-the-bone Reginald Kenneth Dwight inhabiting the voice of an American who wants to fight in a war already over because he hears "the Company needs men." The Americans lost 13 and had 58 wounded; the British lost approximately 700 and had 2000 wounded. What would the Americans have done had Taupin not sent intrepid Elton to the rescue? Would fourteen have fallen? Perish the thought!
Then I realized the talk of "southern land" and its partner-in-rhyme "where any Yankee stands" probably place this song in the Civil instead of 1812 War. But that only makes the song stranger. Now Sir Elton is an orphaned Southern Boy who wants to parrot the slave's death sentence by travelling down the Mississippi on a riverboat to a city blockaded the Union Navy? And the reason this anti-Wilberforce wants to join the fight? To ensure that chidlren will grow (Can't have them not now can we?) and women will sew (What else are they good for besides producing stunted children?) and that there'll be laughter when the bells of freedom ring . . . in the infamous New Orleans slave markets wherein wealthy white landowners will again be free to trade in human chattel. While laughing. To murglarize one of my favorite passages in all of literature as thoroughly as they did American history
That's not really it at all. You're transposing. Kudos for correct use of "Wilberforce", though.
That's not really it at all. You're transposing. Kudos for correct use of "Wilberforce", though.
You've made some pretty significant assumptions in your analysis of this song which I wont bother going into. And when I say "assumptions", I do not mean to indicate that your assumptions are wrong. Just simply that they are over-complicating what is otherwise a very simple song.
You've made some pretty significant assumptions in your analysis of this song which I wont bother going into. And when I say "assumptions", I do not mean to indicate that your assumptions are wrong. Just simply that they are over-complicating what is otherwise a very simple song.
"own my fathers gun" is a metaphor, indicating that the narrator has inherited his fathers war through his fathers passing. The sense of duty or responsibility to father and that which was important to...
"own my fathers gun" is a metaphor, indicating that the narrator has inherited his fathers war through his fathers passing. The sense of duty or responsibility to father and that which was important to the father is why he fights.
Children growing and women sewing have nothing to do with his reason for fighting. "Children growing and women sewing" are two of the rewards the narrator feels he will earn through victory, which again is a metaphor for a return to normalcy and a quieter life.
Nowhere in this song is any reference made to "parroting the slave's death sentance". While your knowledge of old American culture and history are definitely reflected in your interpretation, they combine to muddle the intended interpretation of this song.
You're certainly correct about this song referencing the Civil War, the War of 1812 was a stretch and didn't really make any sense. But I agree, that this is one of E. John's most under-rated songs.
This is the most under rated elton john song. It's one of his best hands down.
Taupin's narrator longs to head south and fight in one of the few major engagements unknowingly fought after the peace treaty ending its war had been signed. You know: "The Battle of New Orlearns." So we have the British-to-the-bone Reginald Kenneth Dwight inhabiting the voice of an American who wants to fight in a war already over because he hears "the Company needs men." The Americans lost 13 and had 58 wounded; the British lost approximately 700 and had 2000 wounded. What would the Americans have done had Taupin not sent intrepid Elton to the rescue? Would fourteen have fallen? Perish the thought!
Then I realized the talk of "southern land" and its partner-in-rhyme "where any Yankee stands" probably place this song in the Civil instead of 1812 War. But that only makes the song stranger. Now Sir Elton is an orphaned Southern Boy who wants to parrot the slave's death sentence by travelling down the Mississippi on a riverboat to a city blockaded the Union Navy? And the reason this anti-Wilberforce wants to join the fight? To ensure that chidlren will grow (Can't have them not now can we?) and women will sew (What else are they good for besides producing stunted children?) and that there'll be laughter when the bells of freedom ring . . . in the infamous New Orleans slave markets wherein wealthy white landowners will again be free to trade in human chattel. While laughing. To murglarize one of my favorite passages in all of literature as thoroughly as they did American history
That's not really it at all. You're transposing. Kudos for correct use of "Wilberforce", though.
That's not really it at all. You're transposing. Kudos for correct use of "Wilberforce", though.
You've made some pretty significant assumptions in your analysis of this song which I wont bother going into. And when I say "assumptions", I do not mean to indicate that your assumptions are wrong. Just simply that they are over-complicating what is otherwise a very simple song.
You've made some pretty significant assumptions in your analysis of this song which I wont bother going into. And when I say "assumptions", I do not mean to indicate that your assumptions are wrong. Just simply that they are over-complicating what is otherwise a very simple song.
"own my fathers gun" is a metaphor, indicating that the narrator has inherited his fathers war through his fathers passing. The sense of duty or responsibility to father and that which was important to...
"own my fathers gun" is a metaphor, indicating that the narrator has inherited his fathers war through his fathers passing. The sense of duty or responsibility to father and that which was important to the father is why he fights.
Children growing and women sewing have nothing to do with his reason for fighting. "Children growing and women sewing" are two of the rewards the narrator feels he will earn through victory, which again is a metaphor for a return to normalcy and a quieter life.
Nowhere in this song is any reference made to "parroting the slave's death sentance". While your knowledge of old American culture and history are definitely reflected in your interpretation, they combine to muddle the intended interpretation of this song.
You're certainly correct about this song referencing the Civil War, the War of 1812 was a stretch and didn't really make any sense. But I agree, that this is one of E. John's most under-rated songs.