# Bagpipes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2000, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667 "2000-10-20T15:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/1 "2000-10-20T15:58:28Z")
What is the signifigance of playing bagpipes at a funeral? ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Don](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e95f7d/32.png) [@Engineer\_Don](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Don)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/2 "2000-10-20T16:13:09Z")
There is no sound more mournful than Amazing Grace on the pipes, so it’s just appropriate for funerals. Police and military picked it up from the Brits, who picked it up from the Scotts. The Irish are in there somewhere (origin of the bagpipes relates to the Micks IIRC, and don’t slam me cause I’m a good part-Mick myself). I think it probably has to do with the proliferation of Irish-americans in the law enforcement community settuing traditions, but I am probably wrong. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/3 "2000-10-20T16:18:47Z")
I’m sure they play bagpipes at funerals in order to sadistically torture people who are already suffering. There can be no other explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/4 "2000-10-20T16:55:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by panache45 \* > \*\*I’m sure they play bagpipes at funerals in order to sadistically torture people who are already suffering. There can be no other explanation. \*\* Kind of off the subject, but I like the sound of well played bagpipes. I like them far away from me, because up close is just too much. There sound does seem to be very appropriate for a funeral, though. ---
**Author:** ![Perderabo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Perderabo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perderabo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/5 "2000-10-20T17:27:32Z")
Cecil covered this: [What does “kumbayah” mean? Plus: Why do they play bagpipes at police funerals?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/980911.html) ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/6 "2000-10-20T17:50:19Z")
> [@](#): > > The Irish are in there somewhere (origin of the bagpipes relates to the Micks IIRC, and don’t slam me cause I’m a good part-Mick myself). Actually, bagpipes are a very ancient instrument which originated in the Middle East: [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/2328/bagpipes.html](http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/2328/bagpipes.html) Irish Uillean pipes sound amazing, though. I’d rather listen to them than the traditional highland pipes. And I’m a good part-Scot. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/7 "2000-10-20T18:09:43Z")
Q: Why do bagpipers walk while they’re playing? A: They’re trying to get away from the noise. ---
**Author:** ![Selmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Selmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selmer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagpipes/37667/8 "2000-10-20T18:34:40Z")
Q: Why do bagpipers walk while they’re playing? I thought it was because a moving target is harder to hit.