# Tropic of Sir Gallahad **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2000, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550 "2000-03-29T13:19:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/81 "2018-12-26T02:25:44Z")
My favorite Bob Seger song is Motorhead’s cover of Thin Lizzy’s version of Bob Seger’s Rosalie. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3zbOOI01g_Q/hqdefault.jpg "Motorhead - Rosalie - (Bob Seger) - Live 2007") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zbOOI01g_Q) ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/82 "2018-12-26T02:38:59Z")
Random aside, spawned by the mention of Bob Seger… I don’t know that the world particularly needs a biopic of Bob Seger, but if one is ever made, Seger must be played by Jonathan Frakes. And I’ll agree with those who like America’s music and vocals but think their lyrics are spotty at best. I do think “The ocean is a desert with its life underground” us pretty good, though, for the reason **Der Trihs** stated already. ---
**Author:** ![Spaceart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@Spaceart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spaceart)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/83 "2020-02-26T13:03:41Z")
I think that I have finally figured out what this phrase is about: it is designed to trigger a Schizophrenic reaction for listeners who are already prone to such things. And remember: in those days many people used LSD as a routine part of their daily lives. So now it all makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/84 "2020-02-26T14:47:12Z")
Sir Galahad certainly gets the zombie award. This thread will not play dead. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/85 "2020-02-26T15:36:13Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Sir Galahad certainly gets the zombie award. This thread will not play dead. “If you can’t blind ‘em with brilliance, baffle ‘em with bullshit.” This thread proves the effectiveness of that strategy. As Umberto Eco pointed out in\* Foucault’s Pendulum\*, write down some catchy-but-meaningless nonsense, and the world will spend centuries trying to figure out what it means. Worked for Nostradamus and John of Patmos, works for America. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/86 "2020-02-26T15:44:03Z")
I’m quickly learning the value of these observations. “Just reply” with random words is another strategy to appear to be present while “clouding men’s minds so they cannot see \” a la The Shadow! Folks just like to assume you’re trying to make sense! ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/87 "2020-02-27T13:25:05Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > … Pfui. They sucked then; they suck now, and forever shall they suck. The only thing good about them is that they finally had the decency to go away! **Now, if that twit Steve Miller would only do the same…** Am I the only one who didn’t notice the thread was a zombie and thought that “twit Steve Miller” referred to neo-Nazi White House aide Stephen Miller? ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/88 "2020-02-27T15:16:54Z")
I like imagery in song lyrics but sometimes I wonder if they are bullshitting us like Dewey is in Tin Man and HWNN. John Lennon too, and he admitted it with “I Am The Walrus”. Bob Dylan goes too far as well. “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” is a great song for awhile, then you get a stream of ridiculous like - The country doctor rambles Bankers’ nieces seek perfection Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring But then it ends with this striking image - The wind howls like a hammer The night blows rainy My love she’s like some raven At my window with a broken wing ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/89 "2020-02-28T02:09:49Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I don’t know if they meant it this way, but the ocean is a vast empty area with all its life beneath the surface; “underground”. And there are large parts of some oceans that receive very little rainfall. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550/90 "2020-02-28T15:06:53Z")
Quick, can you name **Sir Galahad’s** horse? It was, ta-da, _ **A Horse With No Name** _! The search for the Holy Grail of the meaning behind America’s lyrics has been cracked! (unless it is me who is cracked, tho I was more of a _Mad_ than _Cracked_ guy, magazine-wise) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tropic-of-sir-gallahad/9550.md?page=4)