Hi,
maybe this belongs in Cafe Society, but since it’s a factual q, I’ll post it here:
What’s the name of the song Axl Rose whistles at the beginning of “Civil war”? It seems that it’s an American traditional, but I am not sure … a google search only brought the cites for the sound clips that are included in the song (from the movie Cool Hand Luke).
Anyone have the straight dope on this?
Thanks,
Myriam
clueless in Germany
I always figured it was just a little signature of his before beginning to sing. Similar with Breakdown or Patience, ya know?
Yes this belongs in CS.
Could be, I just had this feeling that I have heard that melody before … it reminds me of an older tune I associate with the Southern States or the American civil war.
If it does, I apologize and hereby ask a MOD to move the thread.
Myriam
It sounds like a slow, sad version of “When Johnny COmes Marching Home.”
In the 19th century, that was a popular up-tempo song about how glorious it would be when young Johnny came home from the war as a hero, how everyone in town would be cheering him when he returned.
Since G n R’s “Civil War” is an anti-war song, I assume Axl was whistling that tune ironically, as if to say, “There’s nothing glorious about fighting in a war, and even if you make it home, you won’t be an admired hero- you’ll be a sad shell of your former self.”
IMHO, Astorian has it – with the added comment that well before Axl Rose it was used in the slow tempo with just that ironic point. Compare “Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye” (in both the modern and ancient Irish versions).
But it furnishes me an opportunity to finally make the post that I’ve been tempted easily a thousand times over the past four years to make in heated GD and Pit threads:
That looks promising! Thanks, I knew I could count on the Dopers
Hey Poly, good to see you in GQ. I didn`t have you pegged as a G-N-R fan. Niether good nor bad, I would have figured you the last person to answer that question.