Last night the husband and I went to “Black Hawk Down.” It was a very well done movie. That realisticaly portrayed the horrors of war.
The music in the movie combines old rock, Arabian and African sounds. Also towards the end a bit of whistle.
This is a hard movie to watch without shedding a tear and I was holding up fairly well till the end credits when “The Minstrel Boy” started to play. I couldn’t help it. I was reduced to sobs. I didn’t realize till I got home that my reaction was in part due to Sept. 11th., as this was one of the tunes the pipers played at the many funerals.
The song is performed by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. I did a bit of checking and Joe Strummer is the former front man of the Clash.
This was a very good movie. Not so much entertaining as educational.
The song is performed by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. I did a bit of checking and Joe Strummer is the former front man of the Clash.
Joe strummer was, indeed, a member of the British punk band, The Clash and was heavily influenced by Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols.
You may also be interested to learn that the word ‘Mescaleros’ is derived from Mescaline - which is an Hallucinogenic drug, and the active ingredient in the flowering heads of the peyote cactus. Its hallucinogenic effects begin in two to three hours and may last over 12 hours; the hallucinations vary greatly among individuals and from one time to the next, but are usually visual rather than auditory. Side effects include nausea and vomiting.
Reminds me of when I listened to the Clash in the 80’s
Steve Power
[ This Message was edited by: StevePower on 2002-02-04 18:58 ]
I thought the movie was very educational. I was there in Mogadishu to pick up our guys on a Military Charter. I was always puzzled by their attitude about being there and about the somali people. This movie made me understand why many of them felt the way they did when they left.
Great tune at the end, I didn’t realize that was he was from the Clash, I really liked those guys as well as DK, Black Flag and all those other Irish bands…at least thats the way I like to remember it
[ This Message was edited by: CraigMc on 2002-02-04 19:14 ]
I wasn’t a big fan of the Clash in the 80’s either, Steve. I never would have guess the singer from the movie was in the Clash. The song was done a bit on the rough side. More like you’d hear in a pub with just a bunch of guys.
For another perspective on “Black Hawk Down” you might want to check out this website: http://www.onlinejournal.com/Commentary/Chin010302/chin010302.html As usual, when it comes to Hollywood in general and the place where Hollywood and politics join forces, the truth usually takes a back seat.
OTOH The Minstrel Boy is one of my all time favorites and probably the 3rd song I learned on the whistle. It was the theme song in “The Man Who Would Be King” and was played fast and slow and it made me cry.
Try the Bagpipes at Best site: http://www.bagpipesatbest.com and click on M for a nice midi file of “The Minstrel Boy”. There must be over 1000 highland pipe tunes at this site! I like the pipe version of the Minstrel boy because the modal tuning gives it such a mournful sound. Very nice on the whistle when you can emulate the pipe ornaments!
Neat bag pipe site, Tom. I like the way this song can sound so different. Play it slow and it’s a mournful dirge. Play it lively and it’s a marching call to arms. Just depends on the mood you’re in.
And Jim, I agree that Hollywood never tells the truth, the whole truth and nothin’ but the truth but I don’t think you could get the whole messed up story in 2 1/2 hours.
