Fighting for strangers - Steeleye Span

[TurtleDude1959]

The greatest voice in English folk rock Maddy P

[bv141a]

Afganistan 1876/2011

[Horsemarine100]

A fascinating musical exercise, as well as a moving anti war song. The use of the well known Monk's Gate (Who would true valour see) tune for the chorus and a strong hint of Johnny I hardly knew you, to make an emtirely new song; at least new in my termns- nearly 40 years old now.

[1whokncallthethunder]

just awful.

[dav01kar]

reminds me of to be a pilgrim

[Pooknottin]

@dav01kar

Like many folk tunes it's based on the same music as others. Chances are that the melody of 'To be a Pilgrim' was based on one such tune.

[HotFezVideos]

The percussion reminds of "Ride across the river" by Dire Straits.

[milradian1]

MADDY, if you had sung this song to me, way back then, I would never have gone away.

However : iala acta. We were young.

[morleydotes666]

what of the merc's?

[05chilli]

Brilliant! I actually love all of rocket cottage, & have since i was a little girl.. Thanks for putting this together

[05chilli]

i loved rocket cottage, thanks so much for putting this together

[albatross7677]

WAR IS HELL

[klippspringer]

rocket cottage was a pretty weak record, but this tune is one of their very best.

[Nixie26]

I have loved this band since its inception. My family has had warriors in every war the United States fought in since the French and Indian War and half of my family are Iroquois ( The Black Snake People). Talk to me.

[SyvetheShairks]

Sometimes, you HAVE to fight.

Veterans MUST be treated better, and not just the wounded/maimed ones...

[AnonymousXIII]

I think the point in this song, is that they didn't have to fight. They went off to fight in a far off land, where things didn't necessarily impact them locally (in an age when globalization wasn't an issue).

You can, of course, argue that the same applied in the second world war, when people stood back and let NAZI Germany roll over Sudentenland unchecked, so of course you're right, sometimes fighting, even in far off lands, is necessary.

[lexo30]

I agree. The point of the song is that Johnny goes off to fight because he thinks it's going to be glamorous and exciting, but he ends up being maimed in a pointless war. This is an old English folksong (at least the verses are) and most British wars between c. 1750 and 1910 or so were colonial. They were wars of conquest, not defensive. World War Two was the first time in centuries that the British armed forces were actually defending Britain from imminent attack.

[hawkmoon03111951]

The Napoleonic wars were a big exception to that. There was a threat of invasion, destroyed by Nelson at Trafalger. Also it's main aim was to stop the domination of Europe by France.

[lexo30]

I gladly concede that Napoleon had his eye on invasion. However, the attempt to stop the domination of Europe by France was not entirely altruistic.

[hawkmoon03111951]

I agree there. We had our trade to think of and the last thing we wanted was a europe, united under one leader, and opposed to us.  Mind you, how many wars, by anyone, have been fought for altruistic reasons?

[lexo30]

I entirely agree. States tend not to do the altruism thing in foreign affairs, whatever they may claim to the contrary.

[virtualSMG]

People should fight to save the poor & weak, they should not serve to please the rich elites.

[lexo30]

I agree. But who gets to decide who the poor and weak are? And what does poor have to do with it? When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Kuwait was by far the richer country.

[pkt42]

Great slideshow on one of SteelEye Span's best. Thanks for posting Hawkmoon.

[paraguard60]

I went abroad fighting for strangers, young, stupid and full of testersterone. I came back in one piece, others didn't... This song put me in a trance, the song diplicts days that should be long gone, but nothing has changed, the story is still the same. Nice posting, thanks!

[repmar]

Always been a fan of span...now 64 appreciate what you you say....have the LP...rocket cottage..bit worn now.....anyway..i get the message and agree..ps maddy..wot a voice...

[albatross7677]

@paraguard60 THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.

[paraguard60]

@albatross7677 Thank you for your gratitude! It's nice to know it is appreciated from somebody, maybe it wasn't all in vain after all...........

[albatross7677]

@paraguard60 I guarantee you that it is not all in vain.