I think he can relate to the poem in the lack of enthusiasm young people have in life:
-"I knew a simple soldier boy, who grinned trough life in empty joy..".
Nowadays, young people live trough their own, personal wars, dreams, and objectives, which have nothing to do with what society expects from them, but they're thrown anyway into this life, which has nothing they've expected from it, that's why a lot of young people fell in depression:
This rendition if so beautiful. It inspired me to right a poem based on this about modern society's view on war. I want to post it here but it's too long :(
The poem originally is meant to describe the hells of being a soldier and how unbearable it is to live with. But Pete is using it to describe the hell he finds as a musician.
SUICIDE IN THE TRENCHES By Siegfried Sassoon I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go.
@thomasrix I don't think you understand what the poem's about. I'm a veteran myself and it's very clear to me that the poem (and Doherty) recognizes that war is such a horrible thing that you almost don't WANT to survive it, because you don't want to live with the memory of it and the violent way the experience rapes your mind. As a veteran, I have to say that Doherty "gets" this more than you do. But then, his dad was a soldier.
@adaveen Perfectly stated, Sir. My uncles who were in combat never spoke of it. My father, who was mostly a POW guard, spoke about his experiences matter-of-factly.
@adaveen True say. It's an anti-war poem. Really it's kinda of attack on people who 'glorify' war and soldiers. When really, it's duty that they partake in. Saying that War is disgusting and rapes the soldiers of their innocence and humanity in someways.
Well, thats what it says to me, after all it's poetry. Means different things to different people.
@adaveen Hi - Your comment really says a lot... I don't know first hand other than what my stepdad has gone thru and seeing him live with that over the years, but I'm positive each one of your words carries a lot with them. I'm hoping that PD read that poem at the awards as a reminder that there are more important things happening - the soldiers who weren't lucky enough to be out having a good time at the music awards... not to forget their youth and laughter.
@adaveen And don't forget about the waking up to the screams of children! Every god damn night I hear that in my hell driven memories, and it damns my heart knowing I could have saved those little Saigon children from the Reebok factory. So, for you see I truly understand this poem and its genocide references, and don't pretend none of us heard that! God Speed
I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go.
i doubt they were ever asked to play at a 'pro-iraq war concert.' I mean, what, were the libertines going to open for Toby Keith and goddam Ted Nugent or what?
He does really like the poem, but he's also illustrating the fact that he does care for the "soldier boys" that fight for this country but seem to get forgotten. I suppose he's showing his respect and understandment of what actually goes on out there; it's not all rainbows and butterflies. And it's not always war that kills them; psychological trauma.
@AccountForWhat In Carls book he says he wasnt confident in school and had to recite the poem in front of his whole class and it helped him. then he told Pete about it.
It's absolute rubbish to simplify Sassoon's political views as being Nationalist and imperialist! If he was such an imperialist he wouldn't of written an anti-war poem like 'Suicide in the Trenches'. I also think you'll find he was a bit of a 'lefty' (particularly at the time of writing 'Suicide in the Trenches') he was friends with Bertrand Russell and ended up writing for the Daily Herald.
your a tad ignorant arent you? have you read sassoon's protest statement at all? And what has someone's political views got to do with whether or not they can read a poem?!
this man is a living legend, look past all the hype and the drugs and just listen to the music . . . or in this case, the poetry . . . even if he didn't write it haha!
I think he can relate to the poem in the lack of enthusiasm young people have in life:
-"I knew a simple soldier boy, who grinned trough life in empty joy..".
Nowadays, young people live trough their own, personal wars, dreams, and objectives, which have nothing to do with what society expects from them, but they're thrown anyway into this life, which has nothing they've expected from it, that's why a lot of young people fell in depression:
"The hell where youth and laughter go."
Villalistico180 7 months ago 2
petes dad is Sgt. Major in the army
daztaylor84 8 months ago
This rendition if so beautiful. It inspired me to right a poem based on this about modern society's view on war. I want to post it here but it's too long :(
cfcolly 11 months ago
did you knew that Carl taught him that poem just before they got on stage at the 2004 NME awards? Carl wrote it in his book...
TheGreenDrug 1 year ago
The poem originally is meant to describe the hells of being a soldier and how unbearable it is to live with. But Pete is using it to describe the hell he finds as a musician.
gampilan 1 year ago
gaabeefoox 1 year ago
Ironic that doherty wouldn't be fit for duty. How long would he last on a battlefield I wonder.
thomasrix 2 years ago
@thomasrix I don't think you understand what the poem's about. I'm a veteran myself and it's very clear to me that the poem (and Doherty) recognizes that war is such a horrible thing that you almost don't WANT to survive it, because you don't want to live with the memory of it and the violent way the experience rapes your mind. As a veteran, I have to say that Doherty "gets" this more than you do. But then, his dad was a soldier.
adaveen 2 years ago 61
@adaveen Perfectly stated, Sir. My uncles who were in combat never spoke of it. My father, who was mostly a POW guard, spoke about his experiences matter-of-factly.
mainteg2004 1 year ago
@adaveen thnx for the explanation and analyzation :) thank you for serving
FreewheelinLibertine 1 year ago
@adaveen True say. It's an anti-war poem. Really it's kinda of attack on people who 'glorify' war and soldiers. When really, it's duty that they partake in. Saying that War is disgusting and rapes the soldiers of their innocence and humanity in someways.
Well, thats what it says to me, after all it's poetry. Means different things to different people.
goldshireband 1 year ago
@adaveen Hi - Your comment really says a lot... I don't know first hand other than what my stepdad has gone thru and seeing him live with that over the years, but I'm positive each one of your words carries a lot with them. I'm hoping that PD read that poem at the awards as a reminder that there are more important things happening - the soldiers who weren't lucky enough to be out having a good time at the music awards... not to forget their youth and laughter.
bevyk777 1 year ago
@adaveen And don't forget about the waking up to the screams of children! Every god damn night I hear that in my hell driven memories, and it damns my heart knowing I could have saved those little Saigon children from the Reebok factory. So, for you see I truly understand this poem and its genocide references, and don't pretend none of us heard that! God Speed
BanlieuePunk 6 months ago
@thomasrix he's lasted thus far and will a long time still. x
dajcei 1 year ago
@thomasrix Cunt.
Westy91 11 months ago
ardiweezybaby 2 years ago 4
:D
nice!
Sonnenblumentochter 2 years ago
what a great artist is Peter Doherty
Arte7y7Rock 2 years ago 28
Why is he reciting this? And why did he recite it on the Nme awards? Is there any reason? Or does he just really like the poem?
AccountForWhat 2 years ago
I think he just really likes the poem. :)
adaveen 2 years ago 2
i heard he likes the poem alot
rathcooligan2006 2 years ago 2
he recited it at the NME awards because they were asked to play at a pro-iraq war concert thing and they refused. so that was his response i guess
aid345 2 years ago 2
i doubt they were ever asked to play at a 'pro-iraq war concert.' I mean, what, were the libertines going to open for Toby Keith and goddam Ted Nugent or what?
parkt6792 2 years ago 8
@parkt6792 LOL!
adaveen 10 months ago
oK, his father was a soldier.
Its a poem about war and death and life.
It is a great poem.
He is our greatest poet.
the end
TimBambiStalin 2 years ago 7
Please tell me "our greatest poet" refers to Sassoon and not Doherty?
KillAllHumans52 2 years ago 5
He does really like the poem, but he's also illustrating the fact that he does care for the "soldier boys" that fight for this country but seem to get forgotten. I suppose he's showing his respect and understandment of what actually goes on out there; it's not all rainbows and butterflies. And it's not always war that kills them; psychological trauma.
lynzy007 2 years ago 4
@AccountForWhat
carl barat learned him this poem and they used to recite it before they went on stage
MsChocolatChic 10 months ago
@AccountForWhat In Carls book he says he wasnt confident in school and had to recite the poem in front of his whole class and it helped him. then he told Pete about it.
idermot 9 months ago
anybody knows whats written on that wall behind pete?
MademoiselleLucija 3 years ago
Wall says "We are the generation that brought more shoes and we got what we deserved". Its lyrics / poetry by Johnny Boy.
GothicBarbieDotCom 3 years ago 3
i love this poem..and They
thank u
yemen9rain 3 years ago 4
it's a beautiful poem indeed, but i prefer his recital with carl at the nme awards 04. THAT was simply amazing!
elenath 3 years ago 3
I agree - that WAS amazing. :)
adaveen 3 years ago
it's a beautiful poem indeed, but i prefer his recital with carl at the nme awards 04! THAT was simply amazing!
elenath 3 years ago 7
i really like the poem and am a fan of petes but am not a fan of this vid. dnt like the way he recites it.
georgec111 3 years ago 5
Brilliant!
peopletalking 4 years ago 6
omg what a fruitnut beautiful poem ruint, its well known siegfried sassoon was a Nationalist and and Inperialist not a lefty like Docherty!
JimmyC1983 4 years ago
...but they are BOTH excellent spellers.
adaveen 4 years ago
lol
jaywoolsey 3 years ago
It's absolute rubbish to simplify Sassoon's political views as being Nationalist and imperialist! If he was such an imperialist he wouldn't of written an anti-war poem like 'Suicide in the Trenches'. I also think you'll find he was a bit of a 'lefty' (particularly at the time of writing 'Suicide in the Trenches') he was friends with Bertrand Russell and ended up writing for the Daily Herald.
mattttt89 3 years ago
your a tad ignorant arent you? have you read sassoon's protest statement at all? And what has someone's political views got to do with whether or not they can read a poem?!
petiterenard 3 years ago
It's Doherty....
And it hasn't been ruined. He recited it beautifully. :)
PhantomGurl07 3 years ago 3
great video
this man is a living legend, look past all the hype and the drugs and just listen to the music . . . or in this case, the poetry . . . even if he didn't write it haha!
KeiRowan 4 years ago 13
It's in bits and pieces all over YouTube, I just wanted this part to show it to someone.
adaveen 4 years ago
is there anyone whos got the entire show-segment with peter?
KinbakuBi 4 years ago