"Analog Man" Survivor

[Freypower]

The next song I'm going to vote for is Band Played On.

I'm confused about why Joe chose to have a sitar in this song. It doesn't seem to fit the song, IMO. Once again there is a stark difference between the verses and the chorus. I actually like the part starting at " Too many icebergs", and my favorite musical part of the song is "the band played on" bit, but musically I don't like the verses at all.

And I'm not sure what he's trying to say in the song. Can anybody help me with that?

It's a bit like Nero playing his violin while Rome burned. The band played on while the Titanic sank, ignoring the disaster all around it. He's saying that seems to be what everybody does these days. He actually uses the line 'we're up sh*t creek without any paddle' & nobody seems to care.

[timfan]

I vote for Band Played On

[Prettymaid]

It's a bit like Nero playing his violin while Rome burned. The band played on while the Titanic sank, ignoring the disaster all around it. He's saying that seems to be what everybody does these days. He actually uses the line 'we're up sh*t creek without any paddle' & nobody seems to care.

Thanks FP. I guess I'm confused because I always thought that the fact that the band played during the sinking of the Titanic was thought to be a good thing - that they were good and noble for doing it - not that they were ignoring the disaster.

[Topkat]

This is another easy round for me. Of the songs left I must vote for
BAND PLAYED ON

I can't stand the beginning of this song. It makes me nuts
After this round, it's going to get tough for me because I really love the other songs

[Ive always been a dreamer]

PM - I agree with you about the stark contrast between the verses and chorus in Band Played On. I think the verses are kind of mundane and unmelodic compared to the chorus. However, I also agree with FP's interp of the song, so I'm thinking the monotone verses are intentional to complement the theme of everyone going about their daily routines ignoring all the important stuff going on around them. When I think of it that way, it makes me appreciate why the song is written that way. I think it is a really good song with a relevant message, while remaining pretty 'typical' Joe at the same time.

[Freypower]

Thanks FP. I guess I'm confused because I always thought that the fact that the band played during the sinking of the Titanic was thought to be a good thing - that they were good and noble for doing it - not that they were ignoring the disaster.

You can look at it that way too - it's the British 'stiff upper lip' thing. But in terms of the song's lyrics to me he's gone with the Long Road Out Of Eden or even Hotel California scenario of drowning (literally) in decadence & selfishness.

[WalshFan88]

Band Played On

[TimothyBFan]

OK, this is getting very hard and the rest of these songs are all my favorites on this album but I'm going to show you my hand here---- I have Band Played On as #1 on my list. Go figure!! I love everything about it-the words are fantastic, love how the sitar is so different and I actually think it's really cool how it speeds up and then slows down.

Took another listen this morning to all of them and I guess I've got it figured out.

My vote is for Analog Man.

Look out my window see a world that's on fire Some people think that we should just let it burn With all this ignorance the flames just get higher... Higher
All of these people with their misinformation Must be the truth if it's a blog on the screen... We got to buy it it's the latest creation
Too many icebergs out on the ocean Too many chances to sink like a stone The great titanic about to go under And the band played on
Guess everybody needs a new pair of glasses A lot of shit out there nobody can see Yeah everybody's got their heads up their asses
We're all out here dead in the water [ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/band-play...joe-walsh.html ] We got a leak in the boat We're all up shit creak without a paddle Just trying to stay afloat
[Guitar solo]
We're all out here dead in the water We got a leak in the boat We're up shit creak without any paddle Just trying to stay afloat
Too many icebergs out on the ocean Too many chances to sink like a stone The great titanic about to go under And the band played on
And the band played... And the band played on

Read more: JOE WALSH - BAND PLAYED ON LYRICS

[TimothyBFan]

Don't know why those lyrics printed out that way. I wanted to post them and it didn't look like it was going to but it obviously did.

[sodascouts]

Thanks FP. I guess I'm confused because I always thought that the fact that the band played during the sinking of the Titanic was thought to be a good thing - that they were good and noble for doing it - not that they were ignoring the disaster.

Well, in the literal sinking of the Titantic, the band continued to play to give comfort to the dying. They sacrificed their lives to do so, staying to play instead of running to the boats, knowing full well that meant they wouldn't survive. All of it was because they knew the power of music to soothe hearts, and they wanted to give that gift even at the cost of their own lives.

The last song they played was "Nearer My God to Thee."

In England a plaque is dedicated to these eight men. It reads:

THIS TABLET IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
W.HARTLEY OF DEWSBURY -BANDMASTER-
W.T.BRAILEY OF LONDON
R.BRICOUX OF LILLE,FRANCE
J.F.CLARKE OF LIVERPOOL
J.L.HUME OF DUMFRIES
G. KRINS OF LIEGE, BELGIUM
P.C.TAYLOR OF LONDON
J.W.WOODWARD OF HEADINGTON

MEMBERS OF THE BAND ON BOARD
THE “TITANIC”; THEY BRAVELY
CONTINUED PLAYING TO SOOTHE THE
ANGUISH OF THEIR FELLOW PASSENGERS
UNTIL THE SHIP SANK IN THE DEEP
APRIL 14TH 1912.
COURAGE AND COMPASSION JOINED
MAKE THE HERO AND THE MAN COMPLETE

- http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/life...ic-217010.html

HELL YEAH it was a good thing in that case. If Joe is twisting it to be something bad for this song, it upsets me and I'll vote it off. To compare these brave men to Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned - my God! I'm sorry to use such strong language, but I feel strongly about this. They didn't ignore the screams of the dying. They made the ultimate sacrifice to aid them - and the death they died as a result was not a pretty one. What a horrible shame that anyone would characterize these men as oblivious fools, deserving nothing but scorn and contempt - men to be sneered at. Is Joe really holding up men who gave their lives to help others as objects of ridicule and exemplars of ignorance? It so, that breaks my heart.

Going to listen to the song again in the hope this is not really what Joe meant.