A Far Green Country Under A Swift Sunrise

In the course of writing on something else Jay Nordlinger offers these thoughts on rap music:

...an Army officer sent me a letter on rap and other types of music. I wanted to share the final paragraph:

Incidentally, rap is also great music for soldiers. Playing loud rap right before you go outside the wire on a mission kind of puts a little confidence in you, makes you not so terrified. Makes you forget you might be about to die. That’s a precious, precious gift. Fear can cloud your judgment and get you killed. I’m for anything that helps my soldiers remain calm and stay on target.

An alternative take: if that officer is sending Country/Western boys across the wire with the threat of more blaring rap upon their return, death may not seem so unappealing.

Comments

[MarkO]

We need a 70 year old lesbian to lead us out of captivity.

[peter]

From a musicology point of view, rap is too much rhythm, too little melody and dubious rhymes for my taste. But what do I know? I'm racist.
Actually, big surprise is that I actually can listen to and enjoy Robin Thicke, but that's because it is simply Marvin Gaye warmed over.

[JIB]

Rap: The new cadence.

Whatever happened to "Mama, Mama, Can't you See...."

[MarkO]

Rap is just expensive noise. Although, "Big John" and "The Reverend Mr. Black" might qualify as early rap.

Navy scores. Will DoT?

[Jane]

I bet you can find one in this story Mark:

http://universalfreepress.com/girl-named-stanley-barry-sad-story/

My New year's gift to TK.

[MarkO]

Wait. Navy is playing a state school from the middle of Tennessee? Jackson? Selmer?

[Captain Hate]

I think the guy quoted makes a good point. Rap is very aggressive music. I sometimes listen to a bit of it before playing basketball.

[Thomas Collins]

Whoops! Looks as if I diverge with many of my friends here on this one. The rhythm of rap, the tempering of melody and the dialogue make rap the closest popular art form we have today to the Plato's dialogues.

As far as whether rap simply describes a certain lifestyle or glorifies it, it does both.

Plato's Socrates would have subjected rap to intense criticism, but he would have listened closely. The Athenian Stranger, in Plato's Laws, might have had rap played at the wine parties to teach self-control (under the close supervision of adult teachers, of course).

[rich@gmu]

***The rhythm of rap, the tempering of melody and the dialogue make rap the closest popular art form we have today to the Plato's dialogues.***

can see you listening to it as you are trapped in your car in some infernal traffic jam...like Michael Bolton.

[MarkO]

Diverge? That's not just a parallel universe, it's perpendicular.

How does one say all those naughty words in Greek?

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

TomM-- I urge you to edit yourself and drop the alternative take. It can be misconstrued or mischaracterized by the vicious who want to demean your blog. And it's not at all clever or funny IMO.

[Danube on iPad]

I used to listen to loud Stones before going to trial.

This is for Beasts;

"ANDALUSIA, Ala. - A south Alabama woman is defending a decision she and her husband made to name their newborn son after their favorite sports team. Summer Steele of Andalusia told AL.com that she and her husband are big University of Alabama fans. Steele says the two thought the name Krimson Tyde would be a unique one for their son, who was born Dec. 17. Steele says she´s been surprised with negative reactions to the name, and that if people have nothing nice to say about it they shouldn´t say anything at all."

[Thomas Collins]

The rap dialogue is also a great, if perhaps unintended, analysis of the impact of the Johnson Administration's Great Society on the AA family.

[MarkO]

"and that if people have nothing nice to say about it they shouldn´t say anything at all."

Ah. She's everyone's mom.

[Thomas Collins]

I wonder whether some OSU fanatics have named a child "Buckeye".

[Comanche Voter]

Oh I don't know about rap and soldiers; some of the songs we sang as we ran in basic training were scatological at best.

But in 1969 it was amusing to sing:

"If I die on the Russian front
Bury me deep in a Russian (well you can complete the rhyme your own nasty self).

[MarkO]

If one wishes to induce suicidal thoughts, then Perry Como singing "The Lord's Prayer" works every time.

[Captain Hate]

Steele says she´s been surprised with negative reactions to the name

Surely Auburn fans.

[peter]

One thing about rap--it is not just the music of the ghetto. White middle class kids listen to it and prefer as their favorite music too.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

named "Buckeye" no doubt that one has happened.

Antarctic cruise- aren't those 'scientists' following the course of a 19th century wooden SAIL ship? If yes, those ancient mariners lived to tell the tale and didn't need Helo rescue.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Peter-- "White middle class kids listen to it and prefer as their favorite music too"

In Darien? send for the fainting couches!!

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Neither of my kids have rap as their music of choice.

[Ignatz]

arp is carp.

[Captain Hate]

One thing about rap--it is not just the music of the ghetto. White middle class kids listen to it and prefer as their favorite music too.

Blues, jazz and now rap; all started out as primarily "race music" and ended up with, in the first two cases overwhelmingly, white audiences.

[Account Deleted]

"analysis of the impact of the Johnson Administration's Great Society on the AA family"

TC,

Even if written in iambic pentameter within a sonnet structure, I would agree with TM's imagery of going through the wire with 1 Corinthians 15:55 foremost after a short dose.

[Ignatz]

--The rhythm of rap, the tempering of melody and the dialogue make rap the closest popular art form we have today to the Plato's dialogues. --

Yeah. And when they hang an abstract painting upside down and nobody knows it, that demonstrates what great art it is too.

Charles Mackay, your publisher just called and is willing to front a large advance for a sequel.

[Captain Hate]

But Hagel said these are GOOD GUYS: http://www.france24.com/en/20131228-egypt-muslim-brotherhood-islamist-students-torch-buildings-university-cairo/

[JIB]

Why don't we just make college football more like croquet - non contact.

The further wussification of America.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Here's where we are at the close of 2013: More than a million egyptians took to the streets to throw out the MB who were attempting to hijack their republic and turn it into a theocracy that would go to war with the Jewish State (hot) and the House of Saud (cold). The Turks have had it with the Islamic nanny state and want Islam back in the mosques, and they are using political corruption by the MB party to get their way. Meanwhile the Islamist POTUS is sending useful idiots to the ME to prop up the collapsing MB? There are no words.

[MarkO]

I recall that my dad, a classically trained professional musician, thought Elvis (whom I worshiped) and the Beatles (ditto) were of the Devil.

The music of the next generation is intended to be indecipherable to the older.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

JiB-- in 10 years you won't recognize the game (except at the NFL level), soft helmets, rugby style arm tackles, no QB sacks 'in the pocket' just block passes. The trial lawyers and politicians will see to all that.

[peter]

Yeah. And when they hang an abstract painting upside down and nobody knows it, that demonstrates what great art it is too.

Apparently the sun is upside down, and some of us did not notice

[lyle]

As a classically trained musician myself, I think rap is crap. I denounce myself as well.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

How did the Mrs Lyle Yale recital go a few months back?

[Sandy 30. Mondaze]

TomM-- I urge you to edit yourself and drop the alternative take. It can be misconstrued or mischaracterized by the vicious who want to demean your blog. And it's not at all clever or funny IMO.

Posted by: NK(

huh? are you being serious, or farcical?

[Old Lurker]

NK "More than a million egyptians took to the streets to throw out the MB who were attempting to hijack their republic and turn it into..."

Wouldn't you like to see a comparable percentage of Americans storm DC to prevent the same here?

[Beasts of England]

Krimson Tyde? Holy cow.

One of my good friends is named for the Bear - first name is Bryant. He's an Auburn grad. lol

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

OL-- Not yet.... but if Obummer goes full tyrant as the Constitution no longer works for his evil plans for this country... yes.

Sandy... I know my sarcasm detector has failed utterly, but yeah I was serious.

[Captain Hate]

We're a happy family: http://www.businessinsider.com/browns-players-angry-chudzinski-firing-2013-12

[Beasts of England]

Previous long-term girlfriend was a serious rap and R&B fan. And, as Jules Winnfield said in Pulp Fiction, that pretty much made me a rap and R&B fan.

In its defense, some of it is quite musical, and after about a year of it, I could discern the good from the bad. And while I'm not a classically trained musician, I am a great fan and patron of classical music - so it was a bit disconcerting at first. Although I haven't listened to any since we went our separate ways. Well, since she went the jail / rehab / jail / rehab / jail route...

[Extraneus]

(His clever and funny detectors aren't doing so well either.)

[Sandy 30. Mondaze]

if american football did away with helmets, and even quite a bit of the padding, the need for anti-spearing penalties, indeed spearing itself, would go away....

... my 2¢

more like rugby, in other words

[Old Lurker]

Anyone else think we could make a good cable movie of "The life, cars, and women of Beasts of England"?

Could be a new JOM profit center.

[matt]

certain hip hop and rap is pretty good for amping one up before doing something that requires a lot of adrenaline. That's what a lot of athletes use just before competition.

The other big one for soldiers and Marines going outside the wire is thrash metal, which I don't care for as much.

Good punk works, but my favorite for that is "Fight the Power" or Eminem's "Let's get down to Business". He sometimes has a certain turn of phrase.....

[Beasts of England]

You forgot wine and golf, OL!

[Old Lurker]

I figured the wine would be covered in "cars and women", but we could add golf.

[Sandy 30. Mondaze]

I'm with Lou Holtz regarding the ejection, he won't say it on broadcast, maybe the JOM style guide will allow me to say it here, the ejection call was asinine.

[lyle]

Went great, NK. The missus played a modest duet but the soloists were outstanding. New Haven is a dump.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

New Haven is one of the bluest of Blue Hells. It will only get worse.

[Ignatz]

--Apparently the sun is upside down, and some of us did not notice--

:)

[Danube on iPad]

My theory is that most people's "music stops" at a certain age. From then on they are unreceptive to new forms and styles (and, to an extent, new performers).

[Old Lurker]

Right you are, DoT.

To me there is no music after 1970.

All music was performed 1940 - 1969 as far as I am concerned.

[rich@gmu]

hummm, need some mood music...

[Beasts of England]

So you're saying that Disco Duck, written in 1976, is not music? Pfft.

[Old Lurker]

Rich, I knew I was getting old when radio stations playing Oldies gave up on the 50's and moved on to Disco.

[Captain Hate]

My theory is that most people's "music stops" at a certain age. From then on they are unreceptive to new forms and styles (and, to an extent, new performers).

This explains classic crock stations and, even worse, cover bands.

[Danube on iPad]

Hell, my older brother stopped with Crosby and Sinatra. He believes all rock is indiscriminate noise.

[Captain Hate]

Vast cultural chasms can exist between siblings which far exceed the age differences.

[Danube on iPad]

This Middle Tennessee is a classy outfit, ain't it?

[narciso]

Well Public Enemy, despite their service of Calypso Louis's backup band, still sort of cared about the lyrics, not the expletive augmented carp, you can't avoid, now.

[Man Tran on iPhone]

The Gray family in Cowlumbus named their daughter Scarlet Ann.

[Captain Hate]

Ouch.

This has to be a joke: @Schultz_Report
Sources: The top candidate to replace Jim Schwartz as #Lions head coach is indeed Matt Millen.

[boricuafudd]

Early rap music was urban poetry, with simple rhythms and for the most part a hopeful message. Today's rap with few exceptions is mindless,angry, misogynistic, hateful and aggressive. It is also over produced and commercialised but most of all hopeless.

[Abadman]

Anyone else have fond memories for the Sugar Hill Gang?

[Man Tran on iPhone]

Speaking of Beasts and cars, LUN is a story of a new Ferrari engine with 375 HP/litre. Whew!

[matt]

saw them back in the day, and Fab 5 Freddie, Grand Master Flash, and number of the others. Ran into Fab 5 a couple of years ago at a graffiti art exhibition in LA. Hasn't changed much.

[matt]

we have to fight the power, narc!

[narciso]

Yes, if you leave out the rant about Elvis, and some other details, Eminem, I really don't get,

[Jane]

Graham Nash was on MSNBC this morning telling tales out of school.

[Stephanie looking forward to the BCS games]

Love the sugar hill gang. Can't remember the line dance that went to rappers delight, though.

[Steve C.]

When we go into battle , we play music. VERY LOUD. It kind of......calms us down.

[Semper Why]

My understanding of pre-patrol routines is that the soldiers play whatever will get the juices flowing. Some areas of camp will play rap, some heavy metal, some punk. There might be a wayward soul who plays classical to get his adrenalin going, but if there is, he has enough sense to do it on an iPod.