You may not, but I've got an issue with this song, in which our imaginary Wild West Hero is this big friend of the Indians. Nice vision, right? Rock on, ELO, but really? You wanna be friends with the torturing, savage, cruel, demonic Commanche? Hey, even the Apache feared those twisted killers.
So, ELO and confederates, you want to be friends with that kind of people, and I use that word lightly, who would peel the skin off your wife's head and slow roast your husband over a fire? You want to be friends with that?
No. When the War of Northern Aggression settled we were able to turn our Cav to the untamed Comanche, and beat them, utterly. Did they deserve it? They were evil, so yes. Was there a loss involved? Yes, there was. The finest light cavalry in all the world were reduced to welfare status, to say nothing of what's followed. Strip malls, anyone?
Regardless, Wild West Heroes fought in the Indian wars, along with malfeasants, and we honor the former.
LSP
9 comments:
The "Nobel Savage" of Dunces with Wolves did not exist. Quannah Parker was smart enough to civilize himself and quit while he was ahead, but many did not. On the other hand, Fetterman and Custer were just as blood thirsty as any Indian but at least Custer got what he deserved after his so-called heroics at the so-called "battle" of the Washita. William Calley would have fit right in with those heroes.
"You ever hunt buffalo?"
"Apache."
"I knew it. When?"
"Before I know better".
At the 1:24:30 mark--
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8k05w5
I have to agree with you, Wild. Mind you, desperate action.
Quannah, it seems, did well. I wouldn't want to imagine him as an adversary.
Would we play it differently today? Hard to tell because times are different, but I'd wager with greater brutality and call it "inclusive."
Whoa, RHT, a classic!
Makes me want to get right back on a horse and ride out.
The song hearkens back to the great age of the Western. And it is one of ELO's best. And a personal favorite.
But...
Ifn one remembers the first episode of "Little House on the Prairie," the Ingalls family spend time homesteading on nice land, build a cabin, get in touch with some nice Injuns and then get kicked off said land by the US Cavalry because it was Injun lands.
The Federal Government treated well with the Natives, for the most part, with some noticeable exceptions (Andy Jackson and the Cherokee... well, there was bad blood on both sides...) For the most part the FedGov followed the treaties. And only broke them when the Natives screwed everyone and everything because they thought they were better.
Oh, sure, Wounded Knee blah blah blah... Yes, horrible, but what about the 300 years of murdering massacres on colonists? What about all the slavery of women of childbearing age and young girl children, while the men and boys were massacred or de-balled. Scalping, assassinations, murder and rape, and then they get all huffy when the whites got peeved? Eh, who cares.
Now, if you really want to address the injustice of the poor Natives on their Reservations, first require a complete DNA testing of all. And find out who is actually a 'native' and who isn't. And when someone says they have family history that says they're part native, you can then go and check on the DNA registry.
Funny that all the Tribes refuse to track DNA of their people.
Then address the complete injustice of the Tribal system itself. Typically the worst-off Natives are the ones that have extremely corrupt tribal leaders. Piss off the chief or one of his/her/its cronies and suddenly you aren't one of the tribe anymore. Or the tribal leaders keep share of the tribal money.
All those rapes and murders on the Reservations? Yes, some, few, very few are done by non-Natives, but most are done by the very Natives themselves. And the victims don't dare even to report it to the Native Police (especially since they tend to be the worst offenders) as anything that makes the wonderful Tribal Life seem bad AND not caused by Whites is greatly discouraged.
Still a good song. From a great group. Whose selection into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame took waaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy tooooooooooooooo looonnnngggggggg.
Are we going to be forced into such actions with what appear to be feral gangs of urban residents?
I've always liked it, Beans, and remember when it came out! Man, that time sped by fast.
My dear Anon, perhaps you'd like to visit the DLC Mess for an interview? Of course if the UK's easier we can always meet at the dam Club.
Regardless, you might invest in a sabre and SxS, if you haven't already.
My rat-bastard of a brother got to see ELO in concert. Rat-bastard! And he is the one that introduced me to them.
Though I went and got all their albums. The first 2.5 albums were, ah, er, not so good. But that .5 of the third album was a preview of excellent things to come.
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