PDA

View Full Version : Sink the bismarck - by Johnny Horton


timetraveller
02-14-2010, 02:10 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KecIdlEAKhU


Found this on YT ... it's the first time I've heard of it tbh ... When was this song actually recorded or was it recorded after the War ?

The production seem's very American like , It lacks that britishness if you know what I mean Ie Noel Coward
ferguson
02-14-2010, 03:29 AM
It was popular in the early 60s.

I believe a simple search would reveal a lot.

It was an unusual song at the time.
As was "The Battle of New Orleans.
They both got lots of play.
Johnny Horton was a popular Country Wetern Baladeer.
Laconian
02-14-2010, 10:27 AM
I love Johnny Horton's music, he ran the gamut from honky-tonk/rockablilly (Honky Tonk Man (copied by Dwight Yoakam), to some great ballads, including the aforementioned, Sink the Bismark, The Ballad of New Orleans, and North to Alaska.
happyslapper
02-14-2010, 10:51 AM
If you ever get a chance to watch the film - do.

It's b&w, but an absolutely classic warfilm which really captures the spirit of the time.
SilverBoy
02-14-2010, 10:56 AM
Met the last surviving South African member of the Dorsetshire the other day. Was a great, very humbling experiance for me. A great man.

He also happened to have the Captain's After Action Report? I believe it was the original copy.
NASAAN101
02-14-2010, 12:21 PM
Guys
i still cant sign along with that song.. HA HA.. the other two i like are: The Battle of New Orleans, and North to Alaska.
Nikki
SoftLion
02-14-2010, 12:25 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R24QLILwdHE&feature=related

Grew up listening to his music.
lotsoffreetime
02-14-2010, 12:36 PM
Great song! You guys should put this in MTV..instead of those crappy music they play nowadays. Just add some booty shakin' and we're in business :grin:
commanding
02-16-2010, 08:55 AM
I love Johnny Horton's music, he ran the gamut from honky-tonk/rockablilly (Honky Tonk Man (copied by Dwight Yoakam), to some great ballads, including the aforementioned, Sink the Bismark, The Ballad of New Orleans, and North to Alaska.
Good memory. I had forgotten that Horton did the North to Alaska song. Ballad of New Orleans was a favorite of mine....."so we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round, filled his head with cannonball and powdered his behind, and when we touched the powder off the gater lost his mind!"
good stuff!
Lt-Col A. Tack
02-17-2010, 05:14 PM
Question I have about the lyrics:

"They had to sink the Bismark, the terror of the sea
Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees"

Would it make more sense if it went like this:

"They had to sink the Bismark, the terror of the sea
Stop those shells as big as steers and those guns as big as trees"



A shell being closer to the size and weight of a steer, and gun somewhat resembling a tree? :)
Chairborne Ranger
02-17-2010, 05:20 PM
Good stuff!
I remember when they used to play this and the Battle of New Orleans on the country station when I was a kid. That's back when country was country, none of this crossover bidness. p-)
Laconian
02-18-2010, 08:37 AM
Question I have about the lyrics:

"They had to sink the Bismark, the terror of the sea
Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees"

Would it make more sense if it went like this:

"They had to sink the Bismark, the terror of the sea
Stop those shells as big as steers and those guns as big as trees"



A shell being closer to the size and weight of a steer, and gun somewhat resembling a tree? :)

Diameter (caliber) of the gun as big as a steer.

"You're so analytical, sometimes you just have to let the art flow over you."
baboon6
02-18-2010, 09:05 AM
Met the last surviving South African member of the Dorsetshire the other day. Was a great, very humbling experiance for me. A great man.

He also happened to have the Captain's After Action Report? I believe it was the original copy.

Was that Tony Large?
Lt-Col A. Tack
02-18-2010, 09:24 AM
Diameter (caliber) of the gun as big as a steer.Ah, I see now.


"You're so analytical, sometimes you just have to let the art flow over you."Believe me I know :)
It just works better in my head when I sing it my way :)
skipperbob
02-20-2010, 12:54 AM
My God - the memories. He wrote "The Battle of New Orleans" first and it was a very catchy tune, all the boys in my grade school were singing it in 1959. It actually won a grammy! And then when the movie "Sink the Bismark" was coming out in 1960 someone had the idea to have him do a song for that. It was popular for a short time but never came close to his first song. I'm thinking for many adults my age all they can remember about the Bismark was from listening to Horton's song! Sadly he died shortly after on November 6, 1960.