Such a great band, one of my fav artists, they have so much great stuff! This is a great album track from their 2003 album _Phantom Power_ , I always find myself losing track of time while this song plays, it's a unique vibe.
I know this is from 2003, but in my opinion their 1990s output has aged so much better than many of their contemporaries. Amazing band who made innovative yet beautiful music.
Perhaps you need to be of a certain age to better understand this song but it’s clearly referring to the Falklands war, something I remember quite well. At the time, 1982, British society was in a right state after around three years of Margaret Thatcher’s government and then came the Argentine invasion of the Falklands. With diplomatic efforts floundering a “Task Force” was hastily assembled to retake the islands. Amongst much flag waving and cheering, young men boarded ships and sailed south. After a week or so the news reports became more somber as they got closer to the islands (some still hoping a “Show of Force” would cause the Argentinians to back down) and apparently the mood on board had changed, many realising that fighting was now inevitable. I think that’s where this song begins, the slow, pensive journey there. “Have you ever seen the sun, rising high to the sound of a gun? Blue and white and yellow sun” is the flag of Argentina 🇦🇷 being raised on the islands, “we went down to the piccolo snare” referring to being sent south to the sound of drums. “Skyhawks gather for a feast” and “Tumbledown” refer (as you say) to the Skyhawk aircraft that attacked the ships once they had arrived and a battle that took place at Mount Tumbledown. “Safe in the exclusion zone” refers to the Total Exclusion Zone, a 200 mile area surrounding the Falklands that the British government had declared forbidden to any foreign ship or aircraft. Other parts are open to conjecture, mainly due to their placement within the song. “As brother fights brother” may refer to fighting on the battlefield, but as it comes after “Now we can go home again/scatter us all around/far from the bugle sound” I think it’s referring to what they faced when they returned home “Wrapped up in tarnished flags, banners and body bags”; a population being pitted against each other in an emerging every-man-for-himself society. While the government demanded “Surrender!” from the Argentinians, they also demanded it from their own working class. One thing that caught my attention upon first hearing this song is the intermittent buzz that’s heard as the song plays out. When war correspondents made reports on board ship, the resulting video was often accompanied by a “static” noise similar to it, caused by the ship’s radar. I think they may be referencing that. Phantom Power is possibly my favourite SFA album, and I strongly recommend you listen to Bleed Forever on it, a song about the accident at Chernobyl. A beautiful song with very clever lyrics about a hideous occurrence.
@@tetsuoshima7385 You’re welcome. I think it’s a brilliant piece of work, and as I said I think Bleed Forever is just as well observed and cleverly constructed.
I've heard of the band name, but I've never heard anything from them before. This was a good introduction, an interesting song, I loved that last instrumental part, really nice!
Great live band too, seen them numerous times and always good value.
Such a great band, one of my fav artists, they have so much great stuff! This is a great album track from their 2003 album _Phantom Power_ , I always find myself losing track of time while this song plays, it's a unique vibe.
I know this is from 2003, but in my opinion their 1990s output has aged so much better than many of their contemporaries.
Amazing band who made innovative yet beautiful music.
thanks for making this. SFA one of my favorite bands for many reasons
Perhaps you need to be of a certain age to better understand this song but it’s clearly referring to the Falklands war, something I remember quite well. At the time, 1982, British society was in a right state after around three years of Margaret Thatcher’s government and then came the Argentine invasion of the Falklands. With diplomatic efforts floundering a “Task Force” was hastily assembled to retake the islands. Amongst much flag waving and cheering, young men boarded ships and sailed south. After a week or so the news reports became more somber as they got closer to the islands (some still hoping a “Show of Force” would cause the Argentinians to back down) and apparently the mood on board had changed, many realising that fighting was now inevitable. I think that’s where this song begins, the slow, pensive journey there. “Have you ever seen the sun, rising high to the sound of a gun? Blue and white and yellow sun” is the flag of Argentina 🇦🇷 being raised on the islands, “we went down to the piccolo snare” referring to being sent south to the sound of drums. “Skyhawks gather for a feast” and “Tumbledown” refer (as you say) to the Skyhawk aircraft that attacked the ships once they had arrived and a battle that took place at Mount Tumbledown. “Safe in the exclusion zone” refers to the Total Exclusion Zone, a 200 mile area surrounding the Falklands that the British government had declared forbidden to any foreign ship or aircraft. Other parts are open to conjecture, mainly due to their placement within the song. “As brother fights brother” may refer to fighting on the battlefield, but as it comes after “Now we can go home again/scatter us all around/far from the bugle sound” I think it’s referring to what they faced when they returned home “Wrapped up in tarnished flags, banners and body bags”; a population being pitted against each other in an emerging every-man-for-himself society. While the government demanded “Surrender!” from the Argentinians, they also demanded it from their own working class.
One thing that caught my attention upon first hearing this song is the intermittent buzz that’s heard as the song plays out. When war correspondents made reports on board ship, the resulting video was often accompanied by a “static” noise similar to it, caused by the ship’s radar. I think they may be referencing that.
Phantom Power is possibly my favourite SFA album, and I strongly recommend you listen to Bleed Forever on it, a song about the accident at Chernobyl. A beautiful song with very clever lyrics about a hideous occurrence.
Never knew what it was about. Thanks.😊
@@tetsuoshima7385 You’re welcome. I think it’s a brilliant piece of work, and as I said I think Bleed Forever is just as well observed and cleverly constructed.
SFA SFA SFA SFA
I've heard of the band name, but I've never heard anything from them before. This was a good introduction, an interesting song, I loved that last instrumental part, really nice!
The band is incredible and their output is amazing.😊
Slow life!
SFA OK!