post 30. Wayne Coyne plays Taps

Taps, also sometimes known as Day is Done, is the tune played in the United States Army to mark "lights out" and is also played at military funerals. It is the most famous military tune, apparently, as it was played at JFK's funeral and was thus heard world-wide. There are numerous stories about the origin of Taps, but I'll leave that for you to Google/Wiki it up. ^^ Taps is usually played on a bugle or trumpet; there is a current shortage of buglers in the States so that at some funerals, only a tape recording of the piece can be provided.

Anything I want to say about this piece of music, well, the dude has said it well enough.

Why a post about Taps? Hmmm, long story. It has to do with a submarine known as the Hunley. Used in the Civil War, it was the first submarine to successfully sink a warship. And the most amazing thing of all, it was hand-powered. By 8 men, 7 to power the sub, 1 to steer.

The courage, or desperation, that drove these men, it is quite frightening. 8 men trying to take down a 1800-ton warship through the sheer might in their arms. Madness or courage, or a little of both.

The Hunley completed its mission successfully, but unfortunately, sank on the way back. All crew members perished at their posts.

Again, there is a famous legend about the captain of the Hunley, Lt George E. Dixon. Dixon was given a gold coin by his sweetheart as a good luck charm and a token of her love. Dixon kept the gold coin with him always, and as the story goes, it saved his life when he was shot in the leg during the Battle of Shiloh, which took place before he took on command of the Hunley.

Anyway, when they finally raised the remains of the Hunley a few years ago, they found a gold coin with one of the crew members, who was later verified to be Dixon through DNA testing. The gold coin was bent in the middle and engraved with the following:

Shiloh
April 6, 1862
My life Preserver
G. E. D.

Life is sometimes more romantic than fiction, huh?

So what has all this got to do with Taps? Not much, except that all 8 crew members of the Hunley were buried with full military honours, and during the ceremony they played Taps. And I just wanted to hear what Taps sounded like. That is all.