Jackofhearts has the best explanation. As he says, Oliver Cromwell created Britain's first organised army. Specifically it was Britain's first PROFESSIONAL army which links into all the "professional career", "have you got yourself an occupation" stuff. Cromwell was responsible for brutal repression in Ireland, but the song only makes passing reference to the modern day Irish troubles.
By the way - have you noticed the blatant steal from ABBA's Dancing Queen in the keyboard intro?
I once read an interview w/Elvis where he said they drove across the USA in their tour bus in the late 70's with only five albums. ABBA's Arrival was one,of them and you can hear its influence in many places on Armed Forces.
I once read an interview w/Elvis where he said they drove across the USA in their tour bus in the late 70's with only five albums. ABBA's Arrival was one,of them and you can hear its influence in many places on Armed Forces.
@paul_f My god where did you get your education from a toy shop? Check your facts before posting please. It is posts like this that devalue the internet, for every one of you there is a million more posting absolute crud online and thereby turning the internet into a world wide web of wollocks and wallies. If you are going to post something that will be online for a very long time at least have the brains to make sure you are right. English soldiers have been organised and paid since medieval times. Two minutes with Google will prove that,...
@paul_f My god where did you get your education from a toy shop? Check your facts before posting please. It is posts like this that devalue the internet, for every one of you there is a million more posting absolute crud online and thereby turning the internet into a world wide web of wollocks and wallies. If you are going to post something that will be online for a very long time at least have the brains to make sure you are right. English soldiers have been organised and paid since medieval times. Two minutes with Google will prove that, but just in case, here is a published website of fact from an English University, they at least probably checked their facts before posting: 60.southampton.ac.uk/englands-medieval-army-revealed/32
Blimey @MMFB2001 (is that your real name by the way?) I've been insulted before but this is the first time it has taken somebody 9 years to get their dig in. Where did you get your manners from? Borstal?
Blimey @MMFB2001 (is that your real name by the way?) I've been insulted before but this is the first time it has taken somebody 9 years to get their dig in. Where did you get your manners from? Borstal?
I based my comment on what I was taught in school (as I'm guessing did Mr McManus who went to school not far from me). I will bow to your superior historical knowledge (I'm assuming it's superior to my Grade B 'O' Level - you certainly "sound" superior), but I think it's probably still a fair comment that the New Model Army was the first British army to resemble the modern army. Although I'm sure you'll disagree.
But two further points:
1) This is songmeanings.net. I'm not expecting anybody to quote me in a reference for an academic paper on the Civil War, so I didn't really feel the need to check all my facts that thoroughly; and
2) I got my education from Oxford University actually (in Physics)
Jackofhearts has the best explanation. As he says, Oliver Cromwell created Britain's first organised army. Specifically it was Britain's first PROFESSIONAL army which links into all the "professional career", "have you got yourself an occupation" stuff. Cromwell was responsible for brutal repression in Ireland, but the song only makes passing reference to the modern day Irish troubles.
By the way - have you noticed the blatant steal from ABBA's Dancing Queen in the keyboard intro?
@paul_f
@paul_f
I once read an interview w/Elvis where he said they drove across the USA in their tour bus in the late 70's with only five albums. ABBA's Arrival was one,of them and you can hear its influence in many places on Armed Forces.
I once read an interview w/Elvis where he said they drove across the USA in their tour bus in the late 70's with only five albums. ABBA's Arrival was one,of them and you can hear its influence in many places on Armed Forces.
@paul_f My god where did you get your education from a toy shop? Check your facts before posting please. It is posts like this that devalue the internet, for every one of you there is a million more posting absolute crud online and thereby turning the internet into a world wide web of wollocks and wallies. If you are going to post something that will be online for a very long time at least have the brains to make sure you are right. English soldiers have been organised and paid since medieval times. Two minutes with Google will prove that,...
@paul_f My god where did you get your education from a toy shop? Check your facts before posting please. It is posts like this that devalue the internet, for every one of you there is a million more posting absolute crud online and thereby turning the internet into a world wide web of wollocks and wallies. If you are going to post something that will be online for a very long time at least have the brains to make sure you are right. English soldiers have been organised and paid since medieval times. Two minutes with Google will prove that, but just in case, here is a published website of fact from an English University, they at least probably checked their facts before posting: 60.southampton.ac.uk/englands-medieval-army-revealed/32
Blimey @MMFB2001 (is that your real name by the way?) I've been insulted before but this is the first time it has taken somebody 9 years to get their dig in. Where did you get your manners from? Borstal?
Blimey @MMFB2001 (is that your real name by the way?) I've been insulted before but this is the first time it has taken somebody 9 years to get their dig in. Where did you get your manners from? Borstal?
I based my comment on what I was taught in school (as I'm guessing did Mr McManus who went to school not far from me). I will bow to your superior historical knowledge (I'm assuming it's superior to my Grade B 'O' Level - you certainly "sound" superior), but I think it's probably still a fair comment that the New Model Army was the first British army to resemble the modern army. Although I'm sure you'll disagree.
But two further points:
1) This is songmeanings.net. I'm not expecting anybody to quote me in a reference for an academic paper on the Civil War, so I didn't really feel the need to check all my facts that thoroughly; and
2) I got my education from Oxford University actually (in Physics)
Anyway - lighten up.