"Oh man what I used to be, Montezuma to Tripoli, oh man oh my oh me."
Montezuma and Tripoli are both references to historically significant battles for the Marine Corps. The Marines' Hymn even starts:
"From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country's battles in the air on land and sea..."
"The shores of Tripoli" is a reference to when the Marines first fought a war against the Barbary Pirates in 1805. "The halls of Montezuma" is a reference to when the Marines stormed Chapultepec Castle in the Mexican-American War.
I wonder if the character in this song is supposed to be a former Marine? Maybe the Fleet Foxes simply liked the rhyme of the words?
No one pointed this last part out.
"Oh man what I used to be, Montezuma to Tripoli, oh man oh my oh me."
Montezuma and Tripoli are both references to historically significant battles for the Marine Corps. The Marines' Hymn even starts:
"From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country's battles in the air on land and sea..."
"The shores of Tripoli" is a reference to when the Marines first fought a war against the Barbary Pirates in 1805. "The halls of Montezuma" is a reference to when the Marines stormed Chapultepec Castle in the Mexican-American War.
I wonder if the character in this song is supposed to be a former Marine? Maybe the Fleet Foxes simply liked the rhyme of the words?