We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

J. Dale Walker - The Battle of St. Mihiel

from Round 29, Week 5 by Monday Morning 3AM Music Club

/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $1 USD  or more

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

about

I like this one.

I revisit a favorite historical subject of mine, World War I. I did a little DADGAD action on the guitar tuning, and quite a lot of modal work on the harmony. It's about the battle of St. Mihiel (in case the title didn't clue you in), which was a turning point in the war, the Germans surrendered a month later, but it cost around 4,500 American lives (it's one of the bloodiest battles in American history). The 1st Army boys I reference were led by General Pershing, and proved themselves invaluable in overwhelming the Germans' salient position. It's a cool chunk of history. Also included is excerpts from an address by Warren G. Harding regarding American involvement in what was largely seen as a European war that didn't warrant American involvement (isolationist doctrine isn't just a 21st century folly). There's a lot going on, I'm making some comparisons, trying to speak to what's happening today by looking back, as I often do. The form was fun. There's no chorus. Fuck it.

Also, fun tidbit, the image I uploaded is actually from this battle, and it's a tank ploughing a trench. I'm nothing if not painfully obvious.

lyrics

Bleeding red the ground gave way
To seven Hells’ broken day
Moon touched steel and driving rains
At Saint Mihiel of broken chains
With Autumn chill and mud knee deep
Prayed to the Lord our souls to keep
Tanks ploughed trench as we moved ahead
The salient won, thousands dead
On our way it rained five days
Yet on we crept through the haze
0500 the shells did fly
So much lead it blacked the sky
Old glory, that red, white, and blue
Presided over ended youth

On to the breach
Ye soldiers of light
Let’s give ‘em Hell
Show ‘em what’s right
Us 1st Army boys
We’ll turnthe tide
And come November
They’ll run and hide

credits

from Round 29, Week 5, released October 12, 2020

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Monday Morning 3AM Music Club Winston Salem, North Carolina

contact / help

Contact Monday Morning 3AM Music Club

Streaming and
Download help

Report this track or account

If you like The Battle of St. Mihiel, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Seafood Sam joins the show to discuss his newest album, " Standing On Giant Shoulders".
listen now