Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "Taps" (The song, not the THX thingy)

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-28-2007, 06:50 PM:

So today I was down at the local national cemetery just keepin' it real as always when the MC gets on the mic and declares that "Taps" will now be played. "Oh cool!", I thought. Any song called "Taps" is sure to have a nice, catchy beat. But it didn't. It was sad. I wasn't able to get my groove on, and believe me I tried. My question is this: Why would they give such a song an uplifting, positive name that implies a foot-tappin' beat? I felt ripped off. I think that they should rename this song to "I Sure Am Sad".

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 05-28-2007, 08:15 PM:

I dont know what's more depressing, Taps, or the thought of you getting your groove on. Actually the latter is quite funny now that I think of it more.

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 05-28-2007, 09:08 PM:

More than you ever wanted to know about "Taps," courtesy of Wikipedia.

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 05-28-2007, 09:10 PM:

Oh, c'mon Joe. I can't believe you didn't know that "Taps" (originally called "Day Is Done") is played not only at every military funeral but at the end of the day at just about every military base in the country. Of course it's sad and so is the memory of the supreme sacrifice payed by hundreds of thousands of our young men in all the wars this country has fought.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-28-2007, 09:31 PM:

Not so hard to believe. Most people under about 40 these days don't know much about the military unless they've actually been in it. Heck, I'm 50 and most of what I know about the military, I learned from movies and TV shows. (Therefore most of it is probably wrong.)

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-28-2007, 11:11 PM:

Somehow I knew that people with zero sense of humor would come in and take a dump in this thread.

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 05-28-2007, 11:34 PM:

I assumed it was a song about plumbing.

Oh wait, you guys call them faucets [Frown]

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 05-29-2007, 03:28 AM:

Random Fact #356 about me:

I used to volunteer playing 'TAPS' at funerals back when I was in high school.

<----ROTC/Band Trumpet #1

Fun stuff...

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 05-29-2007, 04:54 AM:

At least Joe attended a ceremony instead of spending the time shopping.

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 05-29-2007, 08:30 AM:

Rachel, let me get this straight, you know the exact number of dispensed facts? [Wink]

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-29-2007, 08:36 AM:

Damien

...and you DON'T??? [Eek!]

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 05-29-2007, 08:41 AM:

Apparently, the military is having difficulty in finding buglers. The Ceremonial Bugle is an electronic bugle that is sometimes used at funerals and other events when a real bugler is not available. Yuck.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-29-2007, 09:30 AM:

But it's digital, right? So it must be better! [puke]

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-29-2007, 10:11 AM:

quote: Robert E. Allen
Oh, c'mon Joe. I can't believe you didn't know that "Taps" (originally called "Day Is Done") is played not only at every military funeral but at the end of the day at just about every military base in the country.

Taps wasn't played during flag raising or lowering any of the Marine Corps or Navy bases where I lived. The specific Morning Colors and Evening Colors bugle calls were played instead. They were preceded by a call to attention. Even if you were driving anywhere near where the colors activity as taking place you were required to pull over and even get out of your vehicle to stand at attention facing the flag. Active duty military would usually salute. Everyone else would just put the hand across the heart pledge of allegiance style.

Even decades ago many military bases just played morning and evening colors via a recording played over a loud speaker system. Sometimes it was a vinyl record playing (you could hear the pops and grinding of the stylus). We had a live bugle player in Quantico, VA -crossroads of the 'Corps.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-29-2007, 12:19 PM:

quote: Rick Raskin
At least Joe attended a ceremony instead of spending the time shopping.

I have 3 relatives buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery so I got in for free! People with 2 or less dead relatives had to pay. [Smile]

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 05-29-2007, 12:53 PM:

BOBBY:
What you refer to is not the "lights out" bugle call but "retreat" sounded about 5:00 PM to indicate the lowering of the flag and the end of the workday in garrison.

All vehicles come to a halt. Bus riders may remain within, but military members in cars and open military vehicles dismounted, stood at atention, faced the flagpole and saluted. First, a round was fired by a field piece such as a howitzer, followed by the bugle's "retreat" while the flag was lowered. When the flag was down and being folded, and the call had concluded, one would end his or her salute and mount up and continue.

At least, that's the way it worked at Camp [now Fort] Hood "back
in my day."

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-29-2007, 01:35 PM:

I'm used to calling the bugle tune Evening Colors since it's often referred to as that, but it is essentially the same Retreat tune.

Attention -stand at attention and face the flag.

To the Colors -played at flag raising, usually 8:00am

Evening Colors / Retreat -played at flag lowering, usually 5:00pm

Carry On -added at end to signal people to go about their business.

I can't recall hearing Taps played at night, although I suppose that may have taken place at many of the barracks.

While there may be a shortage of talented bugle players in the US military, some service members are very talented and skilled musicians. I was usually impressed by the Marine Corps Band and Drum & Bugle Corps. One of the most impressive band related shows I've ever seen was a spectacular performance at the Marine Corps Commandant's residence at 8th & I in Washington, D.C. Both the full compliment of the Marine Corps Band and Drum & Bugle Corps was there. The Silent Drill Team also performed, doing dangerous precision stunts with rifles fixed with bayonets.

Edit: found a better morning colors link via the Marine Corps Band website, bugle only:
Morning Color - Bugle Only, includes Attention and Carry On bugle calls.

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 05-29-2007, 09:03 PM:

Retreat/colors with cannon

Here's another example to add to Bobby's, this one with a shaky camera but good sound and cannon shot.

And for Joe and jazz lovers, here's a lively "Bugle Call Rag" played by an Argentine band at the Crazy Horse Saloon:
Bugle Call Rag