Fun Fact

[Edisto]

One is never too old to learn something new. At least that's true of me. I spent some years of my working life on various military posts (no, I wasn't a camp follower!), which meant I often heard the plaintive call of "Taps." It had never occurred to me to wonder what the name means, though I had a vague idea it had something to do with drumming.
I happened on an item in this morning's Washington Post that explains it, and the explanation is a lot jollier than I had imagined. The history goes back three centuries to Britain, where troops were summoned back to their barracks in the evening by a bugle and drum call that said to nearby tavern owners: "It's time to turn off the taps -- no more ale." The troops knew the call meant their supply was being cut off, so they hightailed it back to bed.

After reading that, I thought of the fact that our national anthem is set to the tune of an old drinking song. I Googled that and found the words to "To Anacreon in Heaven." It's too long to quote here, and I couldn't figure out how one could sing it to the same tune as "The Star Spangled Banner" anyway. (Anacreon was a minor Greek poet whose main interests seemed to be wine, women and song, not necessarily in that order.)

[Allen]

Cool information edisto. "It's time to turn off the taps". I like that. It seems fitting in a way, but how did it ever get to be associated with death?

[augusta]

Thanks for the post, Edisto. I never knew that.

Is taps played at 'bedtime'? Not just at a military funeral? Maybe then it means like "good night".

[theebmonique]

Wow Edisto...very nice ! I will ask my nephew what the Army tells them about it when they are in basic training.

This link has info and you can download "the song":
http://www.usmemorialday.org/taps.html

Info:
http://www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html

More info:
http://www.tapsbugler.com/


Tracy...

[Edisto]

Well, when I worked at Fort Bragg, NC, Taps was the day-ending bugle call, when the flag was taken down. If my carpool was caught on post, the driver had to stop the car, and we all got out and either saluted or put our hands over our hearts, depending on whether we were military or civilian. I didn't live on post, so I don't know whether it was still played at bedtime or if that custom was defunct. There is, of course a companion "get up" call, Reveille (as in "Oh, how I hate to get up in the morning. Oh, how I'd love to remain in bed!") My dictionary says Taps was originally a "lights out" call before it became de rigueur for military funerals. I once worked at Fort Myer, VA, which is where Arlington Cemetery is located. (I was the civilian HR rep for the Cemetery, and it was a fascinating job!) In that job, I heard Taps over and over all day, needless to say. It would have sounded a lot less mournful if I had known it meant, "Last call, gentlemen!"

[Allen]

Along with my interest in actors and actresses of the 30's and 40's, I also like some of the music of that era. I guess it goes with the territory, and this thread started to remind me of one of the Andrews Sisters songs when Edisto mentioned Reveille. You can click on the link to hear it.

http://www.geocities.com/oldmusicwavs/a ... sters.html