Where's the part that explains why this song is so lame?

I hope I grow up to be as much of a genius as you....The plethora of negative comments get tiresome. The song is based on the book Young Men and Fire by Pulitzer Prize Winner Norman MacLean who wrote A River Runs Through It. Young Men and Fire won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1992

Just so you know, on Aug. 5, 1949, 16 Forest Service smoke jumpers landed at a fire in remote Mann Gulch, Mont. Within an hour, 13 were dead or irrevocably burned, caught in a "blowup"--a rare explosion of wind and flame. The late Norman Maclean grew up in western Montana and worked for the Forest Service in his youth. He visited the site of the blowup; for the next quarter century, the tragedy haunted him. In 1976 he began a serious study of the fire, one that occupied the last 14 years of his life. He enlisted the aid of fire experts, survivors, friends in the Forest Service and reams of official documents. The result is an engrossing account of human fallibility and natural violence. The tragedy was a watershed in Forest Service training.

I hope I grow up to be as much of a genius as you....The plethora of negative comments get tiresome. The song is based on the book Young Men and Fire by Pulitzer Prize Winner Norman MacLean who wrote A River Runs Through It. Young Men and Fire won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1992

Just so you know, on Aug. 5, 1949, 16 Forest Service smoke jumpers landed at a fire in remote Mann Gulch, Mont. Within an hour, 13 were dead or irrevocably burned, caught in a "blowup"--a rare explosion of wind and flame. The late Norman Maclean grew up in western Montana and worked for the Forest Service in his youth. He visited the site of the blowup; for the next quarter century, the tragedy haunted him. In 1976 he began a serious study of the fire, one that occupied the last 14 years of his life. He enlisted the aid of fire experts, survivors, friends in the Forest Service and reams of official documents. The result is an engrossing account of human fallibility and natural violence. The tragedy was a watershed in Forest Service training.

I was going to excoriate this guy for basically just rhythmically reading a history book to music with little attempt made to make it an actual song, but then I saw the album cover. If this junk gets those babes in the car, more power to him.

It doesn't sound particularly original or interesting to me either. I know there's a tradition in this type of "river" storytelling music, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. As for the girls, many guys (myself included) have used songwriting to get women. I wouldn't be surprised if he has these two under his spell. Musicians are notoriously bad at picking partners.

I was going to excoriate this guy for basically just rhythmically reading a history book to music with little attempt made to make it an actual song, but then I saw the album cover. If this junk gets those babes in the car, more power to him.

I was going to excoriate this guy for basically just rhythmically reading a history book to music with little attempt made to make it an actual song, but then I saw the album cover. If this junk gets those babes in the car, more power to him.

First time I heard this song I thought "hmmm, what a wonderful, thoughtful song about a horrible tragedy."

After the 30th time, I think, "What a horrible song..."

Thanks for the (hurl) reference to the Edmund Fitzgerald...

Love Richard Shindell's voice. Recognized it immediately, but have never heard of Cry Cry Cry. Off to buy the disc.

Sweet.

The Mann Gulch incident was used in one of my Grad School classes. The class it was used in was Leadership. Very strong points about the incident concern the ability to lead people and what can happen if your people lose faith in you. I wish I could remember the name of the book we used. I will try to find it, it is excellent reading.

Originally Posted by rgj13:


If you knew what bathos means, I suspect you might have put this differently.

Originally Posted by Xpat:
Hideous and steeped in bathos. Almost as bad as "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."