XTC - Generals and Majors | REACTION

[@donmclaughlin3926]

I love this band so much I named my oldest after them. Colin Nigel... For Colin Moulding and his song “Making Plans For Nigel.” Thanks for the great review.

[@arthurwohlwill3837]

The song for The Bridge on the River Kwai is the Colonel Bogey March

[@intothemusic908]

Thanks, Arthur!

[@arthurwohlwill3837]

@@intothemusic908 Since you brought it up: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-15-best-whistling-songs-of-all-time-22536/

[@Pcrimson1]

I'm a big XTC fan. Thanks for not doing the usual "hits". This is a good one!

[@screwyootube1]

Not that there's anything wrong with their "hits"! But this one was always my favorite!

[@TZ61]

I had bought Drums and Wires after hearing 'Making Plans for Nigel', after which I went out and got the first two albums. So, I was eagerly awaiting this album's release. As you indicated nobody was listening to them in this country until years later. It sounds like your young friend didn't pick up on the irony that those generals and majors don't actually SEE the war. And that whistling in "Bridge on the River Kwai" is called 'Colonel Bogey March'. Great upload.

[@awesometwins2135]

Great song!

[@chrismartin2663]

I had a friend growing up (Gareth, if you ever see this, hope all is well with you - thanks so much for all the music) who made a mix cd for me of stuff he was enjoying, was up & coming etc. It included Block Party, Futureheads, Maximo Park, LCD Sound system, Be Your Own Pet, DJ Format and Art Brut among others. This was some time in 2005 when Block party and LCD Sound System had just released/was just about to release their debut albums, and the same was probably true for most of the other bands on there. Anyway, it included this song by XTC and to this day I always thought it was from 2004/2005 as well. No idea it was from 1980. Wow.

[@MrRolandgent]

Colonel bogey was the melody from bridge on the river Kwai

[@a.k.1740]

Great song but I always preferred its live version when XTC chained "Living Through Another Cuba" with it !!!

[@davidstobie2751]

try cuba

[@hotblackdesiato3022]

Great pick for a reaction. Black Sea is my favorite XTC album. Interesting you picked up on the lyrics; I think there have been quite a few generals who were actually eager for war (Patton and MacArthur, to name a couple of American generals that could fit that profile). The English in particular suffered through the human meat grinder that was World War I, not to mention of course World War II. It also should be taken in the context of the year its time. Thatcher and Reagan had been elected, and there was palpable fear of a major conflict breaking out. For another take on Reagan, Thatcher and the military industrial complex in song, check out "Kinky Sex Makes the World Go 'Round" by the Dead Kennedys. It's a repurposing of their song "Bleed for Me" that is both humorous and a little scary.