Jack Molchan
Mr. Coyle
English 415
8 March 2016
A Battle of Colors
Come Out, Ye Black and Tans is an Irish song of rebellion. The song’s lyrics refer to the British paramilitary police force officially called the Royal Irish Constabulary Special Reserve. The Black and Tans were to be a force of temporary constables recruited to aid the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War for Independence. Most were former British soldiers in the fields of Flanders during WWI who could not find work after coming home from the war. These men were not necessarily political or overly patriotic, but rather took the jobs for the pay. The Black and Tans got their name because there weren’t enough uniforms for all those who signed up, so many of them mixed …show more content…
Yes, the Winston Churchill who was the British Secretary of State for War during the 1920’s and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during WWII. The song was written by Dominic Behan as a tribute to his father, Stephen, an Irish Republican, who was one of Michael Collins’ twelve apostles. The melody for Come Out, Ye Black and Tans was adapted from an old air, Rosc Catha na Mumhan, or The Munster Battle Cry which was written by Piaras Mac Gearailt in c. 1750. The song’s lyrics make reference to the history of Irish nationalism and the sixteen Irish revolutionaries that were executed after the Easter Rising of 1916, and the activities of the British Army throughout the world. The song ties Irish nationalism to the struggles of other peoples against the British Empire across the world with references to the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879, and The Arab Revolt of …show more content…
made you run like hell away The IRA adopted the successful guerrilla warfare tactics used by the Boers in South Africa against the British. The IRA confounded the RIC Special Reserves who took their frustrations out on all civilians as well as fighting the brotherhood directly. Behan also ridicules the British Army’s involvement in colonial wars against the Arabs and Zulus by mocking them with the lyrics about the native people using weapons they made themselves while the British army "bravely faced each one” with guns, showing how it was a one-sided battle.
Come tell us how you slew Those brave Arabs two by two Like the Zulus they had spears and bows and arrows, How you bravely slew each one With your sixteen pounder gun And you frightened them poor natives to their marrow. Behan ends the song with a jeer of his own promising that there will be a day that his children will be saying good bye to the British army. Unfortunately, the Troubles between Catholics and Protestants persisted. While tensions are at their lowest ever, the scars of the past may never heal as long as there is someone seat on the throne in
Mr. Coyle
English 415
8 March 2016
A Battle of Colors
Come Out, Ye Black and Tans is an Irish song of rebellion. The song’s lyrics refer to the British paramilitary police force officially called the Royal Irish Constabulary Special Reserve. The Black and Tans were to be a force of temporary constables recruited to aid the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War for Independence. Most were former British soldiers in the fields of Flanders during WWI who could not find work after coming home from the war. These men were not necessarily political or overly patriotic, but rather took the jobs for the pay. The Black and Tans got their name because there weren’t enough uniforms for all those who signed up, so many of them mixed …show more content…
Yes, the Winston Churchill who was the British Secretary of State for War during the 1920’s and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during WWII. The song was written by Dominic Behan as a tribute to his father, Stephen, an Irish Republican, who was one of Michael Collins’ twelve apostles. The melody for Come Out, Ye Black and Tans was adapted from an old air, Rosc Catha na Mumhan, or The Munster Battle Cry which was written by Piaras Mac Gearailt in c. 1750. The song’s lyrics make reference to the history of Irish nationalism and the sixteen Irish revolutionaries that were executed after the Easter Rising of 1916, and the activities of the British Army throughout the world. The song ties Irish nationalism to the struggles of other peoples against the British Empire across the world with references to the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879, and The Arab Revolt of …show more content…
made you run like hell away The IRA adopted the successful guerrilla warfare tactics used by the Boers in South Africa against the British. The IRA confounded the RIC Special Reserves who took their frustrations out on all civilians as well as fighting the brotherhood directly. Behan also ridicules the British Army’s involvement in colonial wars against the Arabs and Zulus by mocking them with the lyrics about the native people using weapons they made themselves while the British army "bravely faced each one” with guns, showing how it was a one-sided battle.
Come tell us how you slew Those brave Arabs two by two Like the Zulus they had spears and bows and arrows, How you bravely slew each one With your sixteen pounder gun And you frightened them poor natives to their marrow. Behan ends the song with a jeer of his own promising that there will be a day that his children will be saying good bye to the British army. Unfortunately, the Troubles between Catholics and Protestants persisted. While tensions are at their lowest ever, the scars of the past may never heal as long as there is someone seat on the throne in