Please tell me if this gives you thrills down your spine: A song by Peter Gabriel and the New Blood Orchestra

Awesome... TY!!!

"San Jacinto" makes little sense. And I dearly love Peter Gabriel and his music.

But it is nonsensical -- idiotic, even -- like some guy overseas read a few articles on American history, forgot the main points, and picked up on some catchy stereotypes.

San Jacinto, TX, (a swamp) is the site of the battle during which the Anglo-Texican ('white Texans') defeated Mexican Emperor Santa Ana -- securing independence for Texas from Mexico.

San Jacinto has no good or positive Native American significance. The bays and swamps of the area were at one time home to a people called the Karankawa, who were hated and feared by other Native Americans as legendary cannibals.

The reprise of the song, the high, haunting "I hold the line" sounds like a military theme -- but the only military action at San Jacinto was when white Texans defeated Mexicans.

"And a tear rolled down my frozen cheek" sounds like that famous television ad of the 1970s when a Sicilian actor played an Indian who was saddened over pollution - one tear rolling down his cheek.

Yes, the song is haunting and evocative -- but makes no sense.

Kind of memorialises how little history people actually know or care about.

Amazing! Thank you!!!

Hmm, interesting view, (OP here).
It is said that history is written by the victors, who says (with all best intentions) that you have the right facts?
No hating here, i truly respect your comment and the time you took to write it. You listened to the song.
English is not my native language, i even don't understand a lot of what he sings, honestly i haven't tried to listed exactly to every word.
But the emotion and power with which he sings "hold the line" touches other personal feelings in me, often that's all i need in a "good song". I care most about the melodies and sounds, the feeling that is put into a song, text for me almost always comes second.

Thankyou for posting, OP.
I guess music is an individual taste thing, but sometimes a person, Peter Gabriel in this case, can hold many by making music that touches the hearts of those who are open.
And for those who aren't, there's always mainstream pop : )

Well thanks, thanks for listening. Yup everybody their own thing.

here's some bonus:





[link to www.youtube.com]

My late father was an historian who wrote about the peoples of the south-central US . I've spent my 50+ years immersed in our history and heritage (which includes German-Anglo-Texican and Native American).

I know and feel the multiple aspects of that heritage.

The complex history of my heritage is as multi-facetted and complicated as that of any extended family that alternately feuds and loves.

There are no black-and-white good or bad, heroes or villians -- only people, individuals -- in the history of the south central US -- Anglo, Indian, or Mexican.




The song is rich with evocative words and sounds... but do they evoke actual people... or do they evoke 'images' from western movies, from television, from distortions or from my authentic heritage?

The words evoke movies and television ads -- not the complex truth.

It is stunning and powerful music and lyrics. I love the song! But I know it is tugging at media-produced 'memories' -- not recollection of history and heritage.

hhmm, sounds interesting and truthful. thanks.

Here is some basic info on the Karankawa Indians who inhabitted the San Jacinto (TX) area:

[link to www.texasindians.com]

They were feared and hated by the other local native peoples, and very much looked down upon -- not just because of their ceremonial cannibalism, but because of alleged incest and other 'trashy' habits.

There are no more Karankawa people -- they were all killed off or died out. The closely related Tonkawa people (from just west and north of San Jacinto, and who are alive today in northern Oklahoma) are likewise looked down upon by other Indian people even to this day.

Because the Tonkawa people had always been considered 'low class', they quickly allied themselves with White settlers and served as US Army scouts -- making themselves even less popular among their neighbors.

History like this makes it doubly absurd that a talented artist like Gabriel would entitle a song about the decline of Native culture "San Jacinto" - a place inhabitted by the Indians most despised by their fellow Natives!

That website actually paints a very decent picture of them.

It is swollen cheek, not frozen.


"Hold the line" seems to have a different meaning then you might think:

"Hold the line..." In ancient mythology, common to many tribal cultures, was the belief that a heavenly chord/rope/line descended from heaven which allowed communication with the divine. This chord/line was tragically lost due to some human accident/stupidity. The message of the song is that the ancient wisdom is also being lost due to the blunders/ignorance of modern man--like at San Jacinto--but it is still attainable if you reach out for it as the ancestors did. He who grabs hold of the line is pulled up to the higher place of existence. That's why PG flashes the torch light around into the audience during the song--its symbolic of the heavenly line appearing for anyone who can still see it to grab hold..
- Steve, Kansas City, KS

That shit sucks OP, dont waste your time. I like Gabriel but that video is crap.

One of my all-time favorite GENESIS songs...I only regret I never got to see them perform "LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY" live...their best album hands-down...

i don't believe a true peter Gabriel fan would swear so much in one sentence.
I and a lot with me don't see this performance as a waste of time, never will.

btw, i hope you listened to it trough good speakers or headphones, makes a huge difference.

One of my all-time favorite GENESIS songs...I only regret I never got to see them perform "LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY" live...their best album hands-down...
[/quote)

im picking up what your laying down.

but for me "selling england by the pound" is my favorite genesis album. hey, were all different aye.

Love it thanks OP