Yours is no disgrace / shining, flying, purple wolfhound

[emerson_brady]

As we all know, "Yours..." is supposed to be about the
Vietnam war - at least that's what Jon has said in interviews. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

But what's with the infamous "shining, flying, purple wolfhound"?


1. Agent Purple – like Agent Orange - was a herbicide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicide) used by the
U.S. military (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_armed_forces) as part of a Herbicidal Warfare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicidal_Warfare) in Vietnam.

Since those herbicides were sprayed from airplanes, the natives
on the ground may have looked up and thought – oh, there’s that
shining, flying purple whatchamacallit again…
<o:p></o:p>

2. The 27th Infantry Regiment is a famous army unit that was
engaged in combat during the Vietnam war. They were/are called
the Wolfhounds!
<o:p></o:p>

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-27in.htm (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-27in.htm)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

An infantry usually moves by foot. However, during the Vietnam
war, helicopters were used to deploy the US infantry to the battlefield.
The most famous helicopter was the UH-1 (“Huey”). <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UH-1_Iroquois (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UH-1_Iroquois)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

According to wiki, “UH-1 troop transports were designated by Blue
teams, hence the nickname for troops […] as the Blues. The attack
ships were called Red teams. Purple teams with one or two Blue
slicks dropping off the troops, while a Red attack team provided
protection until the troops could defend themselves." <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

Hence - a flying, purple wolfhound!
<o:p></o:p>

[Jackaranda]

Very interesting observations.

[RABARKS]

Makes me wonder just how much more meaning there is in so much of Jon's wonderful sounding, but seemingly unintelligable (I don't even know how to write that!) lyrics that often just pass me by...

[Purple Wolfhound]

Your explanation closely follows mine of my Yesfans handle, emerson (which is in one of these threads somewhere) - except I theorized that the purple was in reference to the Purple Heart and the shining may have a been a reference to the shine of the gold on that medal.

[ham]

I still say he'd had too much Guinness.......

[Sheerah]

I thought I had read somewhere that the Flying Wolfhound was some type of fighter jet or something.

[podo]

I still say he'd had too much Guinness.......

Im with you on that, mate

[umgekehrt]

This thread is best viewed with the theme song of "The X Files" playing in the background.

[shortexchanges]

Nice Bit Of Yestrivia!

[cvp18]

As we all know, "Yours..." is supposed to be about the
Vietnam war - at least that's what Jon has said in interviews. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

But what's with the infamous "shining, flying, purple wolfhound"?


1. Agent Purple – like Agent Orange - was a herbicide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicide) used by the
U.S. military (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_armed_forces) as part of a Herbicidal Warfare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicidal_Warfare) in Vietnam.

Since those herbicides were sprayed from airplanes, the natives
on the ground may have looked up and thought – oh, there’s that
shining, flying purple whatchamacallit again…
<o:p></o:p>

2. The 27th Infantry Regiment is a famous army unit that was
engaged in combat during the Vietnam war. They were/are called
the Wolfhounds!
<o:p></o:p>

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-27in.htm (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-27in.htm)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

An infantry usually moves by foot. However, during the Vietnam
war, helicopters were used to deploy the US infantry to the battlefield.
The most famous helicopter was the UH-1 (“Huey”). <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UH-1_Iroquois (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UH-1_Iroquois)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

According to wiki, “UH-1 troop transports were designated by Blue
teams, hence the nickname for troops […] as the Blues. The attack
ships were called Red teams. Purple teams with one or two Blue
slicks dropping off the troops, while a Red attack team provided
protection until the troops could defend themselves." <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>

Hence - a flying, purple wolfhound!
<o:p></o:p>

very interesting entry here and it makes sense to me.

carol

[The Ancient]

Jon excpained about these lyrics while introducing it in a show in Oslo some years ago. He didn't understand much of it himself, cause it was written under the infuence of some magic mushroom :)

[prem895]

I belive we sometimes read too much into the lyrics

[B-TRUE]

interesting

[Original_Shifty]

I belive we sometimes read too much into the lyrics

Or not enough...... ;)