Discussion:
New Filk: Gonna Study War
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Arthur T.
2018-10-14 23:28:59 UTC
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Title: Gonna Study War
ttto: Ain't Gonna Study War No More (AKA Down By the Riverside)

Gonna take up my books and read
Down by the riverside
Near where the bikers ride
Anywhere I decide
I'm gonna take up my books and read
Worldwide and nationwide
And study things with pride

I'll study war if I so please
Pore over lore if I so please
Things you abhor if I so please
I'll study chemistry and math
The histories of Rome and Bath
Psychology of peace and wrath

Gonna find someone who'll teach me
Out in the open air
Up in the lib'ry chair
Downstairs and everywhere
I'm gonna find someone who'll teach me
Out in the village square
To study what I care

I'll study science, study faith
The life of Hen-e-ry the Eighth
Effects of higher interest rates
I'll study gratitude and scorn
I'll read both lit'rature and porn
And humor both refined and corn

Don't tell me what I can't learn
Here, there, or anywhere
Censorship is unfair
Don't be so doctrinaire
Don't tell me what I can't learn
My learning's my affair
I'll study what I dare

I'll study bigotry and hate
The lives of greats and not-so-greats
The lives of sinners and of saints
I'll study weaponry and gore
Why Adolf Hitler was adored
Don't tell me not to study war


My lyrics copyright 2018 by Arthur Tansky. License granted for
non-commercial, non-political archiving and performance as long as:
1. copyright notice is maintained, and
2. no money changes hands.
--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com

Guessing a lyricist's opinions from his songs is as futile as
guessing an author's opinions from his novels.
Gary McGath
2018-10-16 10:20:21 UTC
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Post by Arthur T.
Title: Gonna Study War
ttto: Ain't Gonna Study War No More (AKA Down By the Riverside)
Good one.

Of course, the original meant "study war" in a different sense. It's
probably based on Isiah 2:4, which says in part, "Nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." There it
clearly means to learn to conduct wars. The author of "Down by the
Riverside" needed a two-syllable word for the scansion, but "study"
isn't quite right.
--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com
Arthur T.
2018-10-16 21:18:20 UTC
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Post by Gary McGath
Of course, the original meant "study war" in a different sense.
Also, the original just said "I'm not gonna study war", not "You
shouldn't study war". I decided to ignore that, too.
--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com
Mark Mandel
2018-10-16 21:51:45 UTC
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"Study" may well have been the word in whatever translation the song was based on. And for that matter, it's not so far from "learn" in the best known translation, the King James. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-2-4/

Mark Mandel
"The Filker With No Nickname"
Lee Gold XP
2018-10-18 12:43:19 UTC
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Post by Mark Mandel
"Study" may well have been the word in whatever translation the song was based on. And for that matter, it's not so far from "learn" in the best known translation, the King James. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-2-4/
from the Soncino translation I've got on my hard disk:

Isaiah 2:4. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall decide for many
people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears
into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor
shall
they learn war any more.

--Lee
Arthur T.
2018-10-18 16:32:52 UTC
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Post by Gary McGath
The author of "Down by the
Riverside" needed a two-syllable word for the scansion, but "study"
isn't quite right.
I think you're right about needing "study" for scansion. There
are many English translations and none of these use "study":
https://biblehub.com/isaiah/2-4.htm
--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com
Mark Mandel
2018-10-19 16:43:20 UTC
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Here's some support for the song's use of "study", from a source more knowledgeable than I am. Mudcat.org, aka Mudcat Cafe, is a primary locus for discussion of filk and popular music, often including tunes and lyrics.

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=58101#917552
Subject: RE: Origins: history of Down by the Riverside
From: Azizi
Date: 18 May 05 - 10:07 PM

Nina Nan,

... as an African American myself ...

And with regard to your question:

In African American vernacular, 'to study' something means to pay attention to it; seriously think about it; be concerned about it, be interested in it.

So IMO, "I ain't gonna study war no more" means "I'm not gonna be interested in waging war.

This means much more than being a conscientous objector and refusing to fight once a war has started. It means that the person will direct his or her energies to studyin peace {working for/promoting peace} instead of instigating {inciting} and engaging in warfare.

Azizi Powell
<<<<<

Mark Mandel
Music is my drug of choice

Spear Carrier
2018-10-16 15:13:38 UTC
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I love this. I don't know "Down by the Riverside" but I may have to because your song.
Jeff Urs
2018-10-16 16:16:50 UTC
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Nicely done. Just a nit, though: "math" and "Bath" don't
rhyme, if the place you speak of is Aquae Sulis.
--
Jeff
Arthur T.
2018-10-16 21:24:03 UTC
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In
Post by Jeff Urs
Nicely done. Just a nit, though: "math" and "Bath" don't
rhyme, if the place you speak of is Aquae Sulis.
Which I was.

Whether it rhymes depends on your accent. Of course, in one
accent where they probably rhyme, it would be "maths" instead of
"math". OTOH, what actually happened was that I was running out of
good rhyming words. Similarly, "rates" doesn't quite rhyme with
"faith" or "eighth".
--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com
Arthur T.
2018-10-18 16:32:00 UTC
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In
Post by Jeff Urs
Nicely done. Just a nit, though: "math" and "Bath" don't
rhyme, if the place you speak of is Aquae Sulis.
I forgot to mention in my first reply that they don't rhyme for
me, either.
--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com
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