Knievel

[Shush]

Blimy Barty, that's uncharacteristically deep of you !!! , but very good point, well said old bean 

[texaspete]

I think we all know by now we shouldn't be lured into personal judgmeñts about songs - JS' is coming from a perspective that's all! It is however a remarkable song - first listen = hooked

TXP

[DannySan]

I love the song and I do feel that really if anyone really wants to look deeply into the man behind the song and somehow feels offended by it then it's like those people who moan about sex and violence on TV... you have an off button.

Don't listen to it.

[MerseyExile]

I do not understand the view that “as long a it’s a good song that’s ok” OR  “! personally  love this song.”
Nothing is taboo but if you write a song about an emotive subject then you have to be careful.
Regardless of whether it’s a good “tune” or not then I challenge anyone to stand next to Shelly Saltman’s children at a NMA gig and explain whilst NMA play Knievel. 

[Stoney]

Sorry mate, not trying to be a goon or anything, but I would. I honestly don't think there's is any real glorification in the lyrics. It's not saying, "here's a hero worship him".... or "look how hard done by he was".....
It's just, "here's his story....... take it or leave it!"......
there's books exploring the relative merits of Rommel as a general, there's no doubt he fought on the wrong side, but his tactics and the way he treated his men were and are known to be ahead of his time in alot of ways. Montgomery was by all account a right bastard to those who worked directly under him. As I recall anyway.....
"The winners re-write history..." it's just the way it is.   

[KN]

The chorus "Do they come to see a man fall, or to see him fly?" is such a strong and very prophetic question on all the high octane motor sports. Let's be honest, Formula 1, Superbikes, Motorcross, Stock Cars, Rallying... What ever sport it is, the corners are where the stands are most full. The straights are full of corporate guests 90% of the time, those people are the passing interest folks. The punters who pay their own money, regularly will be on the corners, "where the action is!"... Or "where there is crashes...", that's a well known fact........

To me, THIS is the only thing the song is about, and not about glorifying Evel. It is simply about the spectator in us that really wants to see a crash and not to see someone achieve. Many (most?) people in those stands are ONLY there for the crashes. This, on a deeper level, can applied to many areas of life, no?

[Bill B]

The chorus "Do they come to see a man fall, or to see him fly?" is such a strong and very prophetic question on all the high octane motor sports. Let's be honest, Formula 1, Superbikes, Motorcross, Stock Cars, Rallying... What ever sport it is, the corners are where the stands are most full. The straights are full of corporate guests 90% of the time, those people are the passing interest folks. The punters who pay their own money, regularly will be on the corners, "where the action is!"... Or "where there is crashes...", that's a well known fact........

To me, THIS is the only thing the song is about, and not about glorifying Evel. It is simply about the spectator in us that really wants to see a crash and not to see someone achieve. Many (most?) people in those stands are ONLY there for the crashes. This, on a deeper level, can applied to many areas of life, no?

Exactly. And so many people came to see Knievel crash, that he - on a personal level - well and truly did. Was it this that made him into the man he was? I think there is so much more to the lyrics of this song than meets the ear....

[kinboshi]

Think I must be in the minority on here, but I don't rate the song at all (subject matter aside).  One of the two on the album that I skip.

[MARKXE]

Just read through this thread, some interesting points of view and thoughts on a man who I must say was a legend when I was growing up.
Given the tabloid presses last couple of years I'm very suprised that more reporters are not beaten up, Milly Dowlers case leaping to mind as a starter for ten.
Not that I would condone any such action, just saying.
The song surely is just about a man, who was living a life on the edge, in search of fame and fortune it does not glorify him, its just a short condensed and bloody good song about one of lifes legendry figures. Live it is an amazing track.
Anyway an explanation of the song is here  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5kiwZ986hU

[KN]

I must be naive, because I never even realized until  now that Evel Knievel was such a world-wide celebrity. He seemed  almost purely an "American" thing growing up in the '70s. Maybe it was that jumpsuit. ;-)

[Shush]

I must be naive, because I never even realized until  now that Evel Knievel was such a world-wide celebrity. He seemed  almost purely an "American" thing growing up in the '70s. Maybe it was that jumpsuit. ;-)

Really ?, I though the Wembley jump over London busses was his most famous, but I suppose that's from the view point of the little lad I was in mid 1970s England.

[Shush]

So NMA do a song about a thug that uses a baseball bat for vengeance. Sorry but my sympathies are with Shelly Saltman.

I suppose of lot of this depends of how you want to judge someone. By their good deeds or bad deeds. Knievel certainly was a good show man, loved by kids across the world in the 70s for his daring deeds- Marshall Gill being one of them, hence the song. Yes he was bad in his other actions as you point out. But surely overall such a well know figure and icon  should be more remembered for his job as a stuntman rather than his mistakes.

It kind of makes me think of Gazza. Is he to be remembered as one of the England greats, or a man with a severe drink problem?

Overall for me the song raises the moral question from the line, did you come to see a man fall, or to see him fly. To me this is not just applicable to dangerous sports or stunts, but in life in general. Do we enjoy watching people fail, or fall from grace. ?

[Guido]

Yes he was bad in his other actions as you point out.

I always find it interesting how people tend to judge other people based on what someone else said or wrote. Especially if they never even met that person. I mean, come on, we are not talking about a mass murderer here.

[Shush]

Well, yes,  that was the point I was trying to make. Feel mis-quoted 

So, I will quote myself

"But surely overall such a well know figure and icon  should be more remembered for his job as a stuntman rather than his mistakes. "

[peternotbaldyet]

The song is about Knievels life in general and his life was lived in a blaze of media attention around his acts of careless bravery. The chorus is not just about the stunts. In a lot of ways the song represents anyone who lives their lives in the media spotlight.