Maybe this song won’t get downvoted? It’s a little more on-topic for LessWrong, even if it does get political at the end. ;)
It was back in 1941. I was a member of a good platoon. We were on maneuvers in Lou’siana one night By the light of the moon. The Captain told us to ford a river. That’s how it all begun. We were knee deep in the Big Muddy, And the big fool said to push on.
The Sergeant said, “Sir, are you sure This is the best way back to the base?” ″Sergeant, go on, I’ve forded this river About a mile above this place. It’ll be a little soggy, but just keep sloggin’. We’ll soon be on dry ground.” We were waist deep in the Big Muddy, And the big fool said to push on.
The Sergeant said, “Sir, with all this equipment, No man will be able to swim.” ″Sergeant, don’t be a Nervous Nelly,” The Captain said to him. ”All we need is a little determination. Men, follow me. I’ll lead on.” We were neck deep in the Big Muddy, And the big fool said to push on.
All at once the moon clouded over. We heard a gurglin’ cry. A few seconds later the Captain’s helmet Was all that floated by. The Sergeant said, “Turn around, men. I’m in charge from now on.” And we just made it out of the Big Muddy With the Captain dead and gone.
We stripped and dived and found his body Stuck in the old quicksand. I guess he didn’t know that the water was deeper Then the place he’d once before been. Another stream had joined the Big Muddy About a half mile from where we’d gone. We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy When the big fool said to push on.
Now I’m not going to point any moral — I’ll leave that for yourself. Maybe you’re still walking, you’re still talking, You’d like to keep your health. But every time I read the papers, that old feeling comes on, We’re waist deep in the Big Muddy And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy, The big fool says to push on. Waist deep in the Big Muddy, The big fool says to push on. Waist deep, neck deep, Soon even a tall man will be over his head. We’re waist deep in the Big Muddy, And the big fool says to push on.
It’s too long. This thread is about quotes, not about making others read a whole piece of work you like. Perhaps use the monthly media thread for that purpose?
For this thread you could have perhaps reduced the quotable to this:
But every time I read the papers, that old feeling comes on, We’re waist deep in the Big Muddy And the big fool says to push on.
or perhaps possibly even two verses would be acceptable like this:
The Sergeant said, “Sir, with all this equipment, No man will be able to swim.” ″Sergeant, don’t be a Nervous Nelly,” The Captain said to him. ”All we need is a little determination. Men, follow me. I’ll lead on.” We were neck deep in the Big Muddy, And the big fool said to push on.
All at once the moon clouded over. We heard a gurglin’ cry. A few seconds later the Captain’s helmet Was all that floated by. The Sergeant said, “Turn around, men. I’m in charge from now on.” And we just made it out of the Big Muddy With the Captain dead and gone.
and just linked to some other page where one could see the whole song.
It’s too long. This thread is about quotes, not about making others read a whole piece of work you like. Perhaps use the monthly media thread for that purpose?
Lolz. I think he meant “downvoted this comment” where “this” means “the comment he was quoting” as opposed to the other comment which contained the song.
Maybe this song won’t get downvoted? It’s a little more on-topic for LessWrong, even if it does get political at the end. ;)
-- Pete Seeger, “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”
Quick question: Is this getting downvoted because of the quote or because I talked about downvoting?
(The song itself is a rather amusing lesson in escalation of commitment and sunk cost fallacy, among other things...)
It’s too long. This thread is about quotes, not about making others read a whole piece of work you like. Perhaps use the monthly media thread for that purpose?
For this thread you could have perhaps reduced the quotable to this:
or perhaps possibly even two verses would be acceptable like this:
and just linked to some other page where one could see the whole song.
But not the whole damn thing.
Thanks.
If I downvoted this comment but not the song would that count or not?
How can I tell the difference? (I assume that you mean downvoting the song on Youtube?)
Lolz. I think he meant “downvoted this comment” where “this” means “the comment he was quoting” as opposed to the other comment which contained the song.