TAPS

[JAGwinn]

 

[Pollaco]

When TAPS is played at a funeral, especially for a veteran, it brings out the tears! And when its on a bagpipe or a fiddle I really fall to pieces.

 

[JOHN42768]

That is about as sad a story that can be told. Eyes always puddle up at hearing Taps

 

[Pollaco]

Especially when its for your Dad who was a veteran.

 

[mofederal]

There is also this story.

www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html

www.americancivilwarstory.com/history-of-taps.html

 

[thomas aagaard]

There is also this story.

www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html

www.americancivilwarstory.com/history-of-taps.html

Nice too see that they both deal with the myth...

The tune was not new and can be found in Scotts drill book.

 

[UCVRelics]

When I was in the US Army and on post I heard it ever night which is one thing. At a fellow Army brothers funeral its a WHOLE different tune.

 

[Mike Serpa]

View attachment 214664View attachment 214665
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Snopes gives a False rating to this story.

'Taps' was composed in July 1862 at Harrison's Landing in Virginia, but aside from that basic fact, the fanciful piece quoted above in no way reflects the reality of that melody's origins.
There was no dead son, Confederate or otherwise; no lone bugler sounding out the dead boy's last composition. How the call came into being was never anything more than one influential soldier's deciding his unit could use a bugle call for particular occasions and setting about to come up with one.
If anyone can be said to have composed 'Taps,' it was Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, during the American Civil War. Dissatisfied with the customary firing of three rifle volleys at the conclusion of burials during battle and also wanting a less harsh bugle call for ceremonially signaling the end of a soldier's day, he likely altered an older piece known as "Tattoo," a French bugle call used to signal "lights out," into the call we now know as 'Taps.'

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tapping-the-admirable/

 

[Pollaco]

Even before I read that the union captain /dead son part really was a myth I kind of figured that it was.made up.The origin may be fabled but TAPS itself is very real and touching.

 

[JAGwinn]

https://kynghistory.ky.gov/Our-History/History-of-the-Guard/Documents/ThePaperTrailoftheCivilWarinKY18611865 2.pdf

You think the guvmn't of Kaintuky would fib?? Son, I say, son look at the link above, for love O' Dixie.....

 

[Jimklag]

I confess to being a blubberer. I cried watching Brian's Song and Old Yeller and Taps played never fails to cause the Kleenex to come out.

 

[CivilWarTalk]

If you want a better and more accurate history of Taps, I would recommend this one...

An Excerpt From Twenty-Four Notes That Tap Deep Emotions: The story of America's most famous bugle call - Taps Bugler: Jari Villanueva

An Excerpt From Twenty-Four Notes That Tap Deep Emotions:The Story of America’s Most Famous Bugle Call© Jari Villanueva You can download the REAL story of…

tapsbugler.com

 

[Claude Bauer]

If you want a better and more accurate history of Taps, I would recommend this one...

http://tapsbugler.com/an-excerpt-fr...the-story-of-americas-most-famous-bugle-call/

I agree with Mike that if you want the correct history of Taps, the one to trust on this topic is Jari Villanueva--he spent 23 years with The USAF Band in Washington DC and retired from the Air Force at the rank of Master Sergeant. He is considered the country's foremost expert on military bugle calls, particularly the call of Taps which is sounded at military funerals. In 2007, he was inducted into the Buglers Hall of Fame, the first active duty military bugler to receive this honor.

In a recent podcast, he discusses the history of Taps and some of the myths surrounding it, such as the myth that claims the bugler at JFK's funeral intentionally missed that top note:

Ep. 15: Veterans Day Tribute + Role of Music in the Military: with Jari Villanueva, Taps Historian, USAF - MINDY PETERSON, NCTM

We honor our veterans with a look at the role music plays in our military. Guest Jari Villanueva also gives a behind-the-scenes look at the call of Taps, a way of thanking the military for their service and for a job well done. Veterans Day is November 11.

mpetersonmusic.com

Although the story in the original post is fiction, part of it is true--there are indeed lyrics for Taps--soldiers had words for other bugle calls too, and would sing along with Taps as it was sounded. There are several sets of lyrics, "Day is Done" being the most popular:

Day Is Done
Gone The Sun
From The Lake
From The Hills
From The Sky
All is Well
Safely Rest
God is Nigh