Far Side Explanation Request
Fred J. Smigiel
The Far Side Calender, May 14, 1996, "John Brown's Body and Fender...."
I don't understand it, can anyone explain it to me?
Steve M
We had a hard time with that one also. It seems there was a man named John Brown
that lived in the days of salvery in the South that was famous for killing slave
drivers with a mallet the carried around. This explains the hammer. Also, he was known
for starting a fire for some reason. This explains the water hose. Even after all of
this, its not one of the better Sar Sides.
Steve
Daniel Dreger
As you probably know, auto repair shops around the country are referred to as
"body and fender" shops. The joke here is in the splitting of the phrase
"John Brown's Body" and "Body and Fender". If you have never heard the story
of John Brown, you would therefore have no clue about the Body cue, and the
joke becomes mute, but that's what Larson's good for.
Douglas G. Jaffe
Fred J. Smigiel wrote:
>
> The Far Side Calender, May 14, 1996, "John Brown's Body and Fender...."
>
> I don't understand it, can anyone explain it to me?
>
> --
> Fred.J....@den.mmc.com
There is a famous song called "John Brown's Body"
John Brown's body lies a mouldering in his grave,
His soul is marching on!
Chorus:
Glory, glory hallelujah!
Glory, glory hallelujah!
Glory, glory hallelujah!
His soul is marching on.
--
Douglas G. Jaffe
Email: lown...@together.net
WWW: http://together.net/~lownoise/
dbell
Steve M wrote:
> > The Far Side Calender, May 14, 1996, "John Brown's Body and
> > Fender...."
> > I don't understand it, can anyone explain it to me?
> ... It seems there was a man named John Brown
> ... in the days of salvery ... famous for killing slave
> drivers with a mallet ... This explains the hammer.
> ... for starting a fire for some reason.
> This explains the water hose.
>
> Steve
Also, the caption needs to be recognised as built from the title of
a Union Army marching song "John Brown's Body", later given new
lyrics to become "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic"...
I like your picking up on the hammer and fire hose. Mayyyybe a bit
of a stretch, but they sound likely!
Dave
Steve Brine
Steve M wrote:
>
> Fred J. Smigiel wrote:
> >
> > The Far Side Calender, May 14, 1996, "John Brown's Body and Fender...."
> >
> > I don't understand it, can anyone explain it to me?
> >
> > Fred.J....@den.mmc.com
>
> We had a hard time with that one also. It seems there was a man named John Brown
> that lived in the days of salvery in the South that was famous for killing slave
> drivers with a mallet the carried around. This explains the hammer. Also, he was known
> for starting a fire for some reason. This explains the water hose. Even after all of
> this, its not one of the better Sar Sides.
>
> Steve
Can't believe it, we sat around here in New Zealand with a whole crate of
beers trying to work it out just recently, we couldn't get it either.
Anyone know Gary Larson's email, he should know?
William J. Evans
ddr...@bbs.wiztower.com (Daniel Dreger) wrote:
: If you have never heard the story
:of John Brown, you would therefore have no clue about the Body cue, and the
:joke becomes mute, but that's what Larson's good for.
But _all_ cartoons are mute.
Silly boy.
-- Captain Nitpick
Bill Evans P.O. Box 4829 Irvine, CA 92716 (714)551-2766 _ /| ACK!
Email-To: w...@acm.org -- PGP encrypted mail preferred. -- \`o_O' /
Finger w...@netcom.com for public key. Key #: 441AFEA5 =( )=
PGPprint: FB D0 1C 1D EF DC 26 BA B3 9E 84 0B 40 D6 59 9C U
Michael McCulley
John Brown was an abolitionist who took over a Federal arsenal at
Haper's Ferry, Virginia (now West -by-God-Virginia) in the late
1850's. He became a symbol of freedom and abolition to many slaves
and Notherners prior to, and during,the U.S Civil War. Apopular
marching song of that era was "John Brown's Body (Lies a-mouldering in
the Grave). The joke was simply a take-off on the title of the song
that most Americans know simply as "John Brown's Body". You're right,
it wasn't one of Larson's better jokes, but it was mildly amusing.
Hope this explanation will satisfy you guys as much as the case of
beer did ! See 'ya !
vh...@cnj.digex.net
On Sun, 26 May 1996 lownoise said:
lo>Fred J. Smigiel wrote:
lo>> The Far Side Calender, May 14, 1996, "John Brown's Body and
lo>Fender...." >
lo>> I don't understand it, can anyone explain it to me?
lo>> --
lo>> Fred.J....@den.mmc.com
lo>There is a famous song called "John Brown's Body"
lo>John Brown's body lies a mouldering in his grave,
lo>His soul is marching on!
lo>Chorus:
lo>Glory, glory hallelujah!
lo>Glory, glory hallelujah!
lo>Glory, glory hallelujah!
lo>His soul is marching on.
lo>--
lo>Douglas G. Jaffe
lo>Email: lown...@together.net
lo>WWW: http://together.net/~lownoise/
The music it is done to (obviously) is _The Battle Hymn of the Republic_
which is a fave of high school choruses throughout the North (I don't
know about the South.)
--Mark
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