A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: xman on August 17, 2014, 08:20:39 PM
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I've read a lot of discussions about the general meaning of the song, but I cannot for the life of me find out what the title's phrase means in general. What does it mean to "crash the ambulance"? Where does this metaphor come from?
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I have exactly the same question. I know it's George H.W. Bush quote, but crashing the ambulance is still mystery to me.
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Not sure about it. It is a Bush Senior quotation, I did read that somewhere, too.
In Germany we have a saying "etwas an die Wand fahren", literally translated "driving something against the wall", which has the meaning of "to go tits up", messing up something, failing in doing something. Maybe"Don't crash the ambulance" is just a phrase from some unknown geographically localised area which only got famous from Mr. Bush using it..The way I understand it it is is used in the meaning of "always have a safety net, always having something up your sleeve, whatever you do".
Not sure this helps..
LE
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The meaning of "Don't crash the ambulance" as a phrase, on its own and not viewed as part of the song, is pretty clear, surely. You have an accident or are otherwise injured - an ambulance is called to take you to hospital - you are in desperate need to get to hospital for treatement - you want that to be done speedily, so the ambulance is driven quite fast - but you don't want the ambulance to be impeded or stopped on the way - hence, "don't crash the ambulance". Don't stop those who are acting to help you from providing that help.
As for the song, I only really know MK's songs from their being performed in concert and, though my memory may be at fault, I can't recall him performing "Don't crash the ambulance" at any concert I've attended. If he has, it has passed me by.
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The song is about Bush Father telling Bush son how to rule the US government, and telling that whatever he does, protect himself of big problems that can not be solved. Dont crash the ambulance, dont bit the hand of your master, etc etc
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I am not familiar with the phrase being used by the elder Bush to the younger Bush but, to extend what I said earlier, then the father is telling the son: if you're driving an ambulance to help someone else, don't crash the ambulance on the way there. Sending the ambulance may be well-meant but, if it doesn't arrive safely, it is no help at all. The offer of help or assistance is pointless. Indeed, it may be worse than not offering help in the first place.
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I am not familiar with the phrase being used by the elder Bush to the younger Bush but, to extend what I said earlier, then the father is telling the son: if you're driving an ambulance to help someone else, don't crash the ambulance on the way there. Sending the ambulance may be well-meant but, if it doesn't arrive safely, it is no help at all. The offer of help or assistance is pointless. Indeed, it may be worse than not offering help in the first place.
Well, i think it has something to do with Bush father telling his son its ok to invade countries with oil, but dont invade China, or do things you can success, avoid what can put you in trouble. I think it has more to do with Bush son being safe of defeats and scandals than to help... I mean, its a totally selfish thing, come on Son, you'll be the president, dont do silly things, dont push that button, dont invade China, put your cojones in the desk...
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I always liked the line "Don't ever invade China" because it both fits the type of advise that Bush I would offer to Bush II, but it also seems to be a reference to The Princess Bride ("Never get involved in a land war in Asia").
I always thought the line Don't Crash the Ambulance" just meant "Don't screw up". I don't recall that exact quote from Bush I, but it seems like something he would have said, since he always had an odd way of talking.
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The lyrics on this song are really clever. As well as "Don't ever invade China" I like the line "You've even got a whistle in there for attracting attention". That always makes me smile when I hear it when I'm about to take off on a plane! :)
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in french we say : "don't shoot the ambulance"
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I thought the French say, "Don't shoot the piano player".
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I thought the French say, "Don't shoot the piano player".
Thats universal I think, it comes from the western movies when the piano player is killed everytime there is a shooting at the saloon ;D
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The lyrics on this song are really clever. As well as "Don't ever invade China" I like the line "You've even got a whistle in there for attracting attention". That always makes me smile when I hear it when I'm about to take off on a plane! :)
the whole song is full of them clever little sentences, the whole song makes me smile.
for me this is My parties 2, when talking about sillyness.
it also made me rediscover the record credits, which, imho were the last well written credits (i am a sucker for credits and thank you's and stuff)
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I thought the French say, "Don't shoot the piano player".
"Don't shoot the piano player" means "to be lenient with someone and avoid attack him if he does her best" (sorry google traduction)
"At the end of the nineteenth century, large gold deposits were discovered and Oscar Wilde says in one of his writings' impressions of America 'that there was a panel in the saloon in Leadville saying' thank you for do not shoot the pianist, he did his best '.
It must be said that when the fights were unleashed saloons, the first two shot were mirror and pianist. Since this phrase has passed into common language." (sorry google traduction again)
and of course there is Truffaut's movie "shoot the pianist"
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it also made me rediscover the record credits, which, imho were the last well written credits (i am a sucker for credits and thank you's and stuff)
yes and the only one album where guitars used on each song are detailed in the booklet
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Some clever comments on this page as well: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858510970/
"Here's one from down voodoo way ... Big enchilada, stealing elections" - this is clearly a reference to Manuel Noriega, who nullified the Panamanian election in May 1989.
"Fat bastard, Ugly Face ... You can't move the barriers, You can't mess with oil and gas, Had to go down there stick a couple aircraft carriers in his ass" - is clearly the Iraq invasion of Kuwait and Saddam Hussein in 1990.
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RE: "Don't shoot the piano player":
I never thought of old Westerns. Gee, it must be years (a decade or two, perhaps) since I last saw an old Western - even on TV. I suspect that, if I saw one of them now, unlike my younger self, I would find them faintly risible.
I always thought the phrase meant: Don't shoot the piano player, because he's harmless and only plays this stuff, and, if you must shoot anyone, shoot the songwriter.
The reason I link the phrase to the French must be to do with Truffaut, even though the film title was the opposite.
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I never thought of old Westerns. Gee, it must be years (a decade or two, perhaps) since I last saw an old Western - even on TV. I suspect that, if I saw one of them now, unlike my younger self, I would find them faintly risible.
I am a western fan, both classic or spaghetti
a colleague told me recently that his sons couldn't watch old westerns because they would find them risible. You know things about "honor" and all that stuff..
Nevertheless, I think that Rio Bravo, almost all Fords movie, all Leone's ones, are must to see, even now
Hattaway, sturges, Hawks, Mann....god I love almost all their movies
I also love Peckinpah's work, and more recent ones like dead man, silverado, and of course all Eastwood's movies
there are aslo wonderful "outsiders" like Huston, Penn....
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I never thought of old Westerns. Gee, it must be years (a decade or two, perhaps) since I last saw an old Western - even on TV. I suspect that, if I saw one of them now, unlike my younger self, I would find them faintly risible.
I am a western fan, both classic or spaghetti
a colleague told me recently that his sons couldn't watch old westerns because they would find them risible. You know things about "honor" and all that stuff..
Nevertheless, I think that Rio Bravo, almost all Fords movie, all Leone's ones, are must to see, even now
Hattaway, sturges, Hawks, Mann....god I love almost all their movies
I also love Peckinpah's work, and more recent ones like dead man, silverado, and of course all Eastwood's movies
there are aslo wonderful "outsiders" like Huston, Penn....
Rio Bravo's my personal favourite too! Once Upon A Time In the West is great too (spaghetti western and song)! I should add A Fistful Of Dollar's which I hadn't actually seen until fairly recently.
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Once upon a time in the west is my all time favourite movie, ex-aequo with Police python 357
don't ask me why, I know they are both unperfect movies, but I love them since the 1st time I saw them
Rio Bravo is my favourite "classic" american western, and is often considered as the best western in cinema history.
John Carpenter made a remake : Assault I didn't see it but I hope I will someday
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It's not so much the honour or loyalty aspects of Westerns - I still regard those as valuable, though that may be an old-fashioned view nowadays - but more the predictability of some plots and the stodginess of some dialogue, not to mention the stereotyping of some characters. The technical aspects of some old Westerns can be off-putting, too.
A film like "Hombre", which was based on an Elmore Leonard story, did question some of the stereotyping, though I recall it had little dialogue and was a bit too slow-moving at times. It has an exquisite, existential moment. The "baddie", at the end of a truce or ceasefire in which he offers to trade a hostage for money, asks if there are any questions. The "hero" (maybe not the right word in this instance) replies, "How are you going to get back down the hill?", as he lifts his rifle. In the film it's a sort of clash of cultures.
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It's not so much the honour or loyalty aspects of Westerns - I still regard those as valuable, though that may be an old-fashioned view nowadays - but more the predictability of some plots and the stodginess of some dialogue, not to mention the stereotyping of some characters. The technical aspects of some old Westerns can be off-putting, too.
A film like "Hombre", which was based on an Elmore Leonard story, did question some of the stereotyping, though I recall it had little dialogue and was a bit too slow-moving at times. It has an exquisite, existential moment. The "baddie", at the end of a truce or ceasefire in which he offers to trade a hostage for money, asks if there are any questions. The "hero" (maybe not the right word in this instance) replies, "How are you going to get back down the hill?", as he lifts his rifle. In the film it's a sort of clash of cultures.
I understand what you say in that they can be contrived but the classic ones are still milestones in cinema history and shouldn't be overlooked. Still, it's been a while since I've seen one myself; I'm not a great fan, just a film buff in general.
@JF. Although I've always enjoyed Rio Bravo on a personal level I've always thought that westerns like Red River to be the best made. The Shootist (1976) is also an excellent film. Made when John Wayne was dying from cancer he played an ageing gunslinger who, likewise was dying. :(
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Maybe it's just a basic meaning like I always used to think; When you mess something up, don't do it with your second chance as well! ;)