The Elephant Riders

Album: The Elephant Riders (1998)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The title track of Clutch's third album was written by the band in a very old West Virginia house that was built in 1760. The song imagines a fictional elephants' cavalry during the American Civil War.

    The imagery arose from an offer by the King of Siam to Abraham Lincoln to donate some war elephants to assist the Union. The President politely declined this offer pointing out in his reply that steam power had overtaken the need for heavy animal power of this kind. Vocalist/guitarist Neil Fallon told us: "That part of West Virginia where we were living was close to Harper's Ferry. I'd never really known much about the Civil War until that time. When I started reading about it I got very interested in it, and that particular part of the East Coast of the United States and those images infused themselves into that song and that record."
  • Here's some more songs on our database that were inspired by the American Civil War:
    "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" by The Band.
    "Yankee Bayonet" by The Decemberists.
    "Billy Don't Be A Hero" by Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods.
    ."When Johnny Comes Marching Home" by Patrick Gilmore.
    "Cold Harbor" by The Outlaws.
    "Out Of The Woods" by Public Image Ltd.
    "The Battle of Hampton Roads" by Titus Andronicus.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe ShaverSongwriter Interviews

The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Subversive Songs Used To Sell

Subversive Songs Used To SellSong Writing

Songs about drugs, revolution and greed that have been used in commercials for sneakers, jeans, fast food, cruises and cars.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.