WoW Moviewatch: Ballad of the Green Beret
by Michael Gray 
Dec 17th 2009 at 12:00PM
The Ballad of the Green Beret has been one of my favorite songs since childhood. I've always been enthralled by song's epic poetry and steadfast resolve of its descriptions. When I saw ThreePipeProblem's World of Warcraft video take on the song, I instantly fell in love. While this piece features the same music that we all know, the creator used the backdrop of Azeroth to create a music video for the ballad.
The video actually does a surprisingly good job of translating the themes and emotions of the original song into the Azeroth universe. ThreePipeProblem used a lot of great Wrath of the Lich King imagery that speaks to ideas like dedication and bravery. Even the shots of Shattrath convey a wonderful martial, patriotic feel.
This video is likely to sit in my Favorites folder for a long time.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, WoW Moviewatch
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Lornicide Dec 17th 2009 12:07PM
Chuck Norris doesn't hold a candle to John Wayne
Wolftech Dec 17th 2009 2:34PM
Even Chuck Norris's beard knows the lay the f down when John Wayne enters the room.
Tirrimas Dec 17th 2009 12:07PM
That gave me shivers. I like the rough camera work as well - it suited the folksy feel of the music.
Lornicide Dec 17th 2009 12:09PM
Oh, and a little bit of trivia: This song was actually written by a former Green Beret.
For those of you across the pond, green berets are an elite fighting unit of our armed forces, like the Navy Seals and Army Rangers. (Let's not get into a flame war over which is best). :)
Bronwyn Dec 17th 2009 12:14PM
"(Let's not get into a flame war over which is best)"
You tempt me, but unfortunately I know nothing about the military, therefore I cannot in good conscience start a flame war. :-P
bruce Dec 17th 2009 12:29PM
I'm personally partial to "Green Berets" also known as SF or Special Forces. My father was in SF for 20+ years before retiring. As for a flame war over which is better I'll leave that to the people actually serving in these capacities, they tend to have a bit of a rivalry with each other.
Lornicide Dec 17th 2009 12:45PM
I admittedly know very little about them as well. I was just trying to avoid getting accused of comparing Green Berets to Seals to Rangers.
I've had friends that are/were Rangers and Seals, but that really doesn't make me any more informed on the matter. :)
Sadman71 Dec 17th 2009 7:45PM
That was written and preformed by my cousin Barry Sadler he also wrote a series of books about a character named Casca. I myself held up our family traditon by being a member of Special Warfare.
Snuzzle Dec 17th 2009 12:28PM
Kind of a depressing song, really. At the end, the one green beret died. And his last request? "I want my son to be a green beret too, because even though I know you're sad that you lost your husband, I want you to worry about and possibly mourn your son too."
That's... pretty depressing, really.
Valis Dec 17th 2009 12:43PM
I agree Snuzzle. T_T
Kazmar Dec 17th 2009 1:08PM
Depressing? Really, well incase you didn't know the song was written by a real Green Beret during the middle of the Vietnam War. So I'm sure he wasn't thinking about your feelings at the time, being the REMF that I’m sure you are this is probably difficult for you to fathom the mayhem that this world has seen.
Antigone Dec 17th 2009 1:21PM
Was that really called for, Kazmar? Even rear echelon motherf$&!kers can appreciate the sadness inherent in a Soldier's death, the sacrifice his child might someday be called upon to make, and the pain that both those deaths will cause the people who care about them. Snuzzle didn't say it was stupid or pointless or anything else you might reasonably find offensive, only that it was depressing, which it is.
Valis Dec 17th 2009 1:31PM
@Kazmar
I'm sorry but that kind of attack is uncalled for and rude.
Snuzzle and I didn't say that the song was bad...just that it was depressing.
Kazmar Dec 17th 2009 1:50PM
You depress me with your ignorance and pessimistic point of view. By hiding behind your emotion of fear saying that this song is sad. This song is a ballad and anything but sad.
Valis Dec 17th 2009 1:59PM
Kazmar that doesn't even make sense. Why are we not aloud to feel sadness after listening to this song?
It's not ignorance it's just emotion. I don't even understand where all of your anger is coming from.
Why is it wrong for people like me and Snuzle to feel sadness? Why is it wrong?
Agony Dec 17th 2009 6:25PM
@Valis - because Kazmar is a troll that created his account specifically to be a jerk against both you and Snuzzle. I imagine that he has several other accounts on here that were created just for this purpose, and many of them have probably been deleted because of how he treats others.
This is an individual who gets joy out of making other people upset and talks as much trash as possible without fear of repercussion...because he's safely behind his monitor. In other words, despite his tough talk, he's actually a coward.
Snuzzle Dec 17th 2009 7:29PM
Thanks you guys for replying in my absence :) It's doubly depressing that one cannot comment on the sacrifices of war and the sadness of the loss of human life without people assuming I'm being disrespectful to soldiers. I think though that it's a knee-jerk reaction with how controversial the current war in Iraq is.
Actually, I think glossing over the sadness or minimizing it is what's disrespectful to me. These guys are going through hell-- ignoring their suffering and sacrifice is preferable? I have a friend in Iraq right now-- I don't have to be in the military to worry about him, do I? And to know that a mother burying a child is perhaps one of the saddest things I can imagine. Knowing that he died for a good cause can only stem one's grief so much.
I had to google REMF... throwing around insults your target might not understand is kind of moot, I guess. *shrug*
Andrew R. Dec 17th 2009 12:39PM
The song and video were perfect together. I liked the green beret on the prince at the end.
Zuckerdachs Dec 17th 2009 2:04PM
So tell me, why bother defending us civvies if you're just going to look down on us later? Just curious.
Zuckerdachs Dec 17th 2009 2:05PM
Sorry, meant this for the comment below.