Comments: 32

• Dj from OregonTerrible song. Great message and all that. Abysmal lyrics in the verses, juvenile rhyming, bad guitar playing. Although the refrain saves it you know even with the sky pilot yelling and guttural harmony. Stupid song. Killing and murder are different acts. Thou shalt not murder music, you Animals.
• Ray from New South WalesI have a son In law at moment as the only Chaplain present in Soloman Islands for Aussie Defence Force, He chose to be in army because he saw as growing up near an army base a lot of young soldiers who were only taught military and chose to join give there lives for there nation, they have joined to protect there nation but many have life questions and young families , Many need answers and guidance as they are confused , whilst hiearachy knows only to give orders a Chaplain can console, maybe answer there questions but merely there if they need him. A Chaplain, a Soldier don't necesarily believe in war but military are needed in many crisis. Just because a rock singer performs to soldiers in a war doesn't mean he beleives in the war just in our young soldiers, Just because us as a tax payer supply food to our soldiers doesn't mean we support the war we are just supporting our soldiers as simply what a Chaplain does or a medical nurse or Doctor Supporting those who volunteered to protect our freedom. Government is responsible for the wars that are fought and in the bible Jesus says "give unto Caesar what is his", meaning obey government law, I don't class any Chaplain, nurse or doctor on our frontline promoting ill fate.
• Ian Lawther from Seattle "The pipe band was the Royal Scot's Dragoon Guards, a Highland regiment."
  This is incorrect, as the Royal Scot's Dragoon Guards were not formed until 1971. [Yes, but the pipe band pre-dates the Guards - editor]
• Reggie from Winnipeg, ManitobaI see the premeditated killing of a human being as murder, even in war. The most widely accepted definition of murder is "the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another." The difference between these two statements is "unlawful". However, humans make laws and since no human being is perfect the acceptance of killing during wartime is purely artificial and acts to remove this Commandment from being an impediment to war.
• Gary from SeattleI've had the pure pleasure of spending time with Eric on the air at KZOK and KISW on several occasions. Eric stated this is perhaps his favorite Animals song on many levels, sighting the complexity of the song and his hatred for War. It is certainly The Animals at their best.
• Mike Fetters from Reno, NevadaJeff Sluka...the commandment is Thou Shall Not Murder. Big difference there cowboy.
• Jeff Sluka from American Living In New ZealandI believe the chorus lines "Sky Pilot; How high can you fly; You'll never, never, never reach the sky" means the military chaplain will never go to Heaven because he has supported violation of the Commandment "Thou Shall Not Kill."
• Jennifur Sun from RamonaTom loved Mike Smith's voice better. Eric has asthma like myself, so it amazes me that he can belt out them blues tunes as well as he does. also had never heard the term Sky Pilot before the song as well.
• John from Cleveland, OhioBefore I digress, I must agree that this is a fantastic song, a spectacular arrangement, and Eric Burdon is amazing.
  
  Please do not to interpret this post as supporting war. This is linguistic knowledge, and tells nothing of my personal opinions.
  
  From the description above: "the words of the chaplain go against what he learned in the Bible"
  
  Unfortunately the use of the Biblical Commandment "Thou shalt not kill" to argue against the use of war is an incorrect use. The primary reason is the mis-translation of the Commandment. A more accurate translation of the ancient Hebrew text, rather than "kill", is instead "murder". Murder is defined as an unlawful killing of a person. However, unlike murder, war is in fact prescribed by law, and the Bible also has precedent supporting war in certain cases. Note also the specificity of murder, unlike kill, as being against a "person." So killing an animal for food also does not defy this Commandment.
  
  Given the significant disparity in the words, and the ubiquitous misinterpretations, one certainly wonders why the church authorities do not simply buy some Wite-out and correct this in the modern Bibles.
  
  There is nothing wrong with the song lyrics themselves which state that the soldier remembers the words of the Commandment. However one must then be very careful when interpreting the Commandment, which was translated poorly.
• Holden from UsaThis song is amazing. When the soldier came back from the battle, Burdon did a great job making his voice sound hurt, tired, and like he lost hope. One of the best they made if you ask me.
• Fdog from Brisbane, AustraliaWow, this song really spoke to me. The way in which Eric Burdon started the song with his high pitched lul really enhanced the emotion pulsing through my body. The key change when it reaches the chorus of "skyyyyyy pilot" really allowed me to feel what our soldiers went through to save our world from Communism. God bless you, and god bless Krakow.
• Joan from Columbia, Sc10/12/12: Today was the first time I ever heard this song. Caught it at the very beginning on our classic rock station's lunch hour. I had to get out of my truck and come into work and missed the ending. I'll have to get a copy. I'm surprised I'd never heard the term Sky Pilot before as I live in a military state and grew up between two air fields. Have to agree with Burt in New Castle, NH and Leya Qwest in Anchorage, AK. Very surprised this isn't on multiple soundtracks. Very haunting tune.
• Mrcleaveland from Cleveland,Hey, Bill from West Chester,
  
  Nice try, but if Burdon or anyone else ever tried to wear a Bush/Cheney T shirt on PBS, they'd be silenced.
  
  
• Marlene from Montreal, QcIn an episode of M*A*S*H, the tv show, Henry Blake refers to Father Mulcahy (the chaplain) as 'sky pilot'.
• Camille from Toronto, OhThe voice singing these words--perfect. When the soldiers come back from battle, the words are sung ever so slightly slower and more melancholy than before...you can sense, feel the weariness of war.
• Ken from Booneville,ms, MsThe guitarists were John Weider and Vic Briggs not Andy Summers. He hadnt joined the band yet
• Bill from West Chester, PaHey Mr. Cleaveland, if Burdon thought that ruthless mass murderers are cool, he's be wearing a Bush/Cheney t-shirt.
• Robert from Charlestown, RiAndy Summers, later of the Police, was one of two lead guitarists on this double album. The song Gemini is an anthem of experimental guitar. The other guitarist (Valentine?) played much of the leads & Summers the color that he is famous for, so the fine effect work on Sky Pilot may be him.
• Winston (forrest) from Sacramento, CaThis is my favorite war song along with Tommy James' Sweet Cherry Wine. I do believe these Animals were much more adept, daring, and accomplished than the Original Animals who were just magnificent in themselves. I think I remember in the radio play of Sky Pilot there were bullets firing and lots of airplane sounds. If so, how did they accomplish that? This truly was more than a record made, it was a Production!
  
  
• Mrcleaveland from Cleveland,Eric Burdon appeared on a PBS fund-raiser wearing a Che Guevera T shirt. I guess Burdon thinks ruthless mass murderers are cool.
• Tom from Sioux Falls, Sderic burden has probably the greatest rock voice ever symbolizing the 1960s and early 1970s. he simply is an extremely talented entertainer and sky pilot is one of his and the animal's best.
• Sam from Lincoln, NeI've always thought this was one of the best war protest songs of all time. The last verse, following the sound effects and the bagpipes, is very haunting. "In the morning, they return with tears in their eyes...the stench of death drifts up to the skies". Those lyrics, with simple violin and flute accompaniment, are the climax of this very fine song.
• Mark from Houston, Tx"Sky Pilot" was in heavy rotation on KILT-AM in Houston, Tx back in the day. I know this because when I listen to it I still expect the song to skip. I am not kidding. The copy of the single the radio played would repeat the same line over and over until the producer gave it a tap. I must have heard that skipping single quite a few times for it to have left such a lasting impression. Does anyone have any idea who supplied the diving aeroplane sound effect? I'd like to know the technical details of that.
• Robert from Chicago, IlIt is one of the very first "Rock N' Roll" stereo 45's in the USA. It is referenced in the Vietnam: Songs From A Divided House 2-CD compilation I bought a while ago. In fact, even the Beatles didn't make stereo sound 45's until 1969. Most singles made before 1969 were in mono strictly for radio airplay.
• Burt from New Castle, NhThis song really should make a comeback, it is certainly relevant in the context of America's war in Iraq. Very moving.
• David from Youngstown, OhThe Animals are a legendary rock band that started, at least in my opinion, the psychedelic movement with House of the Rising Sun. The second incarnation of the band recorded Sky Pilot. It is one of the 20 greatest songs of all time, and that takes in hundreds of thousands of tunes. Just an impressive masterpiece by Eric Burdon, one of rock music's most underrated singers.
• Jim from Norwood, MaBrilliant song written by Eric Burdon. My dad served in Vietnam with the Marines, and this is one of his favorite songs. Sky Pilot was released around the same time as Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band by the Beatles, so it never received the recognition (or airplay) it probably deserved.
• Leya Qwest from Anchorage, AkWhenever I heard this song in L.A. back in the late '60's it was always played with the strings and trumpet section, which I personally feel is the best part of the tune. Unfortunately, it's release on a compilation cd I own entitled "The Best Of 60s Psychedelic Rock" is the short version that ends during the middle of the sound effects section. Oh well. I wonder why no film maker has used this in his anti-war flick yet. Perhaps someday, as it's pretty relevant with the way things are going on right now in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Brian from Brandon, MsThe first 'stereo' cutter head was introduced in the late 50's. I had many 45rpm stereo records before "Sky Pilot' was released. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but 'Sky Pilot' got a lot of airplay in Jackson, MS where I grew up.
• Hugh from Kansas City, MoIn the movie *M*A*S*H*, from which the series was based, Hawkeye and his friends refer to Major Frank Burns as a bible-toting 'Sky Pilot'.
• Olaf from Occidental, CaI think "Sky Pilot" was the first (or, at least, one of the very first) 45 rpm single produced in stereo.
• Erik from Davis, CaThe Tune "All The Bluebonnets Are Over The Border" was writting during the Scottish Jacobite rising. It has since become the regimental tune of the King's Own Scottish Borderer's as well as a tune used by other Scottish regiments.

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