Talk:Swan song
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[edit] It's just false. If you think it's possibly true, provide a source...
Someone weasel-worded the opening sentence to read:
- A swan song is a reference to an ancient and false belief that the occasional Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is completely mute during its lifespan, but may sing one heartbreakingly beautiful song just before it dies.
I don't think the weasel-wording is necessary. The old belief is consists of two parts: a) The mute swan is completely mute during its lifespan. b) The mute swan may sing one heartbreakingly beautiful song just before it dies.
Part a is false. A recording of the call of the mute swan can be heard at:
http://mcssz-hungarnet.cserkesz.hu/%7Eszazs/madarhang/Cygnus.olor.mp3
This is enough to establish that the ancient belief is false.
If anyone thinks it might be true, please cite the source. Dpbsmith (talk) 14:13, 6 May 2005 (UTC)
[edit] By the way
"The End" is not the last song on the album "Abbey Road". --Tail 22:51, 16 August 2006 (UTC)
Led zeppelin's music label is Swan Song. I just thought i'd add that note!
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- "Swan for the money, two for the show" (sorry) 160.84.253.241 (talk) 08:37, 29 January 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Disappointed
This article needs some references, specifically about the existence of a swan related to the mute swan sometime in the past. Can we request a redo? Arthurian Legend 18:27, 21 October 2007 (UTC)
[edit] A portion of an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Saturday Diary: Swan song Saturday, November 03, 2007 By James Hilston, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette I was walking along the River Trail, carelessly putting one foot in front of the other. I say "carelessly" because, as an upright organism adept at bipedal locomotion, I do this sort of thing all the time, and it does not seem to require any special attention.
James Hilston is a graphic artist for the Post-Gazette (jhilston@post-gazette.com, 412 263-1268).
As I gazed out over the water of the mighty Allegheny River, minding my own business, pondering the profundities of bipedalism, I imagined a sound that I'll never forget.
At first, I did not realize what I was hearing. But as I listened more intently, it dawned on me that it was a song. It was eerily beautiful, even sublime, although those words fail to capture its ethereal quality.
I drew nearer to the source and saw that it was coming from a massive white bird. The scene was otherworldly. He was lying on the shore, half out of the water, partially hidden among the reeds. He apparently was dying. And singing.
I wondered to myself. I say "to myself" because I could have wondered aloud, but what would be the point? I doubt that the big white duck (or swan?), despite the bipedalism we shared, was capable of the higher brain function of language. And even if it did possess language skills, I doubt that he would be keen on speaking and understanding English, given his lack of lips, and the difficulty a lipless creature would have pronouncing such bilabial plosive consonants as P and B.
I wondered to myself, "Why would this huge white goose (or swan?) lie here in his final moments of life and sing such a strangely beautiful song, instead of calling for help (in his own lipless language)? It was as if he had lived his existence mute, only to find his voice at the end of his life, and chose, instead of speaking, to sing.
At that moment, as I remember it, the bird picked up his head slightly and looked at me. Without missing a note, his cloudy black eyes fixed on me for just a second, and then he put his head back down and, apparently, died.
• —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.235.7.207 (talk) 18:58, 5 November 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Moving unreferenced assertion about extinct species.
"However, it is also contested by many that the swan in which this legend refers to is in fact, an extinct species that did exist in classical times. The "Mute" swan of today may only be a related descendent bearing the same name.[citation needed]"
If it's contested by many, it should be possible to give a good reference saying so.
When I was researching this I found no indication of any such thing, so I'm removing it. It should not be reinserted unless a good reference is provided. Dpbsmith (talk) 03:08, 19 November 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Christopher Bruce
I Now Nothing About Christopher Bruce. He Wrote A Ballet Called SwanSong Which I Also No Nothing About Please Make A Page That Relates To Him. For People As Well As Me To Read. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.0.227.166 (talk) 15:39, 24 February 2008 (UTC)
[edit] "Many yachts"
This statement has been marked as needing a citation since November 2007, but none has yet been provided:
- In sailing, and on the sea, many yachts carry the name of Swan Song. When used in this fashion it usually refers to the last of many of the owner's yachts.[citation needed]
