Taps

Taps is widely played on Memorial Day and this music is a variation of an earlier bugle call known as the Scott Tattoo, which was used in the US from 1835 until 1860 and was arranged in its present form by Union Army Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield a Medal of Honor recipient. His bugler, Oliver Wilcox Norton, was the first to sound the new call. It was officially recognized by the United States Army in 1874.

The first notes in any bugle call tells the troops in a particular command to pay attention to it, and then tells them what to do, such as to go forward, stop and lie down, or, in this case to go to sleep. Taps also concludes many military funerals. Taps is played here LINK.

The term 'Taps' originates from the Dutch term taptoe, meaning close the beer taps and send the troops back to camp.

"Military tattoo" comes from the same origin. The original meaning of military tattoo was a military drum performance, but subsequently came to mean army displays. Drummers were sent out into the towns at 9:30PM each evening to inform the soldiers that it was time to return to barracks. Tattoo, tap-too, and taptoo are derived from the Dutch taptoe and have the same meaning.

Taps Lyrics

Many do not know, but there are words to Taps, written by Horace Lorenzo Trim:
 Day is done, gone the sun
 From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
 All is well, safely rest
 God is nigh.
 Fading light dims the sight
 And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
 From afar, drawing near
 Falls the night.
 Thanks and praise for our days
 Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky
 As we go, this we know
 God is nigh.

Il Silenzio

('The Silence' in English) is an Italian pop music instrumental piece written in 1965 by Nini Rosso and Guglielmo Brezza, its melody is an extension of the Italian Cavalry bugle call used by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky to open his Capriccio Italien. It is often mistaken for Taps. This version by a thirteen year old is likely to bring tears. LINK