The Melody Is Surprisingly Familiar
One of the strangest things about “Blood on the Risers” is that its melody doesn't sound particularly horrifying.
That's because you've probably heard it before.
The song is sung to the tune of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which itself developed from the older American marching song “John Brown's Body.” The melody became associated with numerous songs and adaptations over the years. (Wikipedia)
So you've got this grand, triumphant, almost inspirational melody...
And then the paratroopers replaced the famous religious refrain with:
“Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.”
That's the musical equivalent of putting a clown nose on a skeleton.
The contrast is actually a huge part of the song's appeal. The tune sounds heroic while the lyrics are gruesome. It's cheerful, catchy and horrifying all at once.
In other words, it's basically black comedy with a marching beat.
