Monday Music "Dogs of War" by Pink Floyd.

   Man the meme is still rolling along.....

I am continuing my string of "bugaloo" songs.  This discussion was started in the "Monster Hunter Nation, Hunters Unite", back in November of 2019? it is a Facebook group with enthusiast of the ILOH "International Lord of Hate" A.K.A Larry Correia.  We were talking about what song would we use if we looked out of our window or glanced at our security camera and saw this.....

One of the alphabet bois lining up to take down your house...What would be your "Valhalla" song and you would set it up to play as you load up magazines set up the Tannerite Rover, turn on the water irrigation system and fill it with gasoline instead of water and prepare yourself.

 I figured it would scar the alphabet boys if they come busting in and hearing a song about people standing for their beliefs and willing to fight for them no matter the cost, Good Music  unlike that crap they listen to now.  What can I say, My humor is warped....just a bit. Next week will be "Run Like Hell" by Pink Floyd, This one was suggested by a reader " Jay Karamales"  Now that should really cause some psych evals., hehehe, some poor ATF guy trying to explain the attraction to his mother because he is imaging himself as The savior of the American way rather than working for an agency that have the initials of a convenience store.  I was thinking of this song would be good for one of the alphabet agencies knocking and we have the attitude of the people that hate the state in the movie "Hunger Games" because we ain't gonna answer that door.  They can kick it in and start "the Dance" 

A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the thirteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in the UK on 7 September 1987 by EMI and the following day in the US on Columbia. It was recorded primarily on guitarist David Gilmour's converted houseboat, Astoria.

A Momentary Lapse of Reason was the first Pink Floyd album recorded without founding member Roger Waters, who departed in 1985. The production was marred by legal fights over the rights to the Pink Floyd name, which were not resolved until several months after release. It also saw the return of keyboardist and founding member Richard Wright, who had resigned from the band under pressure from Waters during the recording of The Wall (1979).

Unlike most earlier Pink Floyd records, A Momentary Lapse of Reason is not a concept album. It includes writing contributions from outside songwriters, following Gilmour's decision to include material once intended for his third solo album. The album was promoted with a successful world tour and with three singles: the double A-side "Learning to Fly" / "Terminal Frost", "On the Turning Away", and "One Slip".

A Momentary Lapse of Reason received mixed reviews; some critics praised the production and instrumentation but criticised Gilmour's writing, and it was derided by Waters. It reached number three in the UK and US, and outsold Pink Floyd's previous album The Final Cut (1983).

Only version I could find was the one with Spanish subtitles, I guess there were copywrite issues otherwise.

The video for the track composed of the backdrop film directed by Storm Thorgerson which depicted German Shepherds with yellow eyes running through a war zone plus a live recording and concert footage filmed during the band's three night run at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia in November 1987 directed by Lawrence Jordan (who has directed concert films for Rush, Mariah Carey and Billy Joel). Videos for "On the Turning Away" and "One Slip" were also filmed from this concert where the video for "The Dogs of War" was filmed.

This is America's Oldest Flag

 I got this from "Ammo.com", since it was of a historical note and I thought it was a interesting piece of information, I shamelessly "Nicked" it, as my friend "Shelldude" likes to use.

Dating back to the early 18th century, the Bedford Flag is America’s oldest historically attested flag. Previously, historians thought the flag dated as far back as the 1660s, but this was later proven false, as the color “Prussian blue” did not exist until 1704. It looks very much like something carried into battle by medieval knights, so historians can be forgiven for looking so far back to find an origin for this flag.

While the square shape evokes cavalry of old, the red color of the Bedford Flag makes it undeniably a cavalry flag. Its armored arm and sword harken back to the heraldic symbolism of the Massachusetts cavalry, which in turn dates back to the 1660s. The flag’s Latin motto VINCE AUT MORIE (“Conquer or Die”) is strikingly similar to the motto of several Scottish and Irish clans, and the “Victory or Death” battle cry popular among the revolutionaries.

Although its role in the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War is not completely certain, there is evidence to believe the flag was flown at the Battle of Concord through the diaries of Minuteman Nathaniel Page who participated in the battle.

Bedford Flag History and the Minutemen

Cornet Nathaniel Page claimed the flag was given to his father in 1737. John Page was the Cornett of the Troop of Horse, a cavalry officer who held the responsibility of bearing the militia’s flag. Town of Bedford and Billerica records indicate that in addition to his father, Page’s uncle and grandfather were also listed as Cornetts for local Massachusetts Bay militias. Nathaniel, much like the other men in his family, was also responsible for the local battle flag.

So it makes sense that when Nathaniel Page left his home in Bedford on April 19, 1775, after being warned of British troops en route, that he would have brought the flag of his militia with him and that it would have flown during the fight that occurred that morning. What’s more, historians agree that Page was present for the Battle of Concord.

The Lexington and Corcord Flag at the Battle of Concord

The Battle of Concord took place almost immediately after the Battle of Lexington, hence why they are often collapsed into “Lexington-Concord.” After the British regulars won a brief skirmish at Lexington, they continued marching on toward Concord to capture materiel. The gathering American militias, who had been warned of the redcoats arrival, traveled from the west and congregated on the other side of the North Bridge about one mile from the village.

Upon seeing smoke rising from Concord, the American cavalry troops moved closer to the village, concerned the British were going to burn it. Not wanting to engage, the British forces retreated to the North Bridge.

The colonial fighters led by James Barrett, the Colonel of the Concord Militia, were told to load their weapons, but not to fire unless fired upon. They did, of course, fire upon the orders of John Buttrick who yelled, “Fire, for God’s sake, fellow soldiers, fire!” after British troops shot two Bedford Minutemen. Aiming over one another’s head and shooting over their neighbors’ shoulders, the American rebels fired against the King’s troops for the first time. The battle soon left the redcoats outnumbered and outmaneuvered. They fled, leaving behind their dead and wounded.

The Bedford Flag and Vince Aut Morire Today

Once the battle of Concord was over, the flag traveled home with Page, where it was returned to the mantle. Then the Bedford Flag is never mentioned – anywhere – until 1875, when Page’s grandson, Cryus, sent the flag to Concord for the centennial celebration of the battle. Shortly after, Cryus related Nathaniel’s story to the historian Abram English Brown, and before he died, Cryus donated the flag to the Bedford Library.

Other than the Page family tales, there is no documented evidence of the Bedford flag flying during the Battle of Concord – no diaries, memoirs, or testimonies from either the colonial or British forces. Yet its story rings true. For one, many of the flags, standards and banners carried in the early days of the Revolution were not “official” flags, but rather were what the men had lying around or were special flags designed for the purpose of the company – for example, the Culpeper Flag or the Commodore Perry Flag.

Over time, the Bedford Flag has come to symbolize the militias’ resistance at Concord, as well as the early Revolution, when a group of barely trained men fought back against the world’s most powerful army and started a war for independence and freedom. It stands for fighting for liberty, no matter the cost. It also reflects the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic roots of those men fighting the British, who considered themselves at first to be British subjects fighting the injustice of violated liberty.

The original Bedford Flag, which can be seen at the Bedford Free Public Library in Bedford, Massachusetts, still exists. Spectroscopic studies estimate the flag was made in the early 18th century, but after 1704 (due to the Prussian Blue pigment used in the paint). Its silk damask has lost its shine and the painted-on image is not as clear as it must have been at the dawning of the Revolution. The silver fringe is also missing and, legend has it, was foolheartedly taken by Nathaniel’s youngest sister, Ruhamah, to be used as a dress enhancement for a military ball. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall that day. More and more people are flaunting the Bedford Flag in their own way though.

If you’re ever near Bedford, stop into the library and ask to see the flag. You won't find it on a flagpole anywhere. It’s kept in a climate-controlled room for preservation purposes and, although free to see, is kept locked for the flag’s safety. While it might not be as sharp and vibrant as it was on the day that it was carried into battle, rarely will you get a better opportunity to see something standing at the crossroads of American history, with one foot firmly in the British roots of the nation and another firmly in the territory of the new nation being born.

Some goings on at Casa De Garabaldi

 I have been busy and i will interspace my article with pictures, because I love pictures...:)

   I bought a new light to replace the light over the Garage that started suffering Epileptic seizures, basically when the light would come in, it would flicker haphazardly and my son complained that if he had epilepsy, it would cause a seizure.  I tend to agree, it was just a matter of finding a light that I liked. and I found one...so I set up the ladder..

     The Light looked a bit different so I had to get a smaller screw driver to attach the leads to the terminal blocks.....something unusual.

                              
                                      Yep, got the smaller Screwdriver

                          

    I can tell I installed the other Light Fixture, I  had used Zip ties to secure the wires together so the caps would stay secured and not loosen.

Started securing cables to the terminal blocks then I would zip tie them together to prevent them from loosening, I then tucked everything neatly together and closed it up and climbed down the ladder and closed the circuit breaker and flipped the switch...

   Yep it worked!  I then put all my tools away and put the ladder away.

   The Next day My son and I went to Birmingham Alabama for the scrimmage game between Atlanta United and Legion FC, the Birmingham Soccer team.  It was a good game, and the ticket prices were not bad, and there were a lot of Atlanta fans in attendance.

   I enjoyed the game and being outside and we discovered something on the way to Birmingham...

  You Betcha, Right outside Birmingham and we stopped afterwards for gas and I picked up several "Brisket" sandwiches and saw some ribs and seasonings I thought about trying out.

and for the Beef...

    And it wouldn't be a party unless there was a .

Bass Pro across the street, and unfortunately their ammo supply was picked over but still it was neat to look around.

   We then hit the road back to the ATL.

   I then spent several days working on the riding mower, I considered Tannonite a few times before I got the rider repaired,  between a bad cell on the battery and loose wires in the relay and starter.

I keep the older mower because it is built like a tractor, not a lawnmower. All metal, no plastic.

After World War II, Yugoslavia took the design of the 98k rifle series and produced its own domestic variant with minor modifications. Although very similar in external appearance, many of the parts of the Yugoslav and German rifles are not interchangeable, especially the bolt and related action parts. M48s are usually distinguished from the 98k by the top handguard, which extends behind the rear sight and ends just in front of the receiver ring, although this feature exists on other models as well. The M48 was designed with a stock similar to the 98k, but it has a shorter intermediate-length action and receiver, as does the similar M24 series Mauser. The M24 series Mausers were built from prewar Yugoslav Model 24 Mausers and then refurbished with newer Belgian parts, and usually have straight bolts, while the M48s have curved bolts. Most M48 stocks are made from thicker Elm or Beech wood and have a thick stainless steel butt plate at the rear of the stock. The M24/47 stocks are mostly made of thinner Walnut or Beech wood and do not have a milled stainless steel "cupped" butt plate. The M48 was also designed to remove the follower from stopping the bolt from closing when the magazine is empty. M48's are regarded as a military surplus firearm and can be collected in the United States, Canada and Australia at a generally cheap price due to the plentiful numbers recently imported from Europe, most of which had never been used in combat.

     The Rifle needs some TLC and as soon as I brought it home I called the purveyor of all firearms Old NFO himself and told him what I had and he told me to use "Linseed Oil" for the wood to bring the Luster back and he suggested that I harang our favorite "Merchant of Death" for ideas on bring back the metalwork without wiping out the patina on the metal.

And finally the "Wet Dream" of any Leftist out there, this will be the reality if they are successful in implementing the "Chinese Social Score"" here in the United States.  I had published this back in 2018.

   I can see this happening in the near future.

Could Nazi Germany have invaded Switzerland during WWII and Succeeded?

I ran across this on Qoura and it was a pretty good article, I figured that Switzerland would have been a difficult nut for the nazi's to crack, their Military was top notch and they would have fought a guerilla war in the alps and bled the Germans dry worse than the Yugoslavians did under Tito.

 The Germans actually made plans to conquer Switzerland ( Operation Tannenbaum "Fir Tree"). Hitler repeatedly assured the Swiss that he would respect their neutrality, this however was all a ruse. He secretly despised Switzerland & wished to bring it into the Reich one day:

"Switzerland possessed the most disgusting and miserable people and political system. The Swiss were the mortal enemies of the new Germany."-Adolf Hitler

The Swiss however were no idiots, they gradually increased their defense spending & worked to modernize their military during the 1930’s. The Swiss standard issue K31 Rifle for example was superior to the German Kar98 rifle in terms of ease of use, accuracy, & weight. Fortifications & defensive works were also increased or updated to meet the rising German threat.

(K-31 Rifle)

The conquest of Poland (1939) caused the Swiss military to mobilize its population for war & to implement contingency plans for a possible conflict. The surrender of France & the expulsion of the British Expeditionary Force (1940) however left Switzerland alone & surrounded. The day France surrender Hitler immediately ordered plans be drawn up for the conquest of Switzerland, the Wehrmacht prepared for its next conflict.

(German troops march through Paris)

(German troops marching through Warsaw)

What Hitler’s inner circle hoped for however was a bloodless Anschluss, as what Germany did with Austria. Nonetheless this never materialized, although a democratic & diverse country, many Swiss citizens ( foreign born & domestic ) were firmly anchored with the Swiss Government & loyal to Switzerland.

(Austrian citizens welcome German troops)

Switzerland’s population and military hunkered down & waited for the impending invasion. The Swiss plan was a little controversial, they would fight a war of attrition. The military would hold their fortresses & inflict maximum casualties until they had to retreat. The mountainous terrain of the Swiss Alps created excellent defensive positions & were peppered with trenches, bunkers, pillboxes, etc. The economic & population centers however were to be sacrificed, they were vulnerable & not worth the resources to defended. The Swiss military knew they couldn’t stop a German invasion, they wanted to maximize their military as much as possible ( better to fight at their defenses in The Alps than the city streets, which would eventually be overrun by the Germans ).

(Swiss soldiers on patrol)

(Modern day remains of Swiss fortifications)

So why didn’t the Germans invade? They definitely could’ve suppressed Switzerland (eventually) with their superior military, plus they had the Italians (who would’ve invaded from the South). Well nobody knows exactly. Hitler for whatever reason never gave the go-ahead to the invasion plans. Some think it was Switzerland’s military deterrence & economic concessions that did it, but we’ll never know for sure why Hitler never gave the go. Setbacks in other theaters ( Reverse of fortune on the Eastern Front, defeat in North Africa, D-Day, etc ) eventually shifted German priorities elsewhere. Thus Switzerland survived through a combination of smart politics, military deterrence, & luck.

(Swiss & German soldier at the border)

Nazi Germany always intended to end Switzerland's independence after it had defeated its main enemies on the continent first.

Operation Tannenbaum - Wikipedia

Fortunately for the Swiss, that didn't happen, with the U.K. winning the Battle of Britain, and the Soviet Union not surrendering to Nazi Germany. If that had happen, Switzerland would have been a simple clean-up operation for Germany.

With the U.K. to win, and Operation Barbarossa, German didn't really have the spare units in the size needed to take Switzerland! For the invasion of Switzerland, Germany thought it needed somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 men. Between the Western Wall, Russian front, and the fighting in North Africa and Italy, the Germans couldn't waste units to take Switzerland!

Switzerland was going to be a tough nut to capture, but not impossible at all.

The rest of the allies were a big reason why Switzerland wasn't invaded. The Swiss made it expensive enough to take their nation, that with the pressure the allies were putting on Germany, it wasn't worth it.

Without allied pressure, Switzerland was doomed

North Korean Pilots did fight Americans in the Vietnam War.

 

In the year 2000, a visit by North Korea’s foreign minister to a cemetery in Bac Giang, Vietnam confirmed a long-rumored fact: dozens of North Korean pilots had dueled American Navy and Air Force pilots over the skies of Vietnam during the 1960s. And fourteen North Korean Air Force did not return alive.

Since these early vague reports, historians have uncovered much more about the activities of Pyongyang’s fighter pilots, revealing they made a substantial contribution to North Vietnam’s underdog air war against U.S. warplanes in 1967 and 1968.

The North Korean and North Vietnamese communists had long-standing ties, and North Koreans undoubtedly sympathized with the latter’s objective of forcibly reunifying with their southern neighbors. 

More practically from Korea’s standpoint, the war in Vietnam drained U.S. and South Korean troops and political capital in equal measure, allowing North Korea to wage a campaign quixotically aimed at instigating a revolution in South Korea with minimal pushback from Washington, culminating in 1968 with the attempted assassination of South Korea’s president and the seizure of U.S. spy ship Pueblo in international waters.

In 2011, historian Merle Pribbenow published a dossier of translated Vietnamese documents revealing the arrangement began with a letter from North Korea received by Hanoi on September 21^st, 1966 requesting permission to dispatch a regiment of North Korean air force pilots to support Hanoi’s war effort.

“The North Korean air force personnel would be called “specialists” but in reality they would be volunteer soldiers… With regard to command arrangements, we would be their superiors, but within the allied [North Korean] regiment they would directly command their own forces with the assistance of representatives from our side, who would give them their specific operational missions.”

In short order a North Korean detachment designated Doan Z (Force Z) arrived in North Vietnam, where they were furnished with two companies of 10 MiG-17 fighters each based Kep airbase, operating beside North Vietnam’s 923^rd Fighter Regiment.  A third company of supersonic MiG-21 jets later deployed to Phuc Yen alongside North Vietnam’s 921^st Fighter Regiment. Vietnamese sources variously describe the detachment as including 200 personnel including 86 pilots, or 384 personnel including 96 pilots at its peak.

In MiG Aces of the Korean War, Vietnamese pilot Vu Ngoc Dinh told Hungarian aviation historian Istvan Toperczer:

"The pilots were their best ones whose parents or relatives were working for the Politburo of the North Korean Central Party Committee. They sent their pilots and commanders to Vietnam and we provided the hardware they required during their service."

The MiG-21s, by contrast, could fly up to twice the speed of sound, had short-range radar, and was armed with guided missiles.

The trained fighter pilots themselves were a highly valuable resource.  Historian and retired U.S. Army colonel Jiyul Kim wrote in a detailed study that the pilots amounted to “50% increase in North Vietnamese fighter strength.  Until 1974, North Vietnam suffered a shortage of pilots due to the difficulty and length of training required.  The need for pilots in 1967 was particularly acute.”

The North Korean fighter jocks arrived at the peak of Operation Rolling Thunder, the sustained U.S. aerial bombing of North Vietnam.  According to Kim, in 1967 improved U.S. radar jamming severely curtailed the effectiveness of Hanoi’s S-75 surface-to-air missile batteries, forcing North Vietnamese air defenses to rely more on interceptors.

For example, Kep airfield was repeatedly hit by U.S. raids and two North Korean technicians were killed during the war.  Furthermore, when Navy A-4C Skyhawk attack jets hit Kep on May 1, 1967 they bounced Korean MiG-17s attempting to take off.  Aviator Theodor Schwartz downed a MiG using an unguided Zuni air-to-ground rocket, while another fell victim to an F-8 Crusader’s Sidewinder missile.  North Korean pilots Ri Ch’ang-il and Pak Tong-jun are both recorded KIA on that date.

In a series of large, one-sided air battles in May and June, the Korean MiG-17 units sustained appalling losses, though apparently many pilots successfully ejected.  seven North Korean MiGs were shot down by Air Force F-4 and F-105s on May 13 defending the Vin Yenh army barracks, and four more on May 20 over Bac Le railroad yard.  On July 21^st, agile U.S. Navy F-8 Crusaders downed four Korean MiG-17s, killing pilots Ri Tong-su and Ri To-in.

Korean MiG-21s faired slightly better.  On December 16, a Korean MiG-21 shot down an F-4D close Kep, and its crew was captured.  Earlier, another MiG-21 pilot claimed to kill the A-4 Skyhawk of James Mehl on May 30, though U.S. sources attribute the loss to a surface-to-air missile. 

Fighting flared early in 1968.  First on January 5, a Korean MiG-21 downed an F-105F Wild Weasel jet hammering Vietnamese SAM sites, settings its port wing on fire with cannon shells.  Then on January 18^th, Korean MiG-17s bounced F-4D Phantoms of the 8^th Tactical Fighter Wing raiding the Bac Giang thermal power plant, shooting down two Phantoms in the space of three minutes.

Kim describes another swirling air battle that occurred on February 12:

Korean MiG-21s scrambled from Phúc Yên Air Base to intercept a flight of F-4 Phantoms. The Phantoms were heading toward Tien Yen and Dinh Lap. The North Korean wingman, Kim Ki-hwan, reported that he saw two groups of F-4s totaling seven aircraft below him. Kim attacked and shot down one enemy aircraft, but his victory was not confirmed by U.S. sources. As he attempted to break off after the attack, he was attacked by a group of three F-4s on a MiGCAP mission. They fired two [radar-guided] AIM-7 Sparrow missiles that put Kim’s MiG-21 in a violent, unrecoverable spin. Kim ejected, but died.

The last action detailed by Kim involves an F-4D kill over Son Dong on February 23 shared by a Vietnamese and Korean pilot using missiles. 

Vietnamese pilot Dinh said of the Koreans: “They kept everything secret, so we didn't know their loss ratio, but the North Korean pilots claimed 26 American aircraft destroyed.  Although they fought very bravely in the aerial battles, they were generally too slow and too mechanical in their reactions when engaged, which is why so many of them were shot down by the Americans. They never followed flight instructions and regulations either. “

Toperczer’s research, however, found only 4 confirmed and 3 unconfirmed kills by North Vietnamese pilots.

Pres. Johnson first curtailed the scope of Rolling Thunder in March 1968, then called off the operation in 1968 to facilitate peace negotiations.

Those negotiations, however, were perceived unfavorably by Kim Il-Sung, who wanted the Vietnam conflict to divert U.S. and South Korean forces away from the Korean peninsula.  Meanwhile, the Vietnamese grew annoyed with Pyongyang’s grandstanding. 

The North Korean fliers were withdrawn in 1969—though some would see combat overseas in Egypt during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Pyongyang still sees in Vietnam a model for its own aspirations to reunify the Korean peninsula.  However, relations between the former allies have remained cool, particularly since Pyongyang failed to pay for a Vietnamese rice shipment in 1996. Today, South Korea—not North Korea—is one of Vietnam’s top economic partners.

Monday Music ""Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde

 My Apologies for the length of not publishing anything on my blog, I have been really busy with real world stuff, nothing bad, just really busy and didn't have time to get into the computer much to do any posting or research.

  Man the meme is still rolling along.....

I am continuing my string of "bugaloo" songs.  This discussion was started in the "Monster Hunter Nation, Hunters Unite", back in November of 2019? it is a Facebook group with enthusiast of the ILOH "International Lord of Hate" A.K.A Larry Correia.  We were talking about what song would we use if we looked out of our window or glanced at our security camera and saw this.....

One of the alphabet bois lining up to take down your house...What would be your "Valhalla" song and you would set it up to play as you load up magazines set up the Tannerite Rover, turn on the water irrigation system and fill it with gasoline instead of water and prepare yourself.

 I figured it would scar the alphabet boys if they come busting in and hearing a song about people standing for their beliefs and willing to fight for them no matter the cost, Good Music  unlike that crap they listen to now.  What can I say, My humor is warped....just a bit. Next week will be "Dogs Of War" by Pink Floyd, This one was suggested by a reader " Jay Karamales"  Now that should really cause some psych evals., hehehe, some poor ATF guy trying to explain the attraction to his mother because he is imaging himself as The savior of the American way rather than working for an agency that have the initials of a convenience store.  I was thinking of this song would be good for one of the alphabet agencies knocking and we have the attitude of the people that hate the state in the movie "Hunger Games" because we ain't gonna answer that door.  They can kick it in and start "the Dance" 

          Now reader  "Glypto Dropem" suggested this song.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2014 dystopian science fiction film of the same name, curated by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. The film is an adaptation of the 2010 novel by Suzanne Collins and is the third installment in The Hunger Games film series. The soundtrack has been described by music critics as an electropop record with elements of hip hop, synth pop and the use of electronic beats throughout the album. The melodic style of the songs is a deviation from the guitar-driven sound of the previous series' soundtracks.

The soundtrack received positive reviews following its release from music critics who praised its dystopian mood and Lorde's curation. It was included on several year-end lists. "Yellow Flicker Beat" was released as the lead single on September 29, 2014, and received generally positive reviews. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards and Best Song at the 20th Critics' Choice Awards. "The Hanging Tree" is the only song included in the film's score. It was later included on the re-released soundtrack, and after the album's success was announced as the second single. The album debuted at number 18 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 21,000 units according to Billboard.

"Yellow Flicker Beat" was written by Lorde (credited under her birth-name Ella Yelich-O'Connor) and Joel Little and produced by Little and Paul Epworth. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, the track is composed in the key of A minor and follows the chord progression Am–Dm–Am–E and in the common time signature. The song moves at a tempo of 96 beats per minute, and Lorde's vocals span a range of E♭₃ to E♭₅. "Yellow Flicker Beat" is an electropop and art pop song,with minimal synthesisers, drums,and vocal samples in its production.

The song's lyrics refer to the rise of Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of The Hunger Games (2008–2010) young adult dystopian novel trilogy. Beginning in a slow and measured way, the song features the "touched by pain" lyrics—"I'm a princess cut from marble / smoother than a storm." As the drums start, Lorde sings "This is the start". Zuel opined that the line was "also the beginning of the end of something". Carley noted that the lines, "The scars that mark my body / They're silver and gold" and "My blood is a flood of rubies, precious stones" showcased "a big step towards more mature lyrics" on Lorde's part. Music critics compared its production to the singer's work on her 2013 debut album Pure Heroine.

On 31 July 2014, it was announced that Lorde would be the curator for the soundtrack of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (2014) after a recommendation from her publisher. On 23 September 2014, Lorde announced that the song, titled "Yellow Flicker Beat", would be released on 29 September 2014. "Yellow Flicker Beat" was recorded at the Lakehouse Recording Studios in Asbury Park, New Jersey on 28 and 29 August 2014. The song was engineered by Matt Wiggins and Erik Kase Romero. The song was released digitally on the iTunes Stores worldwide by Republic Records on 29 September 2014 The same day, it was sent to Italian contemporary hit radio and US adult album alternative (AAA) and modern rock stations.

The music video for "Yellow Flicker Beat" was directed by Emily Kai Bock, and was released on 7 November 2014 at midnight (NZDT), when Lorde turned eighteen years old. Lorde contacted Bock via email after they met through Devon Welsh, the frontman of Majical Cloudz, her opening band on the Pure Heroine Tour. The video was filmed in New Jersey and at Park Avenue Armory in New York during New York Fashion Week in between shows by American designers Marc Jacobs and Tommy Hilfiger. Lorde's production team built each set and shot the video in one day. The concept of the video was inspired by a 1976 interview from The Dick Cavett Show with American actress Mae West.

The video begins with Lorde singing in a faintly lit motel room, with a television displaying static and an unattended running car facing the window. The singer is styled in a white dress shirt, black slacks and her hair in a pompadour. The clip then showcases Lorde looking away from the camera in a room surrounded with potted plants. The camera moves away towards a dark, abandoned road filled by smoke with only one street light beaming on the singer. As the chorus begins, a group of teenagers form a circle and point a flashlight at Lorde as she dances inside a hangar, which critics described as "twitchy" and "witchy" In the next scene, the singer sits alone on the edge of a dark-lit public swimming pool. She then arrives at a cocktail party where she falls into what critics described as a "surreal cliff"; the singer revealed that she cut her foot filming this scene. The next shows her dancing besides a white curtain. The video ends with her sitting alone on a bus stop bench as the camera pans away.

The video received positive reviews from critics; it was praised for its concept but criticised for not incorporating footage from the film. Its visual direction was compared to the works of Australian director Baz Luhrmann and American filmmaker David Lynch.The singer's fashion was likened to that of American musician Prince, while her dancing drew comments to Swedish singer Robyn. Billboard's Zach Dionne praised the fashion choices on the video, calling it "awesome". MTV's Abby Devora wrote that Lorde "is [...] truly coming into her own" calling the visual a welcome change from her earlier videos, while Slant writer Alexa Camp stated that her performance in the video showed "elegance and sophistication." The scene where Lorde and other guests smile toward a camera at a cocktail party was compared to the ending of the 1980 horror film The Shining.