Lawrence Ferlinghetti reads the national anthem: The poet and activist would need no musical accompaniment or fireworks, he just gets up at a podium - cup of coffee in hand optional - and dramatically reads the anthem. Put images of other great beat poets on the big screen. Instead of a deafening squadron of F-18s, a single dove flies overhead.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
IN THE TERRITORIO LIBRE: Singing the National Anthem at the first two games of the World Series are soul singer John Legend and country trio Lady Antebellum, neither of whom have any connection whatsoever to San Francisco. The SF Chronicle's Justin Berton has a much better idea:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
How about the Ghost of Herb Caen? Or the little man in the Chronicle who reviews movies? He could have a little armchair on the field, and demonstrate his enthusiasm accordingly.
ReplyDeleteAt least John Legend and the folks from Lady A can sing. I hate it when Anthem singers can't carry a tune.
ReplyDeleteIn honor of the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future, how about Huey Lewis and the News?!?
ReplyDeleteAm I alone in finding the Beats, by and large, overrated?
ReplyDeleteNot as far as I'm concerned, Meghan. I'm not saying they weren't important. I'm just saying their particular breed of hipster misogyny shouldn't play well these days.
ReplyDelete(Related: why I hate that guy on Mad Men that Peggy's sleeping with.)
Not at all. Especially Ginsberg,
ReplyDeleteAnd they are a San Francisco band, right?
ReplyDeleteWould they have Huey sing and just have the other members buried up to their necks under the grass to sing harmony?
ReplyDeleteThey beat us to the punch. A YouTube search showed Huey Lewis and the News did the national anthem befoer Game 4 of the NLCS. There also was a video of them doing the 1984 All-Star Game, which apparently was in Oakland (a New was wearing an A's jacket).
ReplyDeleteI go back to Burroughs, now and then, and almost always find him unsatisfying. Pattern holds from Naked Lunch to Nova Mob. Maybe it's a lack of context. If anyone has recommendations...
ReplyDeleteI really like Junky.
ReplyDeleteI really dislike everything else I've read by Burroughs.
Turns out that a Beat poet would have been redundant. Thanks, Ken Burns!
ReplyDelete