Here's a deep cut from one of the least known albums, the unfortunately titled When the Eagle Flies, by the seminal rock group, Traffic: "Dream Gerrard." The song is an homage to the French Romantic poet, Gérard de Nerval. His use of dreams had a great influence on the symbolists and surrealists who followed him.
Nerval described his own dream states as "supernaturaliste," a term Apollinaire later shortened to "sur-réaliste." For more on this, his poetry, and his friendship with Baudelaire, check out this excellent overview. There is an interesting Harper's article which mentions Nerval's lobster fascination (he's the flâneur character you once heard of who took his lobster for a walk - remember?).
For a remarkable different take on the same poem in the Harper article, check out this translation of "Golden Verses" from the Independent, so different, in fact, it seems like an entirely different poem. A nice size selection of Nerval poems may be found here, with some individual translations here, here, and here.
All this, of course, put me in mind, or perhaps out of mind, of Lewis Carroll and the famous "Lobster Quadrille," since, if a lobster can walk on a leash, surely s/he may dance. So, today you will get a two-fer on the Sunday Service, here is the video and song of "The Lobster Quadrille" by current rock phenoms, Franz Ferdinand:
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This week's selection from the Lilliput Review archive comes from June 1996, issue #79. An old friend speaks to us of how he was spoken to:
Inspiration
It happens sometimes:
someone inside me
starts singing and
I just listen to
his voice and
write it down.
Albert Huffstickler
loneliness--
that song the shrike
is singing!
Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue
Posts over the next two weeks will be intermittent as I own up to some long standing obligations which I'll no doubt report on here sometime soon. Which helps explain today's two songs to make up for at least one lost un-forthcoming posting.
best,
Don
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7 comments:
As an addenda to the Issa shrike poem, long-time Lilliput friend Ed Baker sent along a link to his own "Shrike," published by John Martone's tel let press.
Enjoy, Don
that Huff piece .... another brilliant piece/observation
&
after hall bottom line it REALLY is "his" own voice heard...
his muse is him
no matter what/who/how you call "her"
one, ultimately OWNS their OWN voice
& it s cacaphonic song ?
K.
Not a bad job of the Lobster Quadrille, really. Thanks for these various things!
Kind of an eerie/weird tune.
Kokkie-san:
Ah, the voice of Huff, clear as a bell, I hear, between drops, everytime it rains.
Don
Old 333 ... yes, indeed, I winced when I first learned of it and enjoyed it very much when I finally heard it ... glad you liked.
Don
Charles, yes, Dream Gerard makes the ol' Lobster Quadrille sound like top 40 ... Mr Dodgson would be pleased, no doubt.
best,
Don
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