Issa's Untidy Hut: Radiohead

Friday, March 8, 2013

Small Press Friday: Amanda Palmer

If Amanda Palmer ruled the world, with some wee assistance from her able consort, NG, I would be a very happy person, indeed.

I was late to the party, arriving around the time that her EP of Radiohead covers, accompanied by ukelele and voice, was released (it's available here for a dollar). Her offering to let the listener, first, listen to the entirety free, and, second, pay what s/he wished for the recording intrigued me.

Which is how this all ended up on Small Press Friday.

Why, you might ask, Small Press Friday?

Well, the lesson here is universal, in its own way, and if you think it's "I need a Kickstarter to keep my press afloat, publish my book of poems, promote my album, feel in your need here ______," you've got the wrong end of the stick (and perhaps are not even in the correct wooded area).

Sure, there are lots of things to be cynical about, but Amanda Palmer's passion is not one of them. Her intent, too, draws a bye. One thing to perhaps be cynical about is talent.

Amanda Palmer has it. Do you.

So this week's Small Press Friday assignment is to watch the TED video, above. For me, it is brilliant, in intent, execution, and, most of all, in heart. It is my understanding it's gone super-viral, and was passed on to me by a friend. And so I pass it on to you.

How's that song go - you've gotta have heart?

And for the truly skeptical about Radiohead on ukelele, here you are (this builds, darlings, yes, it is a shaky handheld in the beginning, but all of that will fall away in a mindblowing finale):

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Art by Kuniyoshi Utagawa

traveling geese--
the human heart, too
soars

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

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Sunday, February 6, 2011

There, There: Issa's Sunday Service, #89


John Flaxman's art of the Siren episode of The Odyssey.

Last week, while checking out some fav blogs, I stumbled across this Radiohead song, "There, There," in a live version, posted on Donna Fleischer's wonderful word pond. So, I grabbed it up and ran, since it is replete with a reference to sirens in The Odyssey.

Here's the elliptic lyrics:

In pitch dark I go walking in your landscape.
Broken branches trip me as I speak.
Just 'cause you feel it doesn't mean it's there.
Just 'cause you feel it doesn't mean it's there.

There's always a siren
Singing you to shipwreck
(Don't try, don't reach out
Don't try, don't reach out)
Steer away from these rocks
We'd be a walking disaster
(Don't reach out, don't reach out
Don't reach out, don't reach out)
Just 'cause you feel it doesn't mean it's there.
(There's someone on your shoulder)
(There's someone on your shoulder)
Just 'cause you feel it doesn't mean it's there.
(There's someone on your shoulder)
(There's someone on your shoulder)
There there!

Why so greedy and lonely?
And lonely
And lonely

Heaven sent you to me
To me
To me

We are accidents
Waiting Waiting to happen.

We are accidents
Waiting Waiting to happen

All of this, of course, recalls James Joyce's modern telling of the tale in his monumental achievement, Ulysses. The Sirens episode is a bit thorny, but worth the effort.

Jingle jaunty jingle.

In perhaps their best and certainly my favorite film, Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou, the Coen Brothers nailed The Odyssey. Check out this amazing clip that captures the Sirens at their finest:

Donna Fleischer's original post, with the following live Radiohead performance of "There, There," may be found here.

And here:

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This week's poems come from Lilliput Review, #110. They followed one after the other in the issue. Curious.

Amorist

   . . . drop this word into your vein
   and let your blood dissolve it

   . . . let the poison churn
   ferment
   and saturate your eyes
   in wine

   Go blind

   Go blind

            Jerry Gordon