From one tale of a helpful wind spirit, in yesterday’s Omuninyan, to another, in The Tree With the Golden Apples (“Animated Tales of the World,” 1999), from the Netherlands:
SciFi SongFest, Songs 177-178
Two songs about nuclear apocalypse:
177. Tom Lehrer, “So Long, Mom (A Song for World War III)” (1965):
178. Nena, “99 Luftballons” (1983):
English translation:
Middelboe Chronicles, Part 65: Omuninyan
There are many stories around the world that resemble that of Cinderella in one respect or another; but this one, Omuninyan, from Namibia (“Animated Tales of the World,” 2004), has too close a resemblance at too many points to be a coincidence. Since the Cinderella story existed in Europe in something like its present form by the 17th century, while contact between Europeans and Namibians was minimal prior to the 19th century, this tale of “Ash Girl” is evidently a Namibian adaptation of the European story.
I have no clever argument for my segue from Julius Caesar to Omuninyan. At this point there is a ragged gap in the structure of reason itself.
SciFi SongFest, Songs 175-176
Two songs about, um, solar power:
175. Police, “Invisible Sun” (1981):
176. Leslie Fish, “The Sun Is Also a Warrior” (1986):
Middelboe Chronicles, Part 64: Julius Caesar
In the most high and palmy state of Rome
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell
The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead
Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets
From the periphery of Roman imperial power, in yesterday’s The Miracle Maker, to the epicenter, in today’s Julius Caesar (“Shakespeare: The Animated Tales,” 1994).
The way that Caesar’s cape flaps behind him reminds me of Beowulf’s similarly flapping cape back in Part 1.
Inexplicably, this adaptation changes the manner of Brutus’s and Cassius’s deaths. What happened to “Hold then my sword … while I do run upon it” – which I remember vividly from my old Classics Illustrated comics?
Even before the comics, my first introduction to this play, and to Shakespeare generally, was when my mother bought me a recording (pictured below) of speeches from Julius Caesar and The Tempest. (Oddly, the cover artist seemed to think he was illustrating Midsummer Night’s Dream. I mean, I suppose the chap with wings there could be either Ariel or Puck, but his companion can only be Nick Bottom.) Even without context, and having no idea which side to root for, I was fascinated by the exchange of funeral speeches between Antony and Brutus. (I still am!)
SciFi SongFest, Songs 173-174
Two songs about cybersex. I think.
173. Kraftwerk, “Computer Love” (1981):
174. Rush, “Virtuality” (1996):