What with the new movie, Oz: The Great and Powerful out in the theaters, it got me thinking about The Song. There have been a lot of wonderful interpretations of "Over the Rainbow," but this might be my favorite. That's because it's done by someone who should know. E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, who wrote the song, along with composer Harold Arlen. I first came across this when I discovered The Songwriters series on DVD. It's a short-lived TV series (on PBS, I believe), where composers performed their own songs and told the stories behind them. There are two shows to a DVD, and it's highly-worth checking out if you like this sort of thing. I haven't seen them all, so I can't attest to everything, but my favorites are Sheldon Harnick and Kander & Ebb. The one with Alan Jay Lerner is pretty good, as well. (The Netflix user ratings for the series is just mediocre, but don't be thrown off by that. I suspect it's related to the production values being limited, and the songwriters not being Professional Performers. But the best of them sing the bejeepers out of their songs.) The one with Yip Harburg is a bit different. Unlike the others, he does almost no singing -- he knows his limitations -- but rather has a small combo of performers who do most of the honors. What he does provide are the entertaining stories about the songs. That makes it a touch less interesting than the other shows, though the songs themselves stand as pure gems. One of the rare exceptions on the show is the opening number, which is...okay, you can probably guess. As is clear, he's no singer. As is equally clear, he knows "Over the Rainbow" inside and out, down to its depths, and understands every tiny nook of it. When he sings it, it's not the wistful longing of something he wishes could be, the lovely interpretation we're generally used to, but a heart-breaking plea for a better world he achingly wants to be, actually, real. He really wants to know, literally, if birds can fly why, oh, why can't he ? No, Yip Harburg can't sing. All he can do is make you feel like you're hearing one of the best-known and best-loved songs for the first time, and fall in love with it. And interestingly, by the end, he's allowed himself to get so carried away by the song, in a way that is so touching and impressive, considering that he wrote it about 35 years earlier and had probably heard several thousand times. (Side note: His show is paired with Sheldon Harnick, which is appropriate because he was Harnick's hero and mentor. It was hearing Harburg and Burton Lane's Finian's Rainbow that got him interested in going to New York and becoming a lyricist.) Happily, I was able to track down a video of just this one song from the show. The DVD is worth it (combined, as I noted, with Harnick's which is great), but for the time being this saves you the time of watching his whole episode just for these three, magical minutes.
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From the Elisberg Industries Mailbag. Letters We Get Letters. The following was sent to me. Really. Dear Answer Man,
Perhaps you can write me a column that will instruct me on what to say to my mother. I was raised by my folks a die-hard liberal – JFK was their hero, the Peace Corps, folk music hipster who listened to Pete Seeger Woody Guthrie, their best friends were a gay couple when nobody was “out”... you get the picture. My mom and dad were the same way. Well, dad's been gone a few years - now mom lives with a Fox-watching Tea-publican. And my former Bill Maher-watching mom? Fox is all she sees now. She thinks I'm not getting the whole picture. She speaks in bumper stickers. It KILLS me. It's like I lost my mom. I told her we cannot talk politics until she changes the channel. At this point, I'll take any channel. Nickelodeon. It's horrible! Write something on what to say to the brainwashed! It never was this awful on the right. Barry Goldwater, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole. Dwight Eisenhower. Mom doesn't even accept that the Tea Party is extreme right. The BF took her to a rally (kill me). She said they were "such nice people." Help. Lost in Mom Hell Dear Lost, I feel your pain. My brother grew up liberal, then get married, and about 10 years in became conservative. But he didn’t give birth to me, just noogies. One thing you must understand -- you really can't debate such people. Whatever flaws the left may have, it isn’t that they don’t like to argue. It’s their reason for being. New ideas, change, think for yourself, discover the best. Like or hate the ideas (like a 40-hour work week, child labor laws, Social Security, Medicare, civil rights law, Federal Deposit Insurance…), that’s the core starting point. Empathize with others, hug trees, I feel your pain. The unknown future. To boldly go where no one has gone before. On the other hand, the very point of conservatives is a safe refuge in what was good about the past. Give me back my America. There is literally nothing you can say to someone on the right because the whole point is that they have their answers from the past. The mind is locked on what they like about what came before. (like before womenfolk could vote, before blacks could vote, before gays could vote…sorry, I mean, marry, before Social Security, Medicare, child labor laws…) The only thing one can do is ask questions. Get people to face their own hypocrisies rather than tell them they’re wrong. Hopefully that can lead to some sort of revelation. But usually -- well, the best I can do is say, "Here, let me give you a hug..." Hey, it works on trees. Questions you can ask: So, mom, I remember when I was a kid, you used to tell me about Kennedy. What was he like? What did you like about him? Yeah, those things were great. Why did you like them so much? Do you still support those things? Oh, great. Why doesn’t the Tea Party? I see. Well, when they say they want their country back, why do they think it’s “their” country? When I was a kid, it’s funny, I’d always thought you taught me is was all of our country? Did I hear you wrong? I do understand they want their country back, though. There was a lot of good in the past. How far back do they want to take it? Oh, yeah, Reagan seemed like a nice guy. Did you know he created the biggest deficit in U.S. history? No, really, he tripled the budget deficit. Doesn’t the Tea Party really hate budget deficits? I thought so. Then why do you think they're okay with it when a former Defense Secretary said, "Reagan proved that deficits don't matter"? Maybe, but I don’t think it was taken out of context, given that Reagan did triple the deficit. Do you think that context explains why Ronald Reagan sold arms to Saddam Hussein, and also sold him the materials for making anthrax, a weapon of mass destruction? By the way, did you know that the Secretary of Defense who said that was Dick Cheney? Boy, yeah, you’re right, so maybe you’d want to go back further than Reagan. Would you like to go back to Jimmy Carter? Okay, well, then, before him. Would you like to go back to Richard Nixon? Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. How about going back further then. Would you like to go back to John Kennedy? Great! Do you think we could try to convince your friends at the next Tea Party rally to join you and support the things Kennedy stood for? Well, that doesn’t make them very nice people, does it? But wouldn’t they at least like that Kennedy lowered the highest tax rate and support that? Thank God. Do you think they know that what he wanted was to lower it from 91% to 70% -- and also proposed getting rid of most loopholes? No, I can see why they wouldn’t want that. But wouldn’t at least the black Tea Party members support Kennedy’s social issues like civil rights and voting rights and food stamps? There aren’t any? None? Why aren’t there any black members in the Tea Party? Well, that doesn’t make them very nice people, does it? You’re right. That’s just wrong of the Tea Party. I’m surprised to find they have so many right wing positions, aren’t you? Why in the world does your BF take you to Tea Party rallies, then? Geez, that’s sort of creepy of him, isn’t it? Do you think you could get him to open up a bit, and be more accepting to others, like blacks and feminists and gays and liberals and you…I mean, you when you support Kennedy and all the things you taught me, which is why I love you so very much? Do most of the Tea Party most feel the same? Well, that doesn’t make them very nice people, doesn’t it? How critical of the Tea Party is Fox News? But you just said you were. Why aren’t they, too?? Would Fox News at least like all those great issues you love about Kennedy? None of them? That is so wrong, isn’t it? Who’s your favorite woman host on Fox News? Oh. Why do you think that is?? So, is that why they’re not supportive of women’s issues? By the way, what is a transvaginal probe? Eesh, would you want one? No, I wouldn’t think any woman would. Why do they support it on Fox News? You mean they don’t even report it?! But if they don’t report it, how can you decide? Well, I guess that’s why you’ve decided you don’t like liberals anymore. If there was one liberal program you’d want to cut to save the most money, would it be Social Security, then? Oh, yeah, I understand. Maybe you’d cut Medicare? Okay, forget those two, they’re really important programs even if they’re liberal. There must be other liberal programs you hate and would want to cut. How about the 40-hour work week – or child labor laws – or minimum wage – or the Civil Rights Act, federal deposit insurance, the TVA bringing electricity to rural America, unemployment insurance? Yeah, I agree, those are all really good things. Very important. But I’m sure conservatives have come up with a lot of great programs over the years that you love. In the past 50 years, what would you say are your very favorite programs that conservatives have come up with for America? Sure, when you can think of one or two, just send me an email. Oh, I just realized, my favorite show is on now. Can we switch Nickelodeon? Great, let me scroll through. I’m not sure the channel. Let’s see. Oh, wait, look at this news story. Can we just watch it a second? I think her name is Rachel Maddow. She’s very nice, isn’t she mom? But not as nice as you. You’re such a nice person, mom. Always caring about others. Always caring about those in need. Always caring for those who need care. That’s why I love you. Actually, no, that’s just one of the reasons I really, really love you. I love you, mom. Any man would be lucky to have someone as wonderful and kind and open-minded as you. No man puts mom in the corner. Do you want to go out for dinner? No, just the two of us. Just me and my mom. Who I love. Sure, we can wait until Rachel Maddow is over. You want to give me a hug? "The compelling argument is on the side of homosexuals. That is where the compelling argument is. We're Americans, we just want to be treated like everybody else. That's a compelling argument, and to deny that you've got to have a very strong argument on the other side. And the other side hasn't been able to do anything but thump the Bible."
-- Bill O'Reilly, pretty much speaking out on behalf of gay marriage. I think anyone deserves huge credit for finally seeing the light and making a complete reversal of a previously-held draconian opinion. And I do give that credit to Mr. O'Reilly. But it just makes his previous statements on the subject all the more pathetic. After all, it wasn't that Bill O'Reilly had previously just been against gay marriage and made some reasoned, well-thought out comments. No, what Bill O'Reilly had said before were things like -- "You would let everybody get married who want to get married. You want to marry a turtle, you can." I'm not quite sure how you get from A to B, but Bill O'Reilly got there. I do admire his turnaround. I'd just admire it more if he included why he now doesn't think gay marriage is the equivalent of bestiality that will let people (as he's also said) marry ducks, goats and dolphins. What changed for him? It might help others change their minds, too, if he was willing to explain not just that he was wrong, but why. But it also points up another issue, considering how his opinion now is so-180% different from before. It just intensifies the regular perception of him bullying, which is bad enough, but mindless bullying may be worse. But further, it makes you wonder how much he really believed what he said before, and therefore how much he believes whatever he says, or if it's just spouting off things he thinks he should be slamming just because it's on the "other side. Or if he just likes belittling people and being the bully against the under-protected. Again, I do mean it when I say my hat's off to his turn-around. But in some ways, without an explanation, it just makes all the rest of his pontificating seem even worse. How in the world do you get from A to B -- and not address the seismic shift...? Live from Chicago. (Okay, Glenview, but still...)
This will likely only be of interest to people in Los Angeles, but it's a nice tale, anyway. I've never written a love letter to a cab company, so this is a first. Usually when I fly, a friend and I alternate with airport runs for one another. He wasn't available today, so I started checking around on Yelp for a reliable taxi service, since I had to leave early in the morning and there was no wiggle room for screw-ups. There were a couple based in Santa Monica that had reasonable ratings, but when I called they were only licensed to pickup in Santa Monica. No luck there. The only other company that had a good rating -- actually, extremely good, 4-1/2 stars out of five -- was what looked like a mom-and-pop operation, so I was a little wary, not knowing if they'd have enough cabs or what. Silly, silly me. It was an absolute joy. The Sunshine Yellow Cab company. Here's their Yelp page. Even if you're not in L.A., it's fun to read the comments. Actually, they're not a Yellow cab company anymore, and that's part of the fascinating story. Instead, they use these charming, little black Chevvies. (Mine seemed almost new and very clean.) When I called and got the famous Pedro (many of the Yelp comments refer to him) and asked if they picked up from West L.A., he said, "We pick up from anywhere in California." The driver I got was Yolanda -- who I think is Pedro's wife. All the drivers are in the family. They have six cars and 20 drivers who alternate. Yolanda has been driving for 20 years, and was joyfully pleasant. Not overly chipper, just nice. The story (and it's unfortunately quite sad, but wonderful what they built from it) is that her son used to drive a Yellow cab, but was killed for a fare. I didn't get all the story and couldn't tell if it was for another company or this one, but the story centered around having to pick up fares on the street, rather than call-in orders. And she said that she didn't want to use Yellow cabs any more or street pick-ups, and just wanted to run their company the way they wanted. They wanted to get their own, new cabs, wanted them in black, and chose to keep it all in the family. And the end result is that created this wonderful little taxi service. She has clients that have used them for over a decade, many of whom ask for drivers by name. They're always busy, she said, and will pick up from anywhere because they got the licenses that allow them to do so. Since they're so busy, I asked if they've thought of expanding the fleet, but she doesn't want to, it's too much of a headache. She's seen all the problems at companies with too many cars. She and Pedro just want to run a small business they're happy with. And keep it just their family. (Her granddaughter works in the office, for instance.) Maybe they'll add two more cars at some point, but that's all. They've kept the name "Sunshine," she said, because her son had come up with, and she likes it, and wants to honor him. As far as I can tell, from what little calling around I did beforehand, the rates were completely competitive and just fine. (I think it was $37 from where I live in West L.A) But that's almost secondary. What's primary was that this was just a wonderful taxi cab experience, a phrase I never thought I'd type. Whether that will always be the case for everyone -- hey, it's a cab service, things will go wrong. But with 4-1/2 stars, I suspect that they go right far more than almost everyone else. The phone number is 310-306-6667. And don't forget to check out the Yelp user comments, so's that you can see I ain't lying... Lots of family things swirling around, and as a result I have to travel today. I'll try to check in after I arrive, but postings might be less regular over the next few days. Or not. Sometimes the typing fingers just take on a life of their own... About three weeks ago, I saw a couple of actors on a talk show, telling about their upcoming movie defending the White House when there is an attack on it, and a wannabe Secret Service agent not assigned to the President gets caught up in the threat. They seemed to have a good rapport and made the movie look reasonably entertaining. They had a short clip that looked good, as well. So, when I went to see Olympus Has Fallen last weekend -- as you're recall, about defending the White House when there is an attack on it, and a wannabe Secret Service agent not assigned to the President gets caught up in the threat -- that's what I expected, the movie the two actors had just been promoting a few weeks earlier. And as I noted the other day, I was only semi-moderately entertained, and felt more assaulted than having fun.
It turns out what I saw being promoted three weeks ago -- it's another movie entirely. The two actors were Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum. And the movie was the similarly-titled, White House Down. As far as I can tell, the plots overlap, as well, it's just that one is outside terrorists, the other (White House Down) is a domestic threat. I suspect the plots have other difference, but still. Hey, no wonder I was so disoriented by the movie I saw. And at least I now have a second chance to enjoy the movie I thought I was going to enjoy. (More on that in a moment.) By the way, you may know this. If so, you're probably laughing yourself silly at me by now... I really should pay attention to credits more closely, I guess. But the thing is, when there's a movie I know I want to see, I intentionally don't pay much attention to it. I don't want to know the plot, I really don't want to know who all the cast is. If I'm going to go, I want the pleasure of discovery. Boy, howdy, did I ever make a discovery last weekend. The problem is that, although White House Down looks much more entertaining for my taste, with the rapport between the two actors, a less-brutal plot and Roland Emmerich directing -- known for grandiosity, yes, but not assaulting his audiences, more a case of sweep -- I'm not sure if I can sit through another Attack on the White House Movie. We'll see -- the good news is that it's not scheduled to open until June 28, so I have time to recover. In the end, I think that's a large part of why I got flummoxed. I just figured that a movie being promoted at the beginning of March would be released three weeks later -- not four months! By the way, did you know that they just brought back The Wizard of Oz in a new, updated print?! It's odd though -- when I saw it the other week, some of the cast didn't look familiar. I always thought the main character was the little girl, not the wizard. Oh, well, I guess that's what happen when you convert a regular movie to 3D. Things just look different... |
AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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