That "Sopranos Theme Song" Spoken Intro
[Posted by reader_iam]
In one of the drive-by posts that constitutes blogging for me these days, I made reference Sunday night to the spoken intro of the A3 song which, over the past eight years, has morphed into the "The Sopranos Theme song." Of course, it didn't start out that way. David Chase found it--who knows when, precisely--and having chosen it, set it on a different path entirely. (Or was there a dance involved? Who knows? Remember, David Chase first pursued a different path.)
Anyway, while Googling tonight for some related information, I discovered this blog, and specifically this post, which opened with the spoken word intro to the A3 song. Though I have no illness attached to the memory, I had pretty much the same early reaction that this blogger had when first encountering the "Sopranos Theme Song." Bob (the blogger of this post), however, has a lot more to say, and about more of the song choices.
As for me, I'm still in drive-by mode, and I didn't find, at least yet, precisely what I was seeking in my Google travels. But I do think it's fun--"fun"--in context to contemplate the story and person of Eric Dolphy, among other people and topics.
I also want to give a nod to Amba, who was interested enough to look for that spoken intro (which I deliberately had not provided, out of curiosity about others' curiosity), and on one of whose posts I commented, in part: "But I do think the Shakespearian/Dickensian prism is not the one I'd choose... . I'm not sure I'd even use literature as the primary referent... ."
(P.S. Only slightly OT, I enjoyed dipping back into my old, dusty copy of Mingus' autobiography, Beneath the Underdog, late Sunday night/early Monday morning. The thing is, you sort of have to maintain a similar mindset to that required for reading Salvador Dali's depictions of his own life and work. Fact and truth and all that jazz don't always neatly overlap--and as for expectations and prisms?
Fuhgeddaboudit.)
In one of the drive-by posts that constitutes blogging for me these days, I made reference Sunday night to the spoken intro of the A3 song which, over the past eight years, has morphed into the "The Sopranos Theme song." Of course, it didn't start out that way. David Chase found it--who knows when, precisely--and having chosen it, set it on a different path entirely. (Or was there a dance involved? Who knows? Remember, David Chase first pursued a different path.)
Anyway, while Googling tonight for some related information, I discovered this blog, and specifically this post, which opened with the spoken word intro to the A3 song. Though I have no illness attached to the memory, I had pretty much the same early reaction that this blogger had when first encountering the "Sopranos Theme Song." Bob (the blogger of this post), however, has a lot more to say, and about more of the song choices.
As for me, I'm still in drive-by mode, and I didn't find, at least yet, precisely what I was seeking in my Google travels. But I do think it's fun--"fun"--in context to contemplate the story and person of Eric Dolphy, among other people and topics.
I also want to give a nod to Amba, who was interested enough to look for that spoken intro (which I deliberately had not provided, out of curiosity about others' curiosity), and on one of whose posts I commented, in part: "But I do think the Shakespearian/Dickensian prism is not the one I'd choose... . I'm not sure I'd even use literature as the primary referent... ."
And after three days of drinkin' with Larry Love
I just get an inklin' to go on home
So, I'm walkin' down Coldharbour Lane
Head hung low, three or four in the mornin'
The suns comin' up and the birds are out singing
I let myself into my pad
Wind myself up that spiral staircase
An' stretch out nice on the chesterfield
Pithecanthropus Erectus already on the CD player
And I just push that remote button to sublimity
And listen to the sweet sculptural rhythms of Charles Mingus
And J.R. Monterose and Jackie Mclean
Duet on those saxophones
And the sound makes it's way outta the window
Minglin' with the traffic noises outside, you know and
All of a sudden I'm overcome by a feelin' of brief mortality
'Cause I'm gettin' on in the world
Comin' up on forty-one years
Forty-one stoney gray steps towards the grave
You know the box, awaits it's grissly load
Now, I'm gonna be food for worms
And just like Charles Mingus wrote
That beautiful piece-a music, 'Epitaph for Eric Dolphy'
I say, so long Eric, so long, John Coltrane
And Charles Mingus, so long, Duke Ellington
And Lester Young, so long, Billie Holliday
And Ella Fitzgerald, so long, Jimmy Reed
So long, Muddy Waters, and so, long Howlin' Wolf
(Wo-wo-woke up this mornin')
Woke up this mornin'
Got yourself a gun
...
(P.S. Only slightly OT, I enjoyed dipping back into my old, dusty copy of Mingus' autobiography, Beneath the Underdog, late Sunday night/early Monday morning. The thing is, you sort of have to maintain a similar mindset to that required for reading Salvador Dali's depictions of his own life and work. Fact and truth and all that jazz don't always neatly overlap--and as for expectations and prisms?
Fuhgeddaboudit.)
Labels: A3, Creativity, Mingus, Sopranos, Woke Up This Morning
