Last week, some joker made a request for Berlin, even after explicitly acknowledging that I don’t do requests. My petty nature, naturally, made me want to pick this song, which I’m sure makes any real fan of Berlin just ache:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61WPnckcIyE[/youtube]
This, however, gave me my theme for this week. When people in the United States think of the Cold War, I suspect that their view of it was, in no small part, skewed and romanticized by that movie. They experienced the Cold War much like Saint Ronald Reagan experienced World War II – through the movies. They forget the enormous damage it actually did. The human cost involved. The fear. The deaths. How many times we came this fucking close to blowing up the planet.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPV8VAZgXmI[/youtube]
The Cold War had real human consequences across this planet – split nations in half, supported the most brutal of dictators, and left untold numbers dead – but never really touched the United States itself. For that, I am thankful. I just wish that folks here had a better appreciation of that, and how the US ought to be doing its goddamnedest to make sure nothing like that ever happens again. Remembering that it’s Memorial Day isn’t enough.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7CuJ8cR9sg[/youtube]
Peej
Thankfully, the link to the Berlin song that shall not be named is no longer valid. May I suggest the very obvious, but nevertheless excellent 99 Luftballons?
(Also, I am starting to wonder if you secretly have a crystal ball that is divining our Friday playlist favorites)
Mike@Blueweeds
Have I ever told you about my weakness for petty people? I just love the abuse … I know, I know. My “issue”. And seriously, 99 Luftballons was the obvious choice for tonight’s otherwise excellent selection.
Mike@Blueweeds
BTW The attempted link to the Berlin song-which-shall-not-be-named was pretty petty.
MB
Mike, I fixed it for you. You can watch it over and over again, if you like.
~
99 Luftballons didn’t make the cut because I don’t want to participate in the continued defilement-by-misplaced-nostalgia of a perfectly good piece of critical music. I will grant that this post may not have been the ideal place in which to take that stand, though.
Peej
Off topic (sort of) but in the late 80s, Forever Young was the most requested theme and/or last dance song of proms across New Jersey. I don’t think they ever really listened to the lyrics. Heh.
***
I think one answer to not letting good music be an innocent victim, in future posts, is to let Mike and I choose the music edition choices. No? Well I tried.
(Posting something we both disliked heartily doesn’t count, by the way.)