Emily Bergl

Actress Emily Bergl attends the Broadway opening night of "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on October 13, 2010 in New York City.

The Poetry of Rock n' Roll: "The Queen Is Dead"

In honor of National Poetry Month, each week I am featuring poetic lyrics of rock or pop songs.

This week, let's read the work of Steven Patrick Morrissey, songwriter and vocalist for the legendary British group The Smiths. Morrissey's lyrics have always naturally had a literary bent to them since his interests lie in the literary world. Marked by references to writers and poets as much as film and pop stars, Morrissey's lyrics often feature clever turns of phrase, black humor, and a deeply psychological confessional-style narrative.

Here is "The Queen Is Dead" from the 1986 album of the same name. I am deliberately not including the actual song in this post because I want the focus to be on the words.

The Queen Is Dead
by The Smiths

Through this land's cheerless marshes
Hemmed in like a boar between arches
Her very Lowness with her head in a sling
I'm truly sorry - but it sounds like a wonderful thing

I say Charles, don't you ever crave
To appear on the front of the Daily Mail
Dressed in your Mother's bridal veil ?

And so, I checked all the registered historical facts
And I was shocked into shame to discover
How I'm the 18th pale descendant
Of some old queen or other

Oh, has the world changed, or have I changed ?
Oh has the world changed, or have I changed ?
Some 9-year old tough who peddles drugs
I swear to God,
I swear : I never even knew what drugs were

So, I broke into the palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said : "Eh, I know you, and you cannot sing"
I said : "That's nothing - you should hear me play piano"

We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
But when you're tied to your Mother's apron
No-one talks about castration

We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
Like love and law and poverty
Oh, these are the things that kill me

We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
But the rain that flattens my hair ...
Oh, these are the things that kill me

Past the Pub who saps your body
And the church who'll snatch your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb
Past the Pub that wrecks your body
And the church - all they want is your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb

Life is very long, when you're lonely…

http://www.itsmorrisseysworld.com/
There is no official website for The Smiths.

Currently listening to...

...the old-school House music sound of "Turn Me Out" by Russ Chimes. This is the kind of song I would have heard on the dance floor, back in my clubbing days, that would have sent me running to the DJ booth yelling, "WHAT IS THIS? I HAVE TO HAVE IT!"

http://www.russchimes.com/

Congratulations, France!

Today, France became the world's fourteenth nation to approve marriage rights for same-sex couples. The lower house of the French Parliament passed the "marriage for all" law, sponsored by President Hollande, by a vote of 331 to 225. Although protests continue--even after the law has won--from the far right and the radical Christian agenda along with Jews and Muslims, this is certainly a time to celebrate.

Congratulations, France!

R.I.P. Chrissy Amphlett

We have lost one of the great voices of rock n' roll. Chrissy Amphlett, lead singer of the Australian band Divinyls has died at the all-too-young age of 53 from a three year battle with breast cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

The band's first release in 1983, "Desperate," featuring Amphlett on the cover in her iconic schoolgirl uniform and fishnet hose, ripped into the rock world. Her reedy, gravelly growl was immediately identifiable and gave the band an edge and a quality that demanded attention. Listen to "Elsie," the chilling, epic final track from "Desperate" in which Amphlett roars and rumbles (at the 3:26 mark).

She never had an education
She uses life as her vocation
Standing on ledges, clinging to the edges
The world's a hard place to land on

She has this one way conversation
Trying to avoid a confrontation
Memories of the kind that she'd rather leave behind
The worlds' a hard place to land on

Life can be lonely
Life can be very sad
Life can be something you wish you'd never had

She never had any affection
So she relates well to rejection
No stories wait discovery
Dreams have passed recovery
Never had a chance from the beginning

She just sleeps all day
In her squalid little slum
And takes little white pills
To make her body feel all numb
And it's dark and dirty
And there's nothing left to eat
And in her heart there's a feeling of defeat
Smells of bugs and fornication
And a bottle of cheat scent
Should she stick around
If this is all that life meant

Life can be lonely
Life can be very sad
Life can be something you wish you'd never had

Open the door Wally, open the door Wally


Her New York Times obit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/arts/music/christina-amphlett-divinyls-singer-dies-at-53.html?_r=0

BEAUTY: Photography--Paul Octavious

Not only did photographer and designer Paul Octavious photograph these whimsical flying cameras, he built them himself! He says, "I built Camera Birds from cameras handed down to me from my Grandpa and others that I've collected over the years. Sometimes I wish I could get really, really high off the ground to shoot a scene below. I know these guys will get the perfect shot."

Prints are available at his shop. Visit his site linked below.

http://pauloctavious.com/

BEAUTY: Photography--Matt Molloy

These colorful time-lapse clouds at sunset were created by Matt Molloy, who overlaps hundreds and hundreds of photos of a sunset to achieve this bewitching effect.

http://500px.com/MattMolloy