There is plenty in Woody Allen's "Manhattan" that has affected me since I first saw it with my cousin on opening day at the Kings' Plaza twin in Sheepshead Bay in 1978, and after repeated viewings since then. One scene specifically, near the very end, when Woody's character Isaac is speaking into a cassette recorder, reciting his examples of why life is worth living, made the biggest impression. The next day I just had to hear "Potato Head Blues" by Louis Armstrong.
I can't do much in the way of pleasure without immediately thinking of this scene and how I'd love to recite my own random list to an audience of some. In many ways, Burning Wood is my own personal forum for why life is worth living, at least the musical examples. Though Arcade Fire is one musical excuse to take the gas pipe. But that's not why I'm here today.
Yesterday's subway ride home hit me with two of these examples, back to back, courtesy of A-Pod, my trusty ol' iPod--
The Beatles' "No Reply" and Sam Cooke's version of "Frankie & Johnny," two songs that start innocently enough, and then, with little more than the tools these artists brought to the table--read: little to no studio trickery--hit triumphant heights that never fail to make my bumps get goosey.
All Music (www.allmusic.com) lists 927 "occurences" for "Frankie & Johnnie" and 188 "occurences" for "No Reply."
I'm going all in. These two versions are the best.
I know this is nothing you haven't heard before, but aren't we supposed to be spreading some joy this tme of year?
NO REPLY
FRANKIE & JOHNNY
Oh...and here's that scene from "Manhattan."
4 comments:
Good job Sal with this post...
That's twice this week you have helped uplift my spirits....
This is so weird....I had an epiphany(?) about No Reply approx. 6 months ago....listening on the ipod, I actually heard the piano "doorbell" in the background during the line "I saw the lie"...hit me like a thunderbolt...how brilliant and subtle...maybe my imagination...who knows?...who cares?...song went from like 7th favorite to like # 2....amazing gift the boys are....
Oh yeah...re: Manhattan-remember how much trouble we got in for not telling anybody we were going to see it...the milk cartons were getting printed up....worth it....
beautiful. reposting...
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