Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Dialogue.

Part 1. Chicago. 1972. This certainly seems like a dated political protest song (which it was), but these lyrics are still meaningful today, 38 years later.



Diaogue Filmed Live Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, Nov 1972

Q. Are you optimistic 'bout the way things are going?

A. No, I never ever think of it at all

Q. Don't you ever worry, When you see what's going down?

A. Will, I try to mind my business, that is, no business at all

Q. When it's time to function as a feeling human being, Will your bachelor of arts help you get by?

A. I hope to study further, a few more years or so, I also hope to keep a steady high

Q. Will you try to change things, Use the power that you have, the power of a million new ideas?

A. What is this power you speak of and this need for things to change? I always thought that everything was fine

Q. Don't you feel repression just closing in around?

A. No, the campus here is very, very free

Q. Don't it make you angry the way war is dragging on?

A. Well, I hope the president knows what he's into, I don't know

Q. Don't you ever see the starvation in the city where you live? All the needless hunger, all the needless pain?

A. I haven't been there lately, the country is so fine. But my neighbors don't seem hungry 'cause they haven't got the time

Q. Thank you for the talk, you know you really eased my mind. I was troubled by the shapes of things to come

A. Well, if you had my outlook your feelings would be numb. You'd always think that everything was fine.


We can make it happen.


Mr. Q above was sung by Terry Kath (RIP), and Mr. A was sung by Peter Cetera.

Sorry, this deviates from my typical food postings, but I just couldn't get this song out of my head today.

4 comments:

The Stumbling Mom said...

Double WOW! Seems nothing ever changes. War, hunger, apathy, all those are still with us no matter how much we've stived to eliminate them.

Chris said...

Whether you are apathetic or an activist, liberal or conservative, hawk or dove, (insert any pair of opposites you wish), it certainly makes you think. Which was probably the original intention, if The Stumbling Engineer may be so bold as to interpret poetry. Given the title and format of the song, I'm probably not far off target.

The Stumbling Mom said...

You are certainly not off target, but what does it make you think? What about the last line - "We can make it happen"? What did they want to happen?

Chris said...

In engineering school, the professor would say "that is left as an exercise for the student". In real life it's more complicated, of course