Category Archives: Video of the Day

Video of the Day: “The Underlying Social Contract”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htX2usfqMEs

I picked up the buzz about this video of Elizabeth Warren on the campaign trail in Massachusetts a couple of days ago and thought I’d post it at the end of the week. Now I find that I’m an also-ran as it begins to pop up everywhere. Even Rush Limbaugh has lumbered onto the scene, pre-emptively declaring Warren a “parasite.” She scares the insurrectionist right already, with the election still fourteen months away. It’s no wonder why.

If you haven’t already seen this video, you’ll be glad you did. This is what a “liberal narrative” sounds like (everybody’s citing what she says beginning at the 50 second mark). It’s so damn simple that it’s hard to imagine why liberal politicians haven’t been able to find it for the last three decades. If Obama had simply picked up the thread Warren follows here, he’d probably have a very different presidency today: one continuously refreshed by the hope he promised instead of deeply compromised and perpetually demoralized by the double-dealing of political nihilists. To know hope is to be able to speak a great truth with simple clarity.

Previous posts on Warren here and here.

Video of the Day: “The Undefeated”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-sxDcBpvx0

Trailer for the documentary about a defeated beauty pageant contestant, defeated vice-presidential candidate, and half-term governor.

The best review so far comes from the conservative New York Post:

Its tone is an excruciating combination of bombast and whining, it’s so outlandishly partisan that it makes Richard Nixon look like Abraham Lincoln and its febrile rush of images — not excluding earthquakes, car wrecks, volcanic eruption and attacking Rottweilers — reminded me of the brainwash movie Alex is forced to sit through in “A Clockwork Orange.” Except no one came along to refresh my pupils with eyedrops.

I’d sooner have watched a Michael Moore movie.

Any Michael Moore movie.

Even “Canadian Bacon.”

On the liberal side of the spectrum, James Wolcott also gets an elbow in:

She decided to play it safe, lending her imprimatur to a movie that appeals solely to her base, much as Elvis did when he made It Happened at the World’s Fair.

Well, let her fans attend the film next week and wank away, it can’t do any harm. Unless it lifts their naive hopes that Palin might run for the presidency, which can only lead to yet more disappointment. Her political career is over, except as a kibitzer.

I’m sorry, but that’s the harsh truth. Dry your tears, dry your lap, and get on with your desperate lives.

That’s how Ronald Reagan would have wanted it.

Videos of the Day: Ukulelemania

Amateur video of “I am the Walrus” played on a boss v-shaped ukulele with licks-o’-fire trim

The ukulele is a gift to the ungifted. Everybody can play, although not just anybody can wring magic from it. I picked it up for the first time nine days ago, and I can approximate a good number of Beatles tunes. The first time I played an F chord, I felt like Pete Townsend. It was so . . . triumphant.

It turns out there’s an extensive ukulele community and lots of video available on YouTube. There’s also one bona fide ukulele hero: Jake Shimabukuro. While his cover of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is justly famous, his version of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” is pretty wow. (Those minor chords.)

After the jump, two performances by the master — including a performance at TED 2010. The instrument deserves this kind of attention. As Jake Shimabukuro observes, “The ukulele is an instrument of peace. If everybody played, the world would be a happier place.”

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Video of the Day/Quote of the Day: “Disastrous for this country and my generation”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFOys8Fqgno

Brigette DePape interviewed by Evan Solomon, who does not question DePape so much as interrupt her to lecture her

“Harper’s agenda is disastrous for this country and for my generation. We have to stop him from wasting billions on fighter jets, military bases, and corporate tax cuts while cutting social programs and destroying the climate. Most people in this country know what we need are green jobs, better medicare, and a healthy environment for future generations.” — Brigette DePape in her press release yesterday

Video of the Day: Bob Dylan and John Lennon in a Cab Talking about Johnny Cash

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEv5cGNbi_4

This is not a joke. It is for real. It happened in 1966. And, yes, they’re probably drunk. At least.

However, Dylan, whose birthday was yesterday, seems to do more talking in this five minute clip than the rest of his seventy years put together.

The Independent yesterday provided a list of 70 reasons why Dylan is the most important popcult figure ever. Number 23:

Because The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was such a huge influence on The Beatles. “We just played it, just wore it out,” said George Harrison. “The content of the song lyrics and just the attitude—it was incredibly original and wonderful.” John Lennon said: “For three weeks… we didn’t stop playing it. We went potty about Dylan.”

Video of the Day: “Penny Lane”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hIV7jwLXt8

The solo begins at 1.09

I’ve been thinking about great instrumental breaks the last couple of days, and one of the greatest and most recognizable is David Mason’s piccolo trumpet solo in the Beatles’ “Penny Lane.” Mason died on April 29th at the age of 85. Obituary here.

See also Frye’s comments on popular music as a form of “musical drama” in the post below.