Laurie Anderson

I was looking around for a video to add my my blog. I ran across a few videos by Laurie Anderson. For those who don't know of Ms. Anderson, she was an avant-garde musical artist back in the 1980s. Apparently she is still active today. She has a short video for the PBS documntary series "Art:21 - Art in the 21st Century" where she explains her approach to art.

Her album, Big Science, is where I discovered her. This is what Wikipedia says.

Pretty much all my friends have said... "Ummm... you like this?! Do you think this music?" No matter, with my eclectic taste in music, I do like her music.

A friend had lent me the Big Science album and I loved it. Back then in my small town no record stores carried this album. (During the pre-internet days it was hard to buy anything not carried in town.) This friend had gotten the album on one of his trips to Minneapolis. I had another friend record it onto cassette tape so I could have a copy and continue to listen to the music. This friend did not like her music and declared his record player would never be the same.

I love all the songs on this album, and played it and played it. I think I knew all the lyrics back then. But I haven't listened to the album in over a decade. I need to find it and listen again. It's great to find a few of her videos online.

In my blog's sidebar I have a link to the "O Superman" video from this album. This link is to the Wikipedia listing about the song. Laurie only made 4 formal videos and "O Superman" is the only one from this album.

At the time I was majoring in computer science. I remember that for a project that involved word manipulation I used the lyrics from several of the album's songs. I got an "A" on the project and feedback that the person grading my program loved my choice of words.

Here are the lyrics in case you didn't follow earlier link to the album. Keep in mind when reading them the electronic music and her phrasing and pauses greatly add to the song's effect. You either like it or you don't - there is no in-between.

I also have her album, "Mister Heartbreak", which is another good album. William S. Burroughs participated on one of the album's songs.


The following video is from her concert film (and album), "Home of the Brave". You know, and I should remember for sure, but I think I may have seen this movie in Minneapolis back in 1986. At the Uptown Theater. 20 years ago - no wonder my memory is fuzzy!
The "Language is a Virus" song title is a quote from William S. Burroughs.

• Paradise
  Is exactly like
  Where you are right now
  Only much much
  Better.
  

Language Is A Virus (Laurie Anderson)