‽istis
seeks a tone and a tune for the times (weekending
May 9th 2020)
‽istis takes a leaf out of ‘The Little Book of Tunes Appropriate for A Pandemic’ and seeks the right tone (as approved by a Secretary of State) for the times:
‽
how long ago it perhaps
seems since the ‘Dancing Queen’ sashayed across the stage of public
consciousness; when the decision to ‘leave’ or ‘remain’ was not one that had to
be made at everybody’s’ front door, every time, now that ‘remain’ has become Government
policy and a way to save lives
‽
how possibly macabre
and perverse seems the ‘Live and Let Die’ soundscape apparently heard behind
part of the visit to Honeywell’s mask-making factory by another who perhaps
thinks that they are immune and that, maybe, guidance doesn’t apply to them[i]
‽
how premature
might seem the whistling, in the generally empty highstreets, of that F.D.Roosevelt
favourite: ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’
So, ‽istis wonders what type of leadership is required for these times: ‘I Won’t Back Down’ from a G.W.Bush rally (before the possibly heart-breaking, maybe petty ‘cease and desist’ request after which, presumably, there was some backing down)? Ross Perot’s ‘Crazy’? John McCain’s ‘Take a Chance on Me’? Barack Obama’s ‘Yes We Can’?[ii]
Possibly joining monarchists and republicans alike, ‽istis doffs the hat to the speech writer of genius who caught the tone of pandemic restrictions and inspired an heroic fundraising veteran’s bid for pop stardom - whilst invoking the spirit that could see a country through to VE Day and beyond - with the words (and a powerful, unsurprisingly majestic use of the semi-colon): ‘While we may have more still to endure, better days will return; we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.’[iii]
And, finally, ‽istis hears the strains of another time and another anthem, wafting on a breeze of optimism: ‘Things Can Only Get Better’… Perhaps, possibly, maybe there could indeed be a reclaiming of the hope that ‘a new dawn’ is breaking[iv] - even with rainbows appearing not far behind.
‽istis wonders whether the later work of D:Ream’s one time keyboard player, Brian Cox, may give a clue? As a reviewer of Prof Cox’s 2019 ‘Universal: Adventures in Space and Time’ arena tour show observed: ‘by the time Cox concludes with “the planet is all we have, so let’s treasure it”, you’re left in awe of the rarity and preciousness of humanity, the skies, our Earth, and the magic all around us.’ [v]
© Pistis
[i] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/06/new-questions-arise-about-trumps-event-honeywell-mask-factory/
and https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52553229
[ii] https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/american-presidential-campaign-songs-that-have-backfired-on-the-candidates-a6883811.html
Presumably John Kerry remained a ‘Fortunate Man’ though Rudi Giuliani did apparently
fail after clashing with his opponent
[v] https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/jun/05/how-we-made-d-ream-things-can-only-get-better-tony-blair-election-alistair-campbell-
(piece by Dave Simpson 5.6.2017) https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/sep/13/professor-brian-cox-review
(review also by Dave Simpson 13.9.2019)
