Today is Your Favorite Spiritual-or-Secular Song. This category is not intended to be construed as encompassing everything (as it could be read) but, instead, is supposed to be taken in the vein that "everyone has something they do religiously".
The Weight by The Band and The Staples Singers (from the film The Last Waltz, directed by Martin Scorsese) is mine. At first glance, key lyrics (Nazareth, Moses, Judgement Day) hint that this is a religious song. But, each of the stanzas end with all-too human results...the listener eventually realizes that the song's protagonist (as it were) is just a normal human trying, failing, helping, and—ultimately—only succeeding in carrying his own load.
I've been a fan of this film, and especially this version of The Weight, since 1979 when I saw it in the Oriental Theater on Milwaukee's East Side. It was fantastic on the huge single screen. (The Oriental was, unfortunately, sliced into four small screens decades ago). 32 years ago, ten dollars got you a punch-card good for five admissions, which covered all the films showing that day except for the weekend midnight show (Rocky Horror). Normally there were two alternating films, unless a film was longer than three hours (e.g. The Seven Samurai, Lawrence of Arabia). When I saw The Last Waltz it was paired with The Concert for Bangladesh.
I also recall these double features:
Day 24: A Favorite From Your First Compilation Album
The Weight by The Band and The Staples Singers (from the film The Last Waltz, directed by Martin Scorsese) is mine. At first glance, key lyrics (Nazareth, Moses, Judgement Day) hint that this is a religious song. But, each of the stanzas end with all-too human results...the listener eventually realizes that the song's protagonist (as it were) is just a normal human trying, failing, helping, and—ultimately—only succeeding in carrying his own load.
I've been a fan of this film, and especially this version of The Weight, since 1979 when I saw it in the Oriental Theater on Milwaukee's East Side. It was fantastic on the huge single screen. (The Oriental was, unfortunately, sliced into four small screens decades ago). 32 years ago, ten dollars got you a punch-card good for five admissions, which covered all the films showing that day except for the weekend midnight show (Rocky Horror). Normally there were two alternating films, unless a film was longer than three hours (e.g. The Seven Samurai, Lawrence of Arabia). When I saw The Last Waltz it was paired with The Concert for Bangladesh.
I also recall these double features:- King of Hearts & Women in Love (starring Alan Bates)
- O' Lucky Man & If... (starring Malcolm McDowell)
- Zardoz & Deliverance (directed by John Boorman)
- Demon Seed & 2001 (starring evil computer)
- Last Tango in Paris & Midnight Cowboy (X rated)
- Pink Flamingos & Female Trouble (directed by John Waters)
- Sleuth & Marathon Man (starring Laurence Oliver)
- Harold and Maude & Being There (directed by Hal Ashby)
Day 24: A Favorite From Your First Compilation Album
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