Please Don't 03/17/2010
 

This is one track, with vocals by Santigold and with video culled from archival footage, from David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's Here Lies Love (Todomundo/Nonesuch Records, 2010).

"Through a series of songs written by David Byrne, with musical contributions from Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), Songs from Here Lies Love presents Imelda Marcos meditating on events in her life, from her childhood spent in poverty and her rise to power to her ultimate departure from the palace. In particular, the production looks at the relationship between Imelda and a servant from her childhood, Estrella Cumpas, who appeared at key moments in Imelda's life." (Here Lies Love, 2010)

David Byrne, in his Introduction, has this to say:

“The story I am interested in is about asking what drives a powerful person—what makes them tick? How do they make and then remake themselves? I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great if—as this piece would be principally composed of clubby dance music—one could experience it in a club setting? Could one bring a ‘story’ and a kind of theater to the disco? Was that possible? If so, wouldn’t that be amazing!”

For some of us who grew up in Leyte, Imelda Marcos was this mythical figure we had to "slay" at some point in our lives. Now I have the soundtrack to go with the ritual purging.
 
 
What do you do in this time of climate change?

Watching what the Carteret islanders are going through might give you some ideas. This short documentary featured in the Media that Matters Film Festival was an eye-opener for me.


Thank you, Lina, for alerting me to this site.