CSI - 1800's

Mucho years ago, when I was a kid, my mom used to take me to the Theater for the Deaf. There were generally two actors for each character--one signing and the other speaking. In the program, there would be a list of what sign was used for each name.

"Edgar Allen Poe" was a biography, interspersed with reenactments of some of the more famous stories. The signing Poe was "P" to the heart and the speaking Poe was "P" to the head. They conversed, these two, each telling the other he was perfectly sane. I might have eight or nine.

This was my introduction to Poe.

The deaf aren't going to hear the beating of a tell-tale heart. However, they can feel it when the bass of the speakers has been turned up, and I could feel it too, and it just about beat beat beat the crap out of me. It was the most terrifying thing I had ever witnessed. And when that fake head was pulled out of the floor with the under-lighting and they turned it around to show that awful eye, I screamed like a banshee.

I don't remember if anyone else screamed. I do remember that no one heard me but Mom.

Vincent Price, not to be undone, did his own version.

As much as I love James Mason's version, here's one by Iggy Pop:


And in other cautionary tales of sloppy body disposal, here's Diamanda Galas reading "The Black Cat":


Which I guess goes to that rule of mystery writing. "Never kill a cat."

And that ends our week of Poe!

Towns of Doom

Well, last night, we talked about Poe's dead ladies. Tonight, let's look at Poe's dead cities.

Ed Saunders - "The Haunted Palace"


Deborah Harry and the Jazz Passengers - "The City in the Sea"

Poe's Hos

It's "Ladies' Night" here at Tunes of Doom, and we'll take a brief gander at the girl Mr. Poe married. I say "girl" because she was thirteen at the time.

Virginia Eliza Clemm and Edgar Allen were married back in 1835, when you could get away with stuff like that. She died at 24 of tuberculosis. Maybe, he had some influence on her. Here's one of her poems:

Ever with thee I wish to roam —
Dearest my life is thine.
Give me a cottage for my home
And a rich old cypress vine,
Removed from the world with its sin and care
And the tattling of many tongues.
Love alone shall guide us when we are there —
Love shall heal my weakened lungs;
And Oh, the tranquil hours we'll spend,
Never wishing that others may see!
Perfect ease we'll enjoy, without thinking to lend
Ourselves to the world and its glee —
Ever peaceful and blissful we'll be.

There's no doubt that she had an influence on him. Besides the mysterious "Lenore" from "The Raven" and the eponymous "Annabel Lee", Poe had a bit of a hang-up for the dead girls.

Ed Sanders - "To Helen"


Jeff Buckly - "Ulalume"


Gavin Friday - "For Annie"


Dr John - "Berenice" (this one is a bit long)


Teeth, man. That just freaks me out.

The Conqueror Worm

LO! 't is a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years.
An angel throng, bewinged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre to see
A play of hopes and fears,
While the orchestra breathes fitfully
The music of the spheres....

Poe really outdoes himself with this poem, I think. Here's a super creepy version with the impeccable Ken Nordine reading. That version was actually used in this little mash-up, "JuxtiPoeCreature", by Juxtaposeur:



It's also the alternate title to a movie--the only one I can think of where it does not look like Vincent Price is having fun.

The Raven!

I adore Vincent. But Chris has a nice thing going here:



No, not that Christopher.

Lordy, I think everyone has a version of this.

Yup, everyone:

"Alone" and "Annbell Lee"

Going back to the lovely people at WFMU (who you should all be listening to), we have three tales ready by Mr. James Mason. I have Marianne Faithful, whose voice is just as hypnotic.

Alone:


Annabelle Lee:

Let's start a week of Poe!

Edgar Allan Poe is all things Halloween and very American.

He also invented the detective story. It's true! "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is considered the first "detective" story (although there are cryptologic aspects to "The Gold Bug".)

With that in mind, I find it somewhat fitting that Basil Rathbone, a man who owes his career to detective stories, should read one of Poe's more lyrical tales, The Masque of the Red Death.

Now, my copy isn't all Basil like that, but I've got Gabriel Byrne, and he played the devil once.



Ooooo, William S. Burroughs. You know, I used to have a copy of that video game.