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AMATEUR HOUR
To The Best of Our Knowledge
from Wisconsin Public Radio
It sounds like a deal in the ads - submit your poems,
have them set to music, and start a fascinating new career as a
hit songwriter. Of course your chance of success is slim to none
and you have to pay for the privilege. In this hour of To the
Best of Our Knowledge, the strange subculture of song-poems.
And Timothy Ferris talks about the important role amateurs play
in astronomy.
SEGMENT 1:
Herman Gollob is the author of "Me
and Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard." He tells Steve
Paulson how he became addicted to Shakespeare's plays in his
later life
and why he teaches them to senior citizens. And we hear some
of the performances that inspired Gollob.
SEGMENT 2:
Timothy Ferris is the author of nearly a
dozen books of popular science, including "Seeing in the
Dark: How Backyard Stargazers Are Probing Deep Space and Guarding
Earth from Interplanetary Peril." Ferris tells Anne Strainchamps
that seeing Mars through his first telescope at age 12 got him
hooked on star-gazing, and outlines the valuable contributions
backyard astronomers continue to make. Also, Peter Larson
is a professional paleontologist and commercial fossil hunter.
His book is "Rex Appeal: The Story of Sue, the Dinosaur that
Changed Science, the Law and My Life." He tells Steve Paulson
about the t-rex skeleton his team found in South Dakota and all
the trouble it got him into.
SEGMENT 3:
Jamie Meltzer directed a documentary film
called "Off the Charts." It's about the business of
"song-poems." Meltzer tells Jim Fleming what happens
when you answer one of those ads in the back of a magazine and
send in your poem and a check. And of course, we hear lots of
song-poems set to music and excerpts from the film. Also, A
song-poem about TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE is set
to music by Art Kaufman of Magic Key Productions,
and you get to hear that, too!
Cassette copies are available
at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 03-09-21-B.
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Links:
Books:
- Peter Larson and Kristin
Donnan, Rex Appeal: The Amazing Story of Sue, the Dinosaur
That Changed Science, the Law, and My Life (Invisible Cities
Press)
- Herman Gollob, Me and
Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard" (Doubleday)
- Timothy Ferris, Seeing
in the Dark: How Backyard Stargazers Are Probing Deep Space and
Guarding Earth from Interplanetary Peril" (Simon &
Schuster)
Music:
- -- "Hamlet"/John Wesley
Harding
Available as a free download from John Wesley Harding's website
http://www.wesweb.net/audio/index.html#hamlet
- -- "Jurassic Park Theme"/Boston Pops
Orchestra John Williams, conductor from the CD, "John Williams
Great Hits 1969-1999" (Sony Classical)
- -- "Theme from Star Trek"/John Thulin,
piano & Jeff Eckels, bass
from the CD, "Wha'Duo Ya Know About Standards?" (Newport
Classic)
http://www.newport-cd.com/
- -- "I'm A Little Dinosaur"/Jonathan Richman
and the Modern Lovers
from the CD, "The Beserkley Years: The Best of Jonathan Richman
and the Modern Lovers" (Beserkley Records/Rhino)
- -- "Patricia"/Billy May & His Orchestra
from the CD, "Ultra-Lounge Volume Eleven: Organs in Orbit"
(Capitol)
http://www.ultralounge.com
- -- "Song of the Burmese Land"/Cara Stewart
from the CD, "The American Song-Poem Anthology: Do You Know
The Difference Between Big Wood and Brush" (Bar/None Records
http://www.bar-none.com/bios/aspma.htm
- -- "Aliens Stole My Dog"/Artist: David
Fox - Lyrics by Gary Forney
from the CD, "Beyond The Charts" (Magic Key Publishing)
- -- "Chicken Insurrection"/Gary Forney
from the film, "Off The Charts: The Song-Poem Story"
- -- "Tahiti"/Rodd Keith - from the CD,
"I Died Today" (Tzadik)
http://www.tzadik.com
- -- "Non-Violent Taekwando Troopers"/Artist:
David Fox
Lyrics by Caglar Singletary - from the CD, "Beyond The Charts"
(Magic Key Publishing")
- -- "Jimmy Carter Says 'Yes"/Gene Marshall
from the CD, "The American Song-Poem Anthology: Do You Know
The Difference Between Big Wood and Brush" (Bar/None Records)
http://www.bar-none.com/bios/aspma.htm
- -- "The Flitting Firefly"/Rodd Keith
- from the CD, "I Died Today" (Tzadik)
http://www.tzadik.com
- -- "To The Best Of Our Knowledge Song-Poem"/Performed
by Art Kaufman - Music by Art Kaufman
http://www.redrockrecords.com/
Distribution dates:
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Questions and comments can
be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org
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