Thoughts :
A good proportion of the lyrics barely resonated with me for the sole reason that I have never studied American history in-depth. What struck me though was the lyric about Iraq, “The skies over Baghdad have been illuminated.”
I didn’t understand why the person who mixed this track would put in such a line since it relates to the US Invasion of Iraq which was one of the biggest atrocities in recent history and led to absolute political instability in the region as well as influenced the rise of modern terrorism.
I don’t find this track to be particularly inspiring because of the fact that it is very US-centered and there were several, more significant events that took place in the last century that had nothing to do with the US.
This also brings up an important point with regards to conveying a story – while the sound effects and techniques might be impressive, it will inevitably be overlooked by the masses if it doesn’t have content that resonates well with the masses.
The first words I spoke in the original phonograph, Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow, and everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.
“The distinguished flying cross upon Colonel Charles Lindberg”
“Today, panicked investors ordered their brokers to sell at whatever the price in the stock market crashed.”
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
“Horrific place, ladies and gentlemen, the smoke and the flames now. Oh, the humanity!”
“Now, with the help and support of the woman I love.”
“Urging the people to evacuate the city as Martians approach.”
“Never to go to war with one another again”
“. . .Juden. . .”
“This country is at war with Germany.”
“December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy.”
“This is Bob Command performance Hope telling each Nazi that s in Russia today that, “Crimea doesn t pay. ”
“I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
“President Franklin D. Roosevelt stricken late today.”
“The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.”
“Reports from the new Germany tell of horrors leading to the total extermination of the Jews of Europe.”
“An iron curtain has descended across the continent of Europe.”
“Jackie Robinson goes to bat for the first time in a Major League.”
“Old soldiers never die. They just fade away.”
“It was a little cocker spaniel dog, and our little girl, Tricia, the six year old, named it Checkers ”
“Are you a member of the Communist Party?”
“Oh, a cop, eh. Woo, woo, woo.” – THE THREE STOOGES
“Or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?”
“A blast from the past! A blast from the past! A blast from the past!” “Baby, you re the greatest.”
“From Sun Recording artist, Elvis Presley”
“I d like to thank all, all the wonderful folks, and I d like to thank you, too.”
“Three young singers were killed today in the crash of a light plane.”
“American bandstand. And now, here he is, the star of our show, Dick Clark.”
“Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
“They re standing up, waiting to see if Maris is going to hit number 61”
“Godspeed, John Glenn.”
“Happy birthday, Mr. President.”
“Wondering how and why Marilyn Monroe died.”
“Something has happened in the motorcade. President Kennedy died at 1p.m. Central Standard Time”
“Lee Harvey Oswald was shot.”
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
“And I say segregation now”
“What we have foremost in common is their enemy.”
“Segregation tomorrow”
And segregation forever”
He’s an enemy to all of us.”
“I have a dream”
“I am about to sign into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
“The Beatles!”
“And today I ordered to Vietnam the Air Mobile Division. Additional forces will be needed later and they will be sent.”
“I have very sad news for all of you. Martin Luther King was shot and was killed tonight in Memphis Tennessee.”
“Senator Kennedy has been shot. Is that possible?”
“As he said many times in many parts of this nation, Some men see things as they are and say, Why? I dream things that never were and say, Why not? ”
“That s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
“It s a free concert from now on.”
“We must be in Heaven, man”
“Four persons including two women were shot and killed in Ohio today. Hundreds of students were involved as National Guard”
“There ll be a killer and a thriller and a chiller when I get the gorilla in Manila.”
“I have concluded an agreement to end the War and bring peace with honor in Vietnam.”
“There’s a drive into left center field. That ball is gonna be, out of here. It s gone. It’s 715. There s a new home run champion of all time and it s Henry Aaron.”
“Well, I m not a crook”
“Hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’s Johnny!”
“I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow.”
“An absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon.”
“My name is Jimmy Carter, and I m running for President.”
“Live from New York, it s Saturday Night.”
“Elvis Presley died today at Baptist Hospital in Memphis.”
“John Lennon was brought to the Emergency Room. He was dead on arrival.”
“Today marks day number 64 in the hostage crisis in Iran.”
“I, Diana Frances take thee Philip Charles Arthur George”
“To my wedded husband.”
“To my wedded husband.”
“A disease striking primarily in the gay community called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. ”
“The liftoff of the 25th Space Shuttle Mission, and it has cleared the tower. Rock and roll, Challenger.”
“We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, as they prepared for their journey and waved Goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.”
“I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the Presidency.”
“Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”
“Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall.”
“I don’t think it was wrong.”
“We did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages.”
“I think it was a neat idea.”
“Everyone on Sesame Street is always talking about love. Yuck”
“Hundreds of Berliners from East and West, standing atop the Wall, with chisels and hammers.”
“The skies over Baghdad have been illuminated.”
“Read my lips.”
“We, the jury, in the above entitled action, find the defendant, O.J Simpson, not guilty of the crime of murder, a felony, upon Nicole Brown Simpson, a human being.”
“Princess Diana died of injuries suffered in a car accident”
“I’m Ellen and I’m gay.”
“Yeah, baby.”
“There it is, 62, folks, and we have a new home run champion, Mark McGure.”
“Welcome, you’ve got mail.”
“I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
“This vast right-wing conspiracy conspiring against my husband.”
“Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat”
“Indeed I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinski that was not appropriate. It was wrong. I need to go back to work for the American people.”
“The young killers of Columbine High School do not stand for the spirit of America. We can rise up and we can say No more. ”
“Let the word go forth from this time and place, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.”