Beatles Redux

[Steve]

>>Well, Pynchon seems to have a soft spot for the more elegant,
least self-conscious of pop musics.  The Beatles are I think a
little too contrived for his tastes.  The beach Boys, now, there
you have it, pop perfection without overwhelming ironies. <<

Didn't someone post some information about TRP's appearance on the Cavett
show?  I took some personal pleasure in the alleged (and shared) selection
of I Am The Walrus as a favorite.  This would not seem to be a "contrived"
piece to me and it surely far outstrips any Beach Boy song I've heard with
regard to irony (though I do love Heroes and Villains).  It is easily the
most Pynchonesqe of Beatle songs:  "Semolina Pilchard climbing up the
Eiffel Tower...I am the Eggman, They are the Eggmen, I am the Walrus, etc."

This, of course, plays into the excellent observation about this thread's
invitation to create god in our own image.

Ah yes.  I found it.


>>>>>>Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 20:20:09 +0200 (EET)
From: Heikki Raudaskoski
> And, of course, there's the infamous 1973 Dick Cavett TV interview where
> Pynchon sits behind an opaque screen and refuses to take Cavett's questions
> seriously.

Yes, my favourite episode in that _Dick Cavett Show_ has always
been the next:

DC:  "As you probably know, I had the honor to host John and Yoko
     last week. They showed us some short films of theirs and all.
     Well, this leads me to ask: what is your favorite Beatles song?
     Let me guess: it must be 'Nowhere Man', ... or, 'I'm Looking
     Through You', heh heh?"

TP (shadowpointing at his mouth): "No. 'I'm the Walrus', definitely."


Heikki<<<<<<