Babbling Bubbleheads

This unique YouTube video, by Candy Spilner and Allan Rubin, captures some interesting aspects of epistemology, conversation, language, art and music. The video may seem pointless, even stupid — at first glance.

Look closer. Observe carefully.

It depicts the babbling bubbleheads who (having no deep understanding of the shortness and fragility of life) continue talking about nothing important — until suddenly (pop)  — life is over.

When was the last time you had a deep conversation about the meaning (and purpose) of life — with someone you love? Pop! Too late — your life is over. Babble, babble, babble … bloop! It mocks and ridicules post-modern foolishness, babbling bloggers, pontificating political pundits, promise-breaking politicians, TV talking-heads, shameless gossiping twitter-heads, and the continuing cacophony of all our careless conversations. In the babbling bubbleheads we see with penetrating perception – a reflection of ourselves.

More Images from Detroit 2008 Jazz Festival

More images of the Detroit 2008 International Jazz Festival continue to emerge — a couple weeks after the event — as people get a chance to upload them to Flickr, etc.

Mary Oliver and Wolter Wierbos at Detroit Jazz Festival 2008

Mary Oliver and Wolter Wierbos at Detroit Jazz Festival 2008

You can find more photos by following Juan N’s photo stream on Flickr.

This photo was taken at the Detroit International Jazz Festival on September 1, 2008

Derek Trucks Band – Live at Detroit Jazz Fest

This is Derek Trucks and his band playing “I Wish I Knew” –  recorded live at the 29th Detroit International Jazz Festival, September 1, 2008.

The full title of the song is “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”.

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say …

The song was written by Dr. Billy Taylor (along with Dick Dallas?) back in 1954. It was originally recorded by Nina Simone in 1967 on her Silk and Soul album. Billy Taylor also recorded his own instrumental version back in 1967. He said that he wrote the song (perhaps his best known composition) for his daughter Kim, describing it as a very spiritual song.

“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” was used as a theme song on the BBC, a theme song for the 2004 Olympics, as music for a Coca-Cola commercial, and also served as an anthem for the civil-rights movement.

The video quality (on this youtube video) is not that great, but I think it’s the perfect way to close out this labor day weekend I Love Detroit series, and as Mike Mattison sings at the end of the video — Everyone Should Be Free!

It’s just like Donald Miller said in Blue Like Jazz: “jazz music was invented by the first generation out of slavery…  it is very hard to put on paper; it is so much more a language of the soul … It is a music birthed out of freedom.”