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Radio
I left it
on when I
left the house
for the pleasure
of coming back
ten hours later
to the greatness
of Teddy Wilson
"After You've Gone"
on the piano
in the corner
of the bedroom
as I enter
in the dark
from New and Selected Poems by David Lehman
All those handsome young men running through the woods, ripping off their shirts? Whitman would have loved it. He also would have loved the royalties.
Posted by: Laura Orem | October 29, 2009 at 09:42 PM
Oh, Stacey, Joey and Eugene and I all HATE this thing, on so very many levels.
Posted by: Rosanne Wasserman | October 29, 2009 at 09:44 PM
This is an incredibly beautiful ad. I think it actually does capture the spirit of Whitman, who of course was not above a little selling. Neither above or below selling. I love this. It makes my heart beat faster.
Posted by: Steven Dube | October 29, 2009 at 11:55 PM
Do we know who is reading the poem? Cool voice.
Posted by: Laura Orem | October 30, 2009 at 05:30 AM
I think using poetry and it being marketable is cool, really... but this particular poem and the video, while cool and beautiful seems like a war or pro join the troops ad more than a jeans ad-
Posted by: dusie | October 30, 2009 at 06:06 AM
I have to say, I'm with Steven on this one. It was playing as I took my seat in the movie theater and I was captured by the voice over immediately (I too wonder who it is). At first I thought it was a preview for a film in the manner of "Blair Witch Project." What can I say? That's what came to mind. My companion (guess who) said, "Sounds like Whitman." There is a violent edge to it, with those popping sounds, like toy guns, that's at odds with the action but works with the words. Overall the effect is quite mesmerizing. Maybe I'll put on my old 501s this weekend. Rosanne, I wonder why you all don't like it.
Posted by: Stacey | October 30, 2009 at 09:01 AM
There's a couple ads. One of them is actually Whitman himself from a restored wax cylindar. Which is what the popping noises are. Not sure who reads the other one.
Posted by: matt | November 13, 2009 at 10:05 PM
I hear that the voice in the Levis/Whitman "O, Pioneers!" ad is actor (and social activist) Will Geer, taken from a Smithsonian Folkways recording.
Posted by: Julie Larios | December 06, 2009 at 04:13 AM