Monday, May 29, 2006

"All the world is a world of rivers flowing to the sea..."




Thanks to North Maple and her powers of persuasion, I recently purchased the soundtrack to Robert Altman's latest cinematic vision, A Prairie Home Companion, based on Garrison Keillor's long-running, St. Paul-based NPR radio show. The soundtrack was released last week, but the movie doesn't hit theaters until June 6.

I highly recommend the soundtrack to any and all good Midwesterners, especially those currently residing outside the Midwest. One of my favorite songs from the soundtrack is "My Minnesota Home," a variation on "Swanee" sung by Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin. North Maple, a native of Watertown, SD and a Los Angeles resident this summer, told me the only thing getting her through the morning L.A. traffic is "My Minnesota Home." Change the lyrics from "Mississippi River" to "Missouri River" and "Minnesota" to "South Dakota" and the song is all about us:
"Way down on upon that old Mississippi River not so far away, that's where my folks have lived forever, and that's where they're going to stay. I've been searching across the whole creation half my life or more, but I found my own sweet satisfaction right here on that muddy river shore. All the world is so sad and dreary everywhere I roam. Oh mama, how I miss the prairie and my Minnesota home."
As Garrison himself says, "Remember to keep your feet on the ground, your hopes up high. Pray for rain, keep the humor dry, and eat those powdermilk biscuits."
posted by The Head Kid at 6:06 PM

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