Pomp and Circumstance. And Suction Cups.

Sometime in the not-so-distant future, our oldest son will graduate high school. Meaning, among other things, we will hear some version of Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance.” Which means, thanks to my brain’s ability to cling to odd bits of information and imagery, I will be thinking of octopuses.

I blame Sesame Street.



I have no idea why the videographers at the Children’s Television Workshop chose Elgar’s piece to accompany this footage of a weird-looking octopus (oddly, I don’t remember it being an organ version of the music, but clearly that’s what it is), but I remember watching this as a kid and thinking, just exactly how big is this thing and WHY ARE THEY SHOWING US ITS MOUTH OPENING AND CLOSING.

I now realize that is the octopus’ breathing apparatus, and had I seen the actual mouth – that terrible parrot-beaky thing – I would have been more traumatized by this video than I ever was by the Operatic Orange.



Posit: Bugs Bunny did more to help me develop a love (or at least familiarity with) classical music because they chose to present them with non-threatening imagery (including Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny chasing each other with increasingly larger bits of weaponry AND a sentient electric shaver) that Sesame Street did, with their FREAKING singing oranges and their octopuses flapping their breathing tubes and suction cups at me.

Well, except for the alum. The alum freaked me out too. Maybe Bugs Bunny isn’t as innocent as I think.

http://misterfweem.blogspot.com/2017/05/rational-childhood-fears-alum.html