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Video: “The Ballad of the Skeletons” by Allen Ginsberg with Paul McCartney and Philip Glass
In October of 1995, Ginsberg visited Paul McCartney and his family at their home in England. He recited The Ballad of the Skeletons while one of McCartney’s daughters filmed it. Ginsberg mentioned that he had to give a reading with Anne Waldman and other poets at the Royal Albert Hall and was looking for a guitarist to accompany him. “Why don’t you try me,” McCartney said. “I love the poem.”
The soundtrack features Ginsberg on vocals, Philip Glass on keyboard, and McCartney on guitar, drums, Hammond organ, and maracas.
The video was directed by Gus Van Sant, who had ties to surviving members of the Beat generation. Van Sant had directed William S. Burroughs in the film Drugstore Cowboy, and Ginsberg was happy with Van Sant’s work on The Ballad of the Skeletons despite a tight filming budget. This video was the last major project that Ginsberg was involved in.
Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997)
Text adapted from Open Culture
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Fun to see this, Michael. It prompted me to look for & find (!) my CD of this, which I haven’t thought about for years.
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Wonderful…
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Missing Alen Ginsberg, the voice of the poet. America desperately needs to hear the wisdom of poets Calling all poets, calling all poets, America needs to hear from you now.
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What an amazing document! Thank you!
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This was terrific. Thanks for posting. Charlie Brice
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Thanks, Charlie.
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Howler Monkeys (To Allen Ginsberg)
We are all
Howler
Monkeys
Descendents
Of the original
Howling
Allen’s
Bastard
Children
Groping
In the Dark
For the short
Hairs
Licking
Unknown places
In search
Of answers
Wrapping
Long legs
Around
The openings
To deep spaces
Hoping
To fall
Into a trance
Of sweet
Oblivion
Longing
For a merging
Of the body
Heart
And soul
Inhaling
All possibilities
For an uninhibited
Road
To peace
But hesitating
At the crossroads
For
one
last
look
At hell
JRB
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I love that you post so many pieces that I would never see otherwise. Thank you!
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