Laura Phillips Anderson was born June 5, 1947, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States. She attended Mills College in California, and eventually graduated from Barnard College magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, studying art history. In 1972, she obtained an MFA in sculpture from Columbia University.
She performed in New York through the 1970s. Two early pieces, "New York Social Life" and "Time to Go," were included in the 1977 compilation New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media, along with works by Pauline Oliveros and others.
She became more widely known in 1982 with the single "O Superman," originally released in a limited quantity by One Ten Records; a sudden influx of orders from the U.K. (prompted by British DJ John Peel playing the record) led to Anderson signing with the Warner Brothers label, which re-released the single. "O Superman" reached number two on the national pop charts in Britain.
"O Superman" was part of a larger stage work entitled United States and was included on her following album, Big Science. Her more recent stage work includes a multimedia presentation inspired by Moby Dick. She starred in and directed the 1986 concert film, Home of the Brave, and also composed the soundtracks for the Spalding Gray films Swimming to Cambodia and Monster in a Box. All of Anderson's albums from the 1980s sold very well despite being labeled "avant garde". Her varied career has even included voice-acting in the animated film The Rugrats Movie. In 1994 she created a CD-ROM entitled Puppet Motel.
She wrote a supplemental article on the cultural character of New York City for the Encyclopædia Britannica and in the late 1980s hosted the PBS series, Alive from Off Center, for which she produced the short film, What You Mean We?.
One of the central themes in Anderson's work is exploring the effects of technology on human interrelationships and communication.
Anderson has collaborated with William Burroughs, Mitchell Froom, Arto Lindsay, Peter Gabriel, Perry Hoberman, David Sylvian, Jean Michel Jarre, Hector Zazou, Nona Hendryx, David Van Tieghem, and husband Lou Reed. She also worked with comedian Andy Kaufman in the late 1970s (with a romantic involvement hinted at in some of her spoken word performances about him).
Anderson, who rarely revisits older work (though themes and lyrics occasionally reappear) went on tour performing a selection of her best-known musical pieces in 2001. One of these performances was recorded in New York City only a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and included a performance of "O Superman". This concert was released in early 2002 as the double CD, Live in New York, which remains her most recent album release.
In 2003, Anderson became NASA's first and so far only artist-in-residence, which inspired her most recent performance piece, The End of the Moon.
Rumors emerged of a possible new album release in the fall of 2004, but this turned out to be false as Anderson seems too busy mounting a succession of themed shows, as well as composing a piece for Expo 2005 in Japan.
In February 2010, Laurie Anderson premiered a new theatrical work, entitled Delusion, at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. This piece was commissioned by the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and the Barbican Centre, London.
In May/June 2010, Anderson curated the Vivid Sydney festival in Sydney, Australia together with Lou Reed
In late June 2010, with the production assistance of husband Lou Reed, as well as Roma Baran. Laurie Anderson released her first full length studio album in near a decade with that of: "Homeland" on Nonesuch Records. Receiving much critical acclaim, "Homeland" has been lauded by many as Anderson's crowning auditory achievement. A conglomerated assimilation of her many persona's, characters and decades work exploring and experimenting in a multitude of artistic mediums.
Also featured on the "Homeland" album are a number of famed collaborators, including John Zorn (saxophone on tracks 8 & 11), Kieran Hebden of "Four Tet" fame (keyboards on track 5), Antony Hegarty (vocals on track 4), Husband Lou Reed himself on some guitar, and Tuvan throat singers. At 66 minutes, it is also Anderson's longest studio album.
Sites: Wikipedia
Night in Baghdad
Laurie Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well right now cause I've got this damned gas mask on. so I'm just going to stick this microphone out the window and see if we can hear a little better. hello california? what's the weather like
There now? and I only have one question: did you every really love me? only when we danced. and it was so beautiful. it was like the fourth of july. it was like fireflies on a summer night.
The lyrics to Laurie Anderson's song Night in Baghdad are a juxtaposition of beauty and horror, with the singer describing the breathtaking sights and sounds of a summer night in Baghdad while wearing a gas mask. The first stanza uses similes to evoke a sense of wonder and magic, as the singer compares the scene to the fourth of July, a Christmas tree, and fireflies on a summer night. However, this beauty is quickly shattered by the reality of the situation, as the singer is unable to talk due to the gas mask and can only stick a microphone out the window to attempt to communicate with the outside world. The second stanza introduces a sense of longing and regret, as the singer asks if the person they address ever really loved them, and recalls a moment when they danced together and it felt like the beauty of a summer night.
The song captures the disorienting and surreal experience of living in a war zone, where moments of beauty and joy are always threatened by the reality of violence and danger. The use of similes to describe the scene emphasizes the stark contrast between the singer's surroundings and the beauty they perceive, while the gas mask serves as a constant reminder of the danger lurking just outside. The shift in tone from the first to the second stanza highlights the fragility of moments of happiness in such a setting, as the singer's memories of a beautiful moment with someone they loved are overshadowed by the harsh reality of the war.
Line by Line Meaning
And oh it's so beautiful it's like the fourth of July it's like a christmas tree it's like fireflies on a summer night.
The current situation is aesthetically pleasing, reminiscent of popular festivities and natural wonders that we typically associate with awe and spectacle.
and I wish I could describe this to you a little better.
I feel compelled to share this experience with you, but words are insufficient to convey the full extent of my emotions and perceptions at this time.
but I can't talk
Well right now cause I've got this damned gas mask on.
My ability to communicate is restricted due to the protective gear I am required to wear for safety reasons.
so I'm just going to stick this microphone out the window and see if we can hear a little better.
In an effort to provide a more accurate and informative report, I will attempt to gather audio from the external environment using available equipment.
hello california? what's the weather like
There now?
I am attempting to establish communication with someone outside of the current situation, seeking a connection to a familiar and arguably more stable location with hopes of attaining comfort and reassurance.
and I only have one question: did you every really love me?
Despite the chaos and uncertainty of the situation, my mind still wanders towards personal matters, such as past relationships and the authenticity of emotions expressed therein.
only when we danced. and it was so beautiful. it was like the fourth of july. it was like fireflies on a summer night.
Through nostalgic memories fuelled by sensory associations of romantic moments, I find a source of comfort and beauty amidst the turmoil.
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