O Superman

Monday morning, Laurie Anderson, trying to comprehend the horror, gets a phone call in 1982’s “O Superman.” See the wiki link at the end of the post for the background behind the song.

Words:

O Superman O judge O Mom and Dad Mom and Dad O Superman O judge O Mom and Dad Mom and Dad

Hi. I’m not home right now. But if you want to leave a Message, just start talking at the sound of the tone.

Hello? This is your Mother Are you there? Are you coming home? Hello? Is anybody home?

Well, you don’t know me, but I know you And I’ve got a message to give to you Here come the planes So you better get ready Ready to go. You can come as you are, but pay as you go. Pay as you go.

And I said: OK. Who is this really?

And the voice said: This is the hand, the hand that takes This is the hand, the hand that takes This is the hand, the hand that takes Here come the planes.

They’re American planes Made in America Smoking or non-smoking?

And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom Of night shall stay these couriers from the swift Completion of their appointed rounds.

‘Cause when love is gone There’s always justice And when justice is gone There’s always force And when force is gone, There’s always Mom. Hi Mom!

So hold me, Mom, in your long arms So hold me, Mom, in your long arms In your automatic arms. Your electronic arms. In your arms.

So hold me, Mom, in your long arms Your petrochemical arms Your military arms In your electronic arms

Here’s the backstory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Superman

Thanks to YouTuber Nonesuch Records

2 thoughts on “O Superman

    • Hi Pearl. Anderson said she was affected by both the 9/11 strike and the response to it. Actually, the song was written long before the 9/11 attacks, but she talked of the attacks later on in relationship to her song.

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