On PBS this week, they repeated a documentary about the Statue of Liberty. When I say "repeated", I really mean it, it is from 1985! It is a good one though, it is by Ric Burns (not Ken Burns that you might be more familiar with but his older brother Eric who has always been called "Ric".) It is a fascinating story.
We all know that the statue is a gift from France but where to put this gift? It's hard to believe that this great statue was made before it was certain that there was a place where it could be erected! (Bartholdi knew exactly where he wanted it placed, in New York Harbor, looking out to sea!) Joseph Pulitzer is a name that should be associated with the statue as much as the French designer himself, Auguste Bartholdi. (Not forgetting Gustave Eiffel who designed the internal frame of the statue...yes, the same one behind the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris!) Mr. Pulitzer was the main force behind the drive to raise money for the pedestal for the statue, asking Americans to donate money...not money from millionaires but from the working class Americans. He asked, "Give something, no matter how little". The money was donated, much of it in increments of $1.00 or less.
Click on those links that I gave you...such extraordinary lives!
For me, one of the best things about it...the show began and ended with the song "American Tune".
The music itself is based on the melody of a hymn by Bach, "O Sacred Head Sore Wounded".
The words are by Paul Simon.
Most Americans will have this day off but I am one of those who will be working. Hope everyone who has the day off will have fun for me! ("I've just got to get some rest"...that last line of the song is something I will be singing today!)
American Tune
Many is the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Many is the time I’ve been forsaken
And certainly abused
But it’s all right it’s all right
You can't be for ever blessed
And when I think of another working day
I’ve just got to get some rest
I’ve got to get some rest
And many times confused
Many is the time I’ve been forsaken
And certainly abused
But it’s all right it’s all right
You can't be for ever blessed
And when I think of another working day
I’ve just got to get some rest
I’ve got to get some rest
I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
Don’t have a friend who feels at ease
Don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Oh but it’s all right it’s all right
We’ve lived so well so long
And when I think of the road
We’ve travelled on
So far away from home
So far away from home
Don’t have a friend who feels at ease
Don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Oh but it’s all right it’s all right
We’ve lived so well so long
And when I think of the road
We’ve travelled on
So far away from home
So far away from home
And I dreamed I was dying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down on me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high above all my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down on me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high above all my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying
We come on the ship they called the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the ages’ most uncertain hour
And we sing an American tune
Oh but it’s all right it’s all right
You can't be for ever blessed
And when I think of another working day
I’ve just got to get some rest
I’ve got to get some rest
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the ages’ most uncertain hour
And we sing an American tune
Oh but it’s all right it’s all right
You can't be for ever blessed
And when I think of another working day
I’ve just got to get some rest
I’ve got to get some rest
Have a joyful and glorious 4th of July, Kay! I'm just leaving to return to the cottage and hope to see the fireworks this evening across Lake Chautauqua. (I was in Ohio for my dd Emily's housewarming party on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a lovely 4th of July, enjoying the fireworks reflected in the water!
DeleteFireworks in a small neighborhood are not as pleasant!
I just watched the PBS Ken Burns 1985 Statue of Liberty film and ran across your blog.
DeleteHappy 4th of July! 2020
My words still apply in 2020! :-) Hope you liked the 1985 film about the Statue of Liberty. It was actually made by Ric Burns, the brother of Ken Burns. If you get the chance, be sure to try to see the one that Ric Burns made about the Donner Party. I only saw it once but have never forgotten it. Happy 5th of July! (Only just saw this on day after the 4th!) :-)
DeleteSorry you have to be one of those working...but someone must hold the fort down. We forget those unsung heroes that keep our country going. Happy 4th to you and yours !
ReplyDeleteThere you go, I am keeping the country going!
DeleteHope you had a wonderful 4th of July.
Sorry to hear you're working today. Our daughter in Japan had to work too, of course.
ReplyDeleteThe statue is a beautiful lady, we visited her a few years ago, so exciting to actually see her. Didn't go up, I don't do long lines or enclosed spaces like that.
I was in England one year for the 4th of July and it was really strange to be out of the country on that day!
DeleteI was very pleased to see the Statue of Liberty when I visited New York too, she lived up to my expectations!
Thank you for sharing this amazing post Kay, I absolutely loved it. I hope your working day is a good one and I would like to wish you and your loved ones A Very Happy 4th of July.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Denise! You have made my day!
DeleteMy fellow co workers made the 4th nice, we all brought side dishes and someone brought meat to cook on the grill, so we made out all right!
We Americans, can't keep us down! :-)
You made me feel even more patriotic than I usually feel on Independence Day.
ReplyDeleteYou know, when you are married to someone from another country it makes you examine your feelings for your native country a bit more closely. I might not wave a flag all the time but I love the USA!
DeleteYou picked the perfect music for today. Happy 4th of July to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra, glad you like it too.
DeleteThanks for the well wishes!
Happy Independence Day! Yes, i had to work, too.
ReplyDeleteHa! Only the BEST LOOKING women worked on the 4th! :-)
DeleteProbably the most famous statue on the planet still, all these years and new buildings/statues later.By chance I was looking at an illustrated list yesterday of the 7 ancient wonders- with the pyramids the only ones still left to visit on the list. Wondered then what will still be around 1000 years from now to visit? Happy 4th of July.
ReplyDeleteThe Pyramids, I wish I could see them.
Delete1000 years from now? That makes me wonder too.
Thanks for your 4th of July good wishes.
Happy 4th, Kay! I'm sorry you had to work. I hope you still had a nice day.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Martha! Some of the guys cooked out and we all brought food. Guess what! Several of them came to me and told my that they liked my brownies. ONE of them said, "Your brownies are AWESOME.". HA! That made my day!!
DeleteI hope you get a day off some other time to make up for working on a holiday, and hopefully you did get to do/eat/drink something nice after work to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the interesting facts about the statue! You know I am fascinated by such stories.
Glad you liked the bit that I shared with you about Lady Liberty! It was such a fascinating documentary, I wish you could see it!
DeleteWe will get some time off to make up for it, and I am glad, but honestly, I would rather have had the day off!
Happy Independence Day Kay. Interesting facts about the State of Liberty. We very much enjoyed our visit there back in 1998, where we climbed up the inside to the first balcony, as I recall. So glad we did that, because my understanding is that movement on the island is much more restricted these days. Love my photos of her feet and looking up at her face!
ReplyDeleteVery glad that you got to see the Statue!
DeleteYou have really been around the world, haven't you?
Thanks for your well wishes for a happy Independence Day!
Hi Kay - the history of the Statue of Liberty is indeed interesting and stands testament to the American spirit ... have a good week and enjoy the summer - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteTo the American spirit! I love that!
DeleteHope you have a great week too and that your summer is not TOO hot! Can't believe that I am saying that to you in England but it sounds like you keep getting the heat!
Sorry you had to work. I was supposed to be out of town through the 4th, so I had a kind of feet-up, hide-out day watching HGTV.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a very nice day to me! :-)
DeleteThanks for this. I must have forgotten about Eiffel, and maybe never new the Pulitzer connection. Simon's song feels right for these uncertain times.
ReplyDeleteI thought the story behind the building of the pedestal was just as interesting as the statue itself! That Pulitzer, wow, what a character!
DeleteYou are right, Paul Simon's song seems written just for the current time.
I hope that you had a good day even though you were working. May the year ahead be all that America wants it to be.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Graham! I thank you and my country thanks you too!
DeleteThanks for the informative post on the Statue of Liberty, Kay. I used to love teaching my third graders all about famous American symbols like the Statue of Liberty. My husband even had drawings of Lady Liberty that my third graders drew hanging in his immigration office for years. I saw her in New York in 1959. I'll never forget. Take care!
ReplyDelete