Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Hardcore death talk

The dead don't get high, but they can dance and chit-chat

Death says, "You're gonna die."
Death says, "You're gonna die."
Video:

Danse Macabre 2010 ( Saint-Saëns )

There are a couple little videos of skeletons dancing to Saint-Saëns *Danse Macabre*. They’re not great but it’s Halloween so what can we do?

There are a couple little videos of skeletons dancing to Saint-Saëns *Danse Macabre*. They’re not great but it’s Halloween so what can we do?

Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre is a somewhat sterile version of the “Dance of Death”. In this version death shows up at midnight on Halloween and calls all the other dead folk together for a party.

There doesn’t appear to be an agenda for this party. It’s kind of the Electric Daisy Carnival but for skeletons and with fewer droppings of the beat and less “molly.” Mescaline doesn’t do much when there’s no central nervous system to manipulate.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The dead don’t get high.

Few are impressed with Saint-Saëns’ little tea party for the dead. It’s far from his best work. What I am impressed with is the tradition of the Dance of Death. The tradition goes a little bit like this.

“Hey, you’re gonna to die.”

The dance is an allegory for the fact that we are all going to die. Death calls each of us to dance. The tradition goes back to the 15th century in Europe. Death invites different characters from that society to dance and then gives them a little lesson in humility.

To the emperor, Death says, “Emperor, your sword won't help you out. Sceptre and crown are worthless here. I've taken you by the hand for you must come to my dance.”

Death talks to dozens of characters such as the Pope, a peasant, a maiden, a baby, a cleric, a priest. They’re all dead now, as is Saint-Saëns. This death stuff really works.

Since we’re on the subject, I’m going to mention what I think to be the most chilling depiction of death speaking. The Bhagavad Gita was written down somewhere between 2200 and 2400 years ago. How old the oral tradition was is unclear.

During the course of their pre-battle conversation, Krishna tells Arjuna:

“I am time, the destroyer of all; I have come to consume the world. Even without your participation, all the warriors gathered here will die. Therefor arise, Arjuna; conquer your enemies and enjoy the glory of sovereignty. I have already slain all these warriors; you will only be my instrument...Kill those whom I have killed. Do not hesitate. Fight in this battle and you will conquer your enemies.”

No wonder Robert Oppenheimer thought of this passage when he saw the first atomic bomb detonation. However, Oppenheimer only mentioned the first sentence and spared us the terrifying sentiment of the rest of the passage. That was considerate of him. He's dead, too.

“Kill those whom I have killed. Do not hesitate.” That’s some hardcore death talk.

Maybe Saint-Saëns’ little dance isn’t so bad after all.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

2024 continues to impress with yellowfin much closer to San Diego than they should be

New rockfish regulations coming this week as opener approaches
Death says, "You're gonna die."
Death says, "You're gonna die."
Video:

Danse Macabre 2010 ( Saint-Saëns )

There are a couple little videos of skeletons dancing to Saint-Saëns *Danse Macabre*. They’re not great but it’s Halloween so what can we do?

There are a couple little videos of skeletons dancing to Saint-Saëns *Danse Macabre*. They’re not great but it’s Halloween so what can we do?

Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre is a somewhat sterile version of the “Dance of Death”. In this version death shows up at midnight on Halloween and calls all the other dead folk together for a party.

There doesn’t appear to be an agenda for this party. It’s kind of the Electric Daisy Carnival but for skeletons and with fewer droppings of the beat and less “molly.” Mescaline doesn’t do much when there’s no central nervous system to manipulate.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The dead don’t get high.

Few are impressed with Saint-Saëns’ little tea party for the dead. It’s far from his best work. What I am impressed with is the tradition of the Dance of Death. The tradition goes a little bit like this.

“Hey, you’re gonna to die.”

The dance is an allegory for the fact that we are all going to die. Death calls each of us to dance. The tradition goes back to the 15th century in Europe. Death invites different characters from that society to dance and then gives them a little lesson in humility.

To the emperor, Death says, “Emperor, your sword won't help you out. Sceptre and crown are worthless here. I've taken you by the hand for you must come to my dance.”

Death talks to dozens of characters such as the Pope, a peasant, a maiden, a baby, a cleric, a priest. They’re all dead now, as is Saint-Saëns. This death stuff really works.

Since we’re on the subject, I’m going to mention what I think to be the most chilling depiction of death speaking. The Bhagavad Gita was written down somewhere between 2200 and 2400 years ago. How old the oral tradition was is unclear.

During the course of their pre-battle conversation, Krishna tells Arjuna:

“I am time, the destroyer of all; I have come to consume the world. Even without your participation, all the warriors gathered here will die. Therefor arise, Arjuna; conquer your enemies and enjoy the glory of sovereignty. I have already slain all these warriors; you will only be my instrument...Kill those whom I have killed. Do not hesitate. Fight in this battle and you will conquer your enemies.”

No wonder Robert Oppenheimer thought of this passage when he saw the first atomic bomb detonation. However, Oppenheimer only mentioned the first sentence and spared us the terrifying sentiment of the rest of the passage. That was considerate of him. He's dead, too.

“Kill those whom I have killed. Do not hesitate.” That’s some hardcore death talk.

Maybe Saint-Saëns’ little dance isn’t so bad after all.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

San Diego's Uptown Planners challenged by renters from Vibrant Uptown

Two La Jolla planning groups fight for predominance
Next Article

2024 continues to impress with yellowfin much closer to San Diego than they should be

New rockfish regulations coming this week as opener approaches
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.