«in montagna sei all’aperto, che più aperto non si può e allora devi essere aperta, lieta, commossa della fortuna di trovarti lì.»
Erri de Luca, Sulla traccia di Nives, 2016 Feltrinelli ed.
Il brano dei Talking Heads (Nothing but) Flowers, dall’album Naked del 1988, che ho scelto come colonna sonora della mia carrellata d’immagini, mi è sempre piaciuto moltissimo.
Il testo di David Byrne è sagace, permeato di fine ironia e privo di qualunque nota retorica che spesso connota le dichiarazioni ambientaliste.
Una narrazione paradossale proietta un uomo e una donna, an Adam and an Eve, in un mondo paradisiaco, Garden of Eden, immersi nella natura e circondati da fiori. Non ci sono che quelli, nothing but flowers.
Che fine hanno fatto le auto, le fabbriche, i centri commerciali, le autostrade, i parcheggi, i microonde? Ora tutto è fiori, montagne e fiumi, prati e alberi, pure il supermercato è diventato un campo di pannocchie.
In un rovesciamento d’immagine, il «dove c’era l’erba ora c’è una città» si trasforma in «questa era area fabbricabile, ora è solo campo e alberi», «dov’è la città? Adesso, non è nient’altro che fiori».
Una regressione al contrario: Don’t leave me stranded here I can’t get used to this lifestyle / Non lasciatemi qui non so abituarmi a questa vita: messaggio potente, irrisione davvero efficace del consumismo anni ‘80 da estendere oggi, XXI secolo, al negazionismo dei problemi ambientali.
| Here we stand Like an Adam and an Eve Waterfalls The Garden of Eden Two fools in love So beautiful and strong The birds in the trees Are smiling upon them From the age of the dinosaurs Cars have run on gasoline Where, where have they gone? Now, it's nothing but flowers There was a factory Now there are mountains and rivers You got it, you got it We caught a rattlesnake Now we got something for dinner We got it, we got it There was a shopping mall Now it's all covered with flowers You've got it, you've got it If this is paradise I wish I had a lawnmower You've got it, you've got it | Years ago I was an angry young man And I'd pretend That I was a billboard Standing tall By the side of the road I fell in love With a beautiful highway This used to be real estate Now it's only fields and trees Where, where is the town? Now, it's nothing but flowers The highways and cars Were sacrificed for agriculture I thought that we'd start over But I guess I was wrong Once there were parking lots Now it's a peaceful oasis You've got it, you've got it This was a Pizza Hut Now it's all covered with daisies You got it, you got it it | I miss the honky tonks, Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens You got it, you got it And as things fell apart Nobody paid much attention You got it, you got I dream of cherry pies, Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies You got it, you got it We used to microwave Now we just eat nuts and berries You got it, you got it This was a discount store, Now it's turned into a cornfield You've got it, you've got it Don't leave me stranded here I can't get used to this lifestyle |