Spring Special

“Before the false light of Jesus shone on our country, we here in the North, we worshiped fire. It kept us warm during long winters and it burnt down our enemies, and in its scorched wake we planted seeds, so we might live another year.”

This statement is made by a veiled, anonymized protagonist in a documentary film (see “Dig Deeper” section below) set in the Swedish city of Gävle. The focus of the film, which was shot in 2018, is the Gävle Goat, a goat made from straw that became the focal point of a cultural clash between pagans and Christians.

The Gävle Goat has been erected annually since 1966 on the first day of Advent, serving as a symbol of Christmas. But the goat rarely survived. Out of the 58 times it was erected, it was destroyed 42 times—mostly by fire deliberately set by pagans who reject Christian traditions. Once someone even traveled from the USA to set it on fire.

“Let it Burn”, today's song, was written by the Gothenburg band Goat specifically for a scene in the above-mentioned film. The band, known for their unique blend of heavy metal, afrobeat and psychedelia, are convinced that this is their best song ever. We believe so too.

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In 2016, scientists at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted a comprehensive study that proved what seems obvious: you shouldn’t get behind the wheel while being emotionally stirred up. The research included more than 3,500 participants and showed that the risk of crashing increases nearly tenfold when driving in an angry, sad or upset state of mind. 

The popular Nigerian proverb "eye wey dey cry no dey see road" is based on the idea the researchers examined. Literally the pidgin saying means that "a crying eye cannot see the road." In the figurative sense it suggests that you might not make the best decisions when you’re overwhelmed with emotions or in a state of distress. 

On her debut EP, Bagetti uses the proverb, underpinning the encouraging message of her melancholic yet strong Kizomba-inspired breakup song “Hard Girl”. If you listen closely, you realize that the Nigerian singer isn’t just talking about the emotions you deal with during a breakup that make you a hazardous road user, but also about the means you use to distract yourself from the situation: “Pour me the whisky, two shot with Tequila, yeah-yeah,” Bagetti demands at one point 🥲

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Lenny Bruce’s legacy is undoubtedly a great one: The American comedian, who is no. 3 on Comedy Central’s list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time, brought a more political aspect to the stand-up scene of the 1950s and 60s, which up to that point mainly was about telling silly jokes. Over the course of his career, Bruce acquired a big fan base, including various intellectuals and members of the arts community. However, his performances, which dealt with politics, religion and sex, also caused him much trouble: Bruce faced several lawsuits for obscenity—and finally was found guilty in 1964. This verdict made comedy club owners across the country blacklist Bruce as they feared prosecution for allowing obscenity. During that time, Bruce, who was known for his drug addiction, started consuming heroin, methamphetamine and other substances on a daily basis. In August 1966, the comedian died, presumably from a heroin overdose, only 40 years of age. His notable influence on and popularity among fellow artists became visible once again just after his death: A memorial service held in New York was attended by beat poet Allen Ginsberg and jazz bassist Charlie Haden, among others—and in the months to follow, many artists paid tribute to the comedian in one way or another. Model-turned-singer Christa Päffgen, who was one of pop art innovator Andy Warhol’s muses, was among them. Nico, as Päffgen called herself on stage, closed her 1967 album Chelsea Girl with an equally explicit and heartbreaking eulogy to Bruce, moaning at one point: “And why after every last shot was there always another?”

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