Opinion Forum

This Flash Mob Provided Some Happiness

November 24th, 2012

My wife, Jeanie, told me about this flash mob. We need more like it.

Watching and listening cheered up my morning; I needed that because I have been focusing on and writing about the surfeit of bad stuff with which we are being bombarded with no viable solutions yet on the horizon. In such circumstances even a brief respite is welcome. Perhaps others may find their spirits lifted in a similar way.

Just for the heck of it, here’s another.

Might that sort of mob some happy day displace the ugly mobs to which we have sadly become accustomed? Is it an impossible dream? Probably, but even a few of those might help.

Some beauty persists. Happy day after the day after Thanksgiving!

(This article was also posted at Dan Miller’s Blog.)

Articles written by Dan Miller
Tags: European Anthem, flash mob, Impossible Dream, Man of La Mancha
Categories: Arts, Life | Comments (3) | Home

3 Responses to “This Flash Mob Provided Some Happiness”

Tom Carter | November 24th, 2012 at 2:36 pm

Dan, thanks! I loved the first video — it was remarkable, indeed, that a world-class symphony orchestra and several choral groups somehow materialized to perform the “Ode to Joy” from Herr Beethoven’s 9th. Thinking at my curmudgeonly best, I discovered that it was a marketing video done by a Spanish banking group. Cynicism aside, I really did like it.

That piece is also the European Anthem, without the chorus. Seems the European Union poo-bahs didn’t want to have to select a specific language (the original German would have sent a very bad message, in their view), so they just used the music. I’ve always liked this version better — it captures the true nature of the EU.

Notice anything missing among the musicians, the performers, and the crowds?

Dan Miller | November 24th, 2012 at 2:45 pm

Bah! Humbug!

Yeah, I noticed the commercial sponsorship but in the spirit of the thing tried to ignore it. And what’s wrong with commercials, anyway? They sell stuff and if they can sell even momentary happiness not involving the purchase of their stuff as well, that’s fine with me. Better that than coca cola, Chevy Volts and my least favorite politicians.

Tom Carter | November 24th, 2012 at 2:58 pm

Well, I guess the approaching ~~Christmas Season~~ Holiday Season always brings out the Scrooge in me. I agree though, that no matter why it was made, it was great. In fact, some of the best things ever were done for marketing — “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” by Coke, “Wet and Wild” by Seven-Up, etc.

Here’s another good version of the European Anthem by Rowan Atkinson. (Read the words below the video as he’s singing.)