Re: Kirsty MacColl/Houdini

[Grey@apple.com (Laura Grey)]

I just read this quote from "You and me baby" (from K. MacColls "Kite") :

       "Rosebud, oh Rosebud
        He turned to me and wept
        A vaguely coded message
        I could never intercept"

Norvald says of it "Seems that KT is not the only one with references to 
Houdini.  Can't find other Houdini-related text in the song, however."

Sorry, Norvald, this isn't a reference to Houdini's wife Rosabel, but a reference to the film "Citizen Kane."  In the movie, Charles Foster Kane (read William Randolph Hearst) utters "Rosebud" on his deathbed.  At the end of the film, we learn that Rosebud, which the film's characters believe has some special significance, or is a code word for something, is actually the sled he enjoyed as a child.  It sort of represents his lost innocence, and shows that even this important, wealthy man's last thought isn
't of his publishing empire, but of a simple, happy childhood memory.

Incidentally, William Randolph Hearst was very much alive when "Citizen 
Kane" was made, and he was less than pleased with this film biography.  
I've read that he was livid when he learned that "Rosebud" had special 
significance in the film, since that was the nickname that he gave to his 
lover, Marion Davies, and he apparently wasn't referring to the shape of 
her mouth.

One quick Houdini/Kate Bush comment:  This may have appeared on the net 
before; I've only been a reader of this news group for about a month.  It 
seems Kate based her account of Houdini's death on the film version of his 
life, which starred Tony Curtis, in which he drowns onstage in a glass box 
because he's unable to free himself.  Of course, this is typical 1950's 
"artistic license" on the part of the filmmakers.  As if the true story 
weren't exciting enough!  Houdini  was asked by a young man if it was true 
that he could sustain a punch in the abdomen with no injury.  He said yes, 
but before he was able to brace himself to receive the punch, the young 
man punched him hard with no warning.  This apparently ruptured Houdini's 
appendix, which burst shortly thereafter.  I believe he died within a day 
or two.

_____

Potential senders:  I can view the net and post to it, but I can't receive 
mail.  (But thanks for the thought!)  And as Anne Elks says, "This theory 
that I have is mine."  

My comments don't reflect the opinions of Apple Computer or anybody 
else--just me.