The Gypsy Scholar presents the first installment of the Orphic Essay-with-Soundtrack series, “Romantic Total Revolution: The Democracy Of Soul & The Goddess Of Liberty,” in honor of Independence Day for 2024. This essay series in “Argument & Song” for the 248th Birthday of America attempts to (a) bring to attention the “Romantic” (particularly, the poet-revolutionaries of 19th-century England and America) visionary roots of America and the eternal hope attached to it, thus re-mythologizing America’s national image and its symbols, (b) bring to light the theoretical foundations for political “total revolution” that are not usually advanced by the traditional liberal and left ideologies, and (c) from the “First American Revolution,” re-vision the 1960’s “Second American Revolution” as the first attempt at “total revolution.” In doing so, this musical essay series would serve to bring to awareness–in a perilous time of the rise of undemocratic forces–the generally forgotten visionary ideal of what “America” actually is, giving grounds for prophetic, revolutionary hope in realizing this nation’s eternal dream. (“America is essentially a dream.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.) Be sure to check out the “Independence Day” webpage, which is dedicated to this musical essay series, at revradiotowerofsong.com.
Originally broadcast July 1st, this program is now available for listening on the “Archived Musical Essays” webpage, along with the corresponding playlist on the “Program & Playlists” webpage.
