Ring Out the Old

by wjw on December 31, 2018

It’s New Year’s Eve, which is a chance to celebrate the old as well as ring in the new.

To that end, let’s party like it’s 1973!

(Just watch the video for now, I’ll tell you about it later.)

This is two examples of Seventies excess mashed together.  The tune is “Nutbush City Limits” by Ike and Tina Turner, this having been recorded about the time Ike (teetotal till he was 30) began to spent $50,000 per month on cocaine, and then (when it became available) chase down his coke with crack, a side effect being the destruction of his career and marriage, and his near-destruction of his wife.

The video is from the film of the musical Sweet Charity, with choreography by Bob Fosse.  I don’t know how he got some of his dancers to do that stuff.  Or why.

Two overcontrolling gents trying to negotiate the Me Decade.  I think we’re all still feeling the hangover.

Etaoin Shrdlu January 1, 2019 at 1:03 am

The level of control they have over their movements is nothing short of astounding.

Thanks for showing that, WJW. Happy New Year, and may it be the best ever.

Shash January 1, 2019 at 3:17 pm

Wow. The dancing is excellent. Could do without the formalized violence, but hey, that’s part of the message. Even some proto-breakdancing. Well done.

Etaoin Shrdlu January 2, 2019 at 3:59 am

I’ve been trying to find out more about this, and . . . that’s not even the music this was choreographed for. It fits so perfectly, though — better than the original, IMHO — that I didn’t even realize that’s what you meant by “mashed together”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSSlWfOCgLw

At least, I assume this is the original. Now I have to watch the movie to find out.

Robert M Roman January 4, 2019 at 7:58 pm

Thank you for this. Now this more contemporary music video makes more sense:

https://vimeo.com/215814095

wjw January 5, 2019 at 1:24 am

Wow, Robert. That was something close to a reinterpretation, no? So many of Fosse’s signature moves.

Tony Spencer January 1, 2020 at 11:55 am

Breathtaking choreography. Fosse was a genius.

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