Make sure you play THE BEATLES "Across The Universe" This Monday at 7pm est...with the rest of the world!
NASA Takes The Beatles 'Across the Universe' Literally
By Space.com Staff
From SPACE.com: 01 February 2008:
NASA will beam The Beatles' song, "Across the Universe," into deep space Monday in an unprecedented long distance dedication by the U.S. agency.
NASA's Deep Space Network will transmit the song at 7:00 p.m. EST (0000 Feb. 5 GMT) on Feb. 4 in honor of several cosmic-themed anniversaries.
Monday marks the 40th anniversary of the day the song was recorded. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of NASA's founding and the inception of The Beatles. Two other milestones also are being honored including, the 50th anniversary of Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite, and the 45th birthday of the Deep Space Network, an international network of antennas that supports missions to explore the universe.
The transmission is aimed at the North Star, Polaris, 431 light-years away from Earth, travelling at a speed of 186,000 miles per second (300,000 kps).
"Across the Universe," though credited to "Lennon/McCartney," was principally written by Beatle John Lennon, and the lyrics speak of "limitless undying love which/shines around me like a million suns."
"Amazing! Well done, NASA!" said former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney in a message to the space agency. "Send my love to the aliens."
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, commented: "I see that this is the beginning of the new age in which we will communicate with billions of planets across the universe."
NASA has used Beatles music before, notably in November 2005, when McCartney performed the song "Good Day Sunshine" during a concert transmitted to the International Space Station. "Here Comes the Sun," "Ticket to Ride" and "A Hard Day's Night" have also been played in wake-up calls to astronaut crews in orbit.
The public around the world has been invited to participate in the event by playing the song at the same time it is transmitted by NASA.
Many of the senior NASA scientists and engineers involved consider themselves among the group's biggest fans.
[Ed. note: What we would like to know, of course, is if McCartney's group Wings' hit single, "Venus and Mars," will be beamed towards Venus and/or Mars anytime soon.]
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE DVD Due Out Tuesday!
Last year one of the movies that I most eagerly awaited was this wonderful Julie Taymor directed film. Of course, I had some trepidation after the mega disaster that was the 1978 Sgt. Pepper film, but within minutes of the movie's start, all such fears were gone! The film was lovingly produced, and acted, and chalk full of cameos like Bono & Joe Cocker. My only regret was that we saw it only once in the theaters. So, we are ready for the DVD release! Crank Up The Surround Sound!
from IMDB:
An original musical film, Across The Universe is a fictional love story set in the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, the struggle for free speech and civil rights, mind exploration and rock and roll. At once gritty, whimsical and highly theatrical, the story moves from high schools and universities in Massachusetts, Princeton and Ohio to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Detroit riots, Vietnam and the dockyards of Liverpool. A combination of live action and animation, the film is paired with many songs by The Beatles that defined the time.
Across the Universe by David Bowie
Across the Universe by Roger Waters
Across the Universe by Jackson Browne and Robbie Krieger
Across the Universe by TheBEATLES The River Rhine Tapes
THE BEATLES
JOHN LENNON
DAVID BOWIE
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
FIONA APPLE
ROGER WATERS
BUY THE ACROSS THE UNIVERSE DVD
Across The Universe on WIKIPEDIA
P.S....my brother, Major Tommy, is a featured artist on the
HANDMADE DEPARTMENT STORE blog....he's very talented in
the Handcrafted Jewelry department, as you will see.
