The Titanic - amazing, honorable, romantic, wonderous...and they dishonor it...
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17798)
United States
March 12, 2011 1:48pm CST
So at the Luxor HOtel and Casino in Las VEgas, they have the Titanic Exhibit there. They have artifacts that they pulled from the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean and even have part of the hull and a creation of an iceberg that they put them together to imitate how the ship hit the iceberg and then just the relics and things they took from the ship...mirrors, clocks, shoes etc.
I didn't want to see it as I want to have the memories as I have learned about them. I know what a clock looks like. I think they are commercializing this amazing, wonderful ship to the point of disinagration of its memory. Anyway...The Titanic deserves better.
I went to the gift shop and they had hardly anything. I was looking of a necklace or something nice for the memory. I collect snow globs sometimes, and I looked at them. $22, okay a large one with music. It wasn't very ornate and just basic Titanic design..nothing special. But...I liked it. It was "good enough" I had hoped for something more special being with the Titanic exhibit and all. I turned it over and wound up the music box, and when I heard the song, my heart and soul sank about as far as the ship itself did...I was so SHOCKED at the song! I was expecting maybe Celine Dions "my heart will go on" or some other song from the movie or at least a heart warming, romantic, soft love song or something like that.... did they put something nice, heartfelt or even relative to the Titanic or what it is all about? NO!! I swear I nearly dropped the snow globe! I was devastated. How could they be so disgraceful to that ship and all it was and is and meant? How could they be so disrespectful of all Titanic means to so many? That song was disgusting and I put the globe on the shelf and walked out. I was heart broken. Why would they do that!?!?!
I guess cause they don't care. They know it will sell. I stewed about it all night and then sat and waited an hour for them to open in the morning and went back and bought the globe anyway..at least I have the nice globe and remberance and all. I just don't have to turn on that disgusting song. IT all has to go commercial. Hollywood and commercial and money making and blame...blame those that were involved cause if you take what they know now and activiate at that time...the builders and workers etc..right down to the captain himself...were all at fault and it was their fault the ship sank etc.
Oh...you want to know what the song was? Go get a shot of something strong, sit down and I'll tell you.
Early 70's there was a movie with Robert Redford where two gamblers pulled of this ultimate gambling "sting"...got the big gamblers to bet massive money, pulled the "sting" off and got out with their money minutes before the FBI got in to shut them down! The movie was called "The Sting". The song the idiots chose to put in the snow globe supposedly to honor the Titanic and all involved with it...was the theme song from this "The Sting" movie! I saw the movie, okay it was good, but that song had NO PLACE anywhere near the Titanic or anything about it! I complained to the sales person...early 20's and of course, she'd never heard of the movie or Robert Redford!
With all they can do these days with audio/sound etc...you'd think they'd do better. I know more would sell cause they'd want to hear a great complimenting song. I normally wouldn't have gone back for it, but it will probably be last time I am in LV for awhile and it was with the exhibit and I have nothing else but book and photo of the ship and I wanted something. What's this world coming to!?!??!
2 responses
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
12 Mar 11
That exhibit was here at our local museum the other year. I did not go as the expense to get into the museum was plenty for a family of 5 and then to pay extra to see this exhibit would surely not make the journey any more affordable.
I wonder if they got a deal on the music that went in it? You know leftover odd ball things are used sometimes in products because they are cheap. Were all the globes playing the same song? Perhaps one was assembled wrong. I would not of bought it I'd have something better to do with my money, if they can't make a decent product. And I have no idea about the movie you are speaking of either, I was born in the 70's though ;0)
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
13 Mar 11
I think by now, a lot of ragtime music, and other traditional songs, be they gospel or secular, are in the public domain, so one would not have to pay royalties to use them.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
13 Mar 11
That is true. There's a royalty when you sing Happy Birthday to be paid that's why they don't sing it much on tv or in movies. It floors me what can be copyrighted and have such influence. Makes one wonder what words or phrases can we get our paws on and make a few dollars on *lol*
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
12 Mar 11
So, what song was it? Now I'm curious.
I agree with you that they should not commercialze it that way.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
12 Mar 11
Oh, sorry, my poor eyes missed a line. Now I got the song title.
While I still agree with you about commercialism, allow me to play devils advocate for a sec.
The song is not called the sting, rather it's the theme from the movie, called The Sting. The dong is a 1902 hit by Scott Joplin called The Entertainer, and though 10 years older than the wreck, it was still a popular song of the day, and was likely one of the songs the ship's orchestra or pianist would have played. In authentic context, this is actually more appropriate than Celine Dion, which would have been mire commercial because it oromoted the MOVIE, and less sentimental because it would not have been heard on the ship.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
13 Mar 11
You have a point. I guess I am just to sentimental! I hear this same tune is SO MANY music boxes and globes. It is so common and to me, overly used. Not to mention I don't really care for it! But even a nice love song would have been better...lullaby and goodnite...anything but this! To me, it sounds like a rinky-dink ditty for a mime to work with!
I hope you are both around a long while longer!
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
13 Mar 11
Thanks for the wishes, and for understanding. As for the way you describe the sound of the song, BINGO. As someone who has studied the music of that period extensively, that's precisely how it is supposed to sound. That was the style. I played piano and organ in a heritage village for 10 years, and needed material written before 1914. I do not read music, and play completely by ear. I watched a lot of silent movies, so I could learn music. I also spent a lot of time on carousels, another great place to learn such songs. Good thing I am eccentric when it comes to music, because if I hadn't squires a taste for such music, my job would have driven me insane!!!
If they chose a period love song to put in there, most people of today would not recognize it, and if they chose one from today, it would not be appropriate, or authentic.
Personally lullaby and goodnight (Brahans lullaby) is mire suited to a snow globe with a baby, or an angel, or a sleeping child. I think it's great they remembered the Titanic for how it lived, because we already know how it met his end. A memorial is not the place to recreate the demise of someone, or something, otherwise my grandfather's memorial would have been in a hospital room, as opposed to a beautiful Danish restaurant.
