h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The End of the Rainbow, and How Alice Got There - A87738321
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - Post Editor, Guide Editor, allergic to self - U1590784

Okay, I'll put this here. I'm not sure how much scifi is actually involved.

It's for Solnushka's excellent challenge, though. I threw in the pictures, and I hope you'll click on the musical links.

Bel says she can't understand why I associate Duesseldorf with mustard. I found that mustard eye-opening...also sinus-opening...

I didn't say I don't understand your association. I just said it would never have occurred to me. Düsseldorf for me is the Rhine, the Kö, and Dorthe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqOUIPN52B8

Great song. Amazing dress. I was hypnotised.

My parents had the record. We used to sing along.

I love the songs you chose for your story.

THanks. I started out looking for an old coffee commercial, but remembered the Popcorn song...

See, Solnushka? You've got us all thinking synaesthetically: sight, sound, text.

That was in the 70s, wasn't it? (The popcorn song). The other one is Sony content, so I can't watch this version, but I know the song (btw, your second link doesn't work. There's a superfluous space between the " and http)

Thanks for the tip about the link, Bel. I think I fixed it.

Popcorn song was 60s, I think, but I'm not sure. I searched and searched for a version of 'Over the Rainbow' that I thought you could see. I'm sorry it didn't work.

It's not yxour fault. Maybe popcorn made it here later, or maybe it just kept being popular for quite long? I'm sure I was at gymnasium when I got to know it. Never mind.

Btw, meant to say that I like the idea you solve the language problem.

It reminds me of a book I've just listened to, where this is the means of communication between dragons and their riders(and that's not suggesting this wasn't your idea, mind!)

The idea that Neanderthalers communicated telepathically wasn't mine. It came from William Golding, the Nobel Prize novelist and author of 'The Inheritors':

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2003/jan/11/fiction.williamgolding

Golding's Neanderthalers 'talk' by sending pictures to each other's minds. I loved that idea. It struck me as the real solution to the language problem, and eliminates the silly idea of telepathy as wireless radio. Also, that idea stuck with me because that's how I think, anyway - not just visually, but in 'pictures' that are packets of information. (Sorting them out into linear threads is the hard part.)

That's a great book, by the way.

Aha. I got the Popcorn song wrong. The Jarre involved was Jean-Michel, not Maurice.

The original song came out in 1969. The most popular recording was in 1972. Your memory is spot-on, Bel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popcorn_(instrumental)

That's a relief.

I never read that book although I attended a Golding class at uni. I read Lord of the Flies (naturally), Rites of Passage, and The Spire, though.

'Pincher Martin' is one of my favourite novels. Elektra and I are big Golding fans.

About 'Popcorn': We're listening to a lot of music right now by the original composer. What a fantastic find - we'd never have found him if you hadn't asked, so thanks for that.

His name is Gershon Kingsley. That struck me as a very odd name, so I looked him up.

He was born Götz Gustav Ksinski...wait for it...

In Bochum.

Oh, Bochum, eh? Here's a song about Bochum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me_rwe8wHYE

Very stirring. Not at all what I expected.

He's very popular - not sure why, though, cause you can't understand what he sings half of the time. He did mention Düsseldorf, though.

Is he the Bruce Springsteen of North Rhine-Westphalia?

Maybe?

He had a role in the film 'Das Boot'. I'm not sure what was first, singing or acting.

Now I'm imagining a version of 'Das Boot' with a catchy theme, made from 'The Love Boat'...

It had a nice tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snnwjoToN-8

DEEEE...da dum dum dee dee DEEE...BOCHUM!

Nah, doesn't work.