Getting the Shaft, Arab Style
That might have been a little provocative for a headline
So, I am sitting in a foreign-chain-franchise coffee shop right now checking my e-mail and the theme-song from “Shaft” came on. It was remixed with Arabic-sounding instruments and—oh yes— sung in Arabic. Fantastic.
I will take this any day, since the musical fare in these places is usually a heinous mix of ocarina-infused, elevator-style covers of American songs from 1980-1992 played on a loop, punctuated by the live instrumental version of “Hotel California.” Seriously. Awful.
What is with the ocarina? Worst. Instrument. Ever.
1
Wow. I didn’t think it was a real instrument; I only knew it as referenced in a the video game, “The Legend of Zelda:Ocarina of Time.” The best part is, I dunno if I should actually feel stupid or not. Usually it’s pretty clear one way or another. BTW, loving the tshirt. Loving it.
2
Oh yes. The ocarina is real. It was featured, in case you were wondering, in the soundtrack for that cinematic turd: TITANIC. Music from said turd can also often be heard in public places here, much to my chagrin.