The following songs were recorded live and barely edited. On three occasions, Tyler accompanied Christian’s lectures on music and Pynchon in New York and Philadelphia [ZIP, 74MB]. The fourth occasion was the birthday party Christian organized at Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich [ZIP, 55MB].
Guitar, ukulele, harmonica, kazoo, and vocals: Tyler Burba.
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“They’ve Been Sleeping on Your Shoulder” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 02:53
“Superhighways of July” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 02:40
“The Eagle of Tooting” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 01:26
“Last Song” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 04:13
Christian’s lecture has been published in the book America and the Musical Unconscious (Julius Greve & Sascha Pöhlmann, Eds.) in the article “Harmonica, kazoo—a friend. Pynchon’s Lessons in Organology.”
“Let’s Go Down to Hepsie’s Tonight” (from Mason & Dixon ) — 02:44
“The Autobiography of Roony Winsome” (from V. ) — 04:16
“The Chums of Chance Song” (from Against the Day ) — 03:31
“Snap to, Slothrop” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 02:43
“Let’s Go Down to Hepsie’s Tonight” (from Mason & Dixon ) — 02:17
“The Autobiography of Roony Winsome” (from V. ) — 05:25
“The Chums of Chance Song” (from Against the Day ) — 03:16
“Snap to, Slothrop” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 02:23
“The Chums of Chance Song” (from Against the Day ) — 02:44
“Snap to, Slothrop” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 01:35
“Superhighways of July” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 05:54
“They’ve Been Sleeping on Your Shoulder” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 02:32
“Serenade” (from The Crying of Lot 49 ) — 03:39
“Hymn” and “Glee” (from The Crying of Lot 49 ) — 02:44
“Happy Birthday, Thomas Pynchon” — 01:17
“Middletown New York” (from Bleeding Edge ) — 03:17
“Let’s Go Down to Hepsie’s Tonight” (from Mason & Dixon ) — 02:15
“Wacky Coconuts” (from Vineland ) — 01:47
“Full Moon in Pisces” (from Inherent Vice ) — 05:02
“Last Song” (from Gravity’s Rainbow ) — 04:02
All lyrics by Thomas Pynchon. Music by Tyler Burba, except for:
“Let’s Go Down to Hepsie’s Tonight” (Christian Hänggi, 2016);
“The Autobiography of Roony Winsome” to the tune of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (George Bruns, 1954);
“Snap to, Slothrop” to the tune of “Bye Bye Blackbird” (Ray Henderson, 1926);
“Hymn” to the tune of “Far Above Cayuga's Waters” (H.S. Thompson, 1857);
“Glee” to the tune of “Aura Lee” (George R. Poulton, 1861);
“Happy Birthday” (Patty and Mildred J. Hill, 1893).
Inquiries about these recordings and the content of the lectures may be directed to . More music by Tyler Burba can be found on his website.