Laurie Anderson - Mach 20

Laurie's piece "Mach 20" from "United States Live". This was on a short-lived TV show called "The New Show". It was produced by the same producer as an earlier show that employed some of the same people, but it definitely was "The New Show". I mean, I taped the damn thing.

[@Auntchovi]

I would kill to have a dvd of the US Live performances!!!! I agree that Laurie is one of the greatest living artists of our time.

[@dbwindhorst1]

I was watching that evening, and became an instant fan.

[@RickyColemanpdx49]

I am so sad I missed her then but so happy I have discovered her now.

[@briansmith9439]

She still performs; check out her website for the calendar - probably the best performer I have ever seen, which I have done 3 times.

[@susanbartlett-ye6476]

I was 10 when she appeared on SNL in this post. She was so different. Unique . I still get goosebumps watching it now. My world opened up that night

[@unmusica]

Thank you for posting! I saw this on TV once, early in 84, my first exposure to LA. I immediately bought "Mister Heartbreak" and was blown away, especially with the beauty of "Kokoku" and "Blue Lagoon." She came to Boston soon afterwards, and I was lucky to see her 3 times in about 2 years, (1st show was largely United States) and meet her at a book signing. Later I called a no. given me by Warner Bros; it was she who answered! I was shocked, but sent her a tape; she responded with a postcard.

[@ai-man212]

I saw this as a kid and it was a complete revelation. Haven't been the same since.

[@lodgerxlodger6525]

I remember seeing her live after listening to Big Science a thousand times... and I was so surprised at how funny she was... you did not get that from the album... it was a revelation...

[@thomvanek3505]

Inventive and thought-producing. Laurie is so creative and far ahead of her time. I love her works.

[@jr24jr24]

I don’t know what I just watched but I loved it

[@Aramanth]

Awesome upload! I noticed she is wearing white. A hallmark of the Mr. Heartbreak tour. For United States she wore black but a lighting director told her she was hard to find on stage!! Laurie is STILL brilliant!

[@bradster67]

I remember seeing this performance the night it originally aired. It was called 'The New Show' on ABC television. Thrilled to see it again. This piece is one of my favorites from 'United States I-V'. Laurie Anderson has been and continues to be a favorite of mine. I've seen her perform live once. She's just brilliant!

[@ComplexConfusion]

She's as fascinating to watch as to listen to. Wow.

[@dethspud]

O Superwoman!! Laurie Anderson is the poet Laureate of the US Be Well.

[@SubversionArts]

I saw this when it was originally broadcast, and it made a huge impression on me. I've been a fan of Laurie Anderson ever since.

[@gryphonrue]

Maybe, I don’t know - but it’s an interesting thought. Why would you prefer they don’t laugh?

[@Bleedingdancer]

Laurie is brilliant.One of the great artist of our time.

[@kludd28]

I've always loved the short, choppy, ...(pause)...emphatic way that she talks when using the 'voice of authority' filter. It's not that she doesn't perform like that without it, but the combination is so unusual, you have to listen. You have to know, what the heck is she talking about? Who cares? How do you make music like that? What an original.

[@truvelocity]

A fabulous media artist who simplifies things for even a child to comprehend, with adult irony for the rest of us. I laugh at much of her work ( in a knowing good way).

[@jerrydial5984]

I remember this show, I think I watched every episode and was sad to see it cancelled. I really liked it if I remember correctly. I absolutely adore Laurie Anderson. Thanks for posting this.

[@alvaro63025]

Es una genia

[@briansmith9439]

Excellent - saw this one she performed at UCLA many, many years ago. Absolutely brilliant artist. Glad to see she is still performing (calendar is on her website).

[@TroyTempest]

The math is mind boggling as is the way she thought to convey it - fab.

[@morganfitzpp]

Saw this when it aired in 84! I recall her having more than one performance that night, but can’t find it on the net...

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

Both funny and deep. This was from 1984. I saw Laurie perform at MSG with Lou Reed in '87 even though she said she met him in '92. I also saw her at Lincoln Center. Anyway United States Live is a unique 5 LP classic!

[@Itsubichubansai9537]

She is amazing!!!

[@WadeRothermel]

Wow. And to think I liked the song. Thanks for clearing that up!!

[@Aqene1000]

A highly unusual woman an intriguing entertainer

[@miliscatis]

laurie anderson always creative and unique!

[@Lyktwz]

She is not only wonderful, She is from outer space...

[@HippoSad]

brilliant!

[@dethspud]

Too Cool. Spud owned "United States Live" on cassette tape back back in the long ago. Lar kicks ass. White Lily is also excellent. Be Well.

[@k8fan]

The also showed the video for "Sharky's Day" later in the show, but that is available elsewhere.

[@k8fan]

Yes, she was the host of that episode.

[@nvgclourinha]

tem de ficar para a historia, pela originalidade em tudo...

[@avapepper]

I heart Laurie. signed, tree

[@radiofriendly]

wow - I've missed this - thought i'd seen all on youtube...nope

[@k8fan]

It's right there in the description.

[@anwaya]

Do you want to go home now? You can read the signs.

[@k8fan]

Don't know why someone marked this as spam. It's not spam. It's a criticism - one that I don't agree with - but one that this person has a right to make.

[@truvelocity]

@seandeeify Yes, it seems she is strange but that was a time in the 80's that performance art like this was common for many artists. I was a part of that movement with a group called Acme in Los Angeles.

[@ultang]

wow

[@patternsinchaos]

You cut off "ladies" (in ladies and gentlemen) at the beginning. ;-) Thanks for uploading this. Laurie is awesome.

[@eyewoodsay]

i like 2 listen to this when im flying my space ship

[@peritomoreno4660]

Can someone provide a transcript of what she says ( a mean a native speaker) ?

[@NHBearMan1967]

I saw this on Saturday Night Live years and years ago, but it may have been on another show as well.

[@foxbasealpha]

It was a short-lived prime time version of SNL called The New Show.

[@tommysonar]

genius.

[@xenussister]

I don't know what your problem is Bernardette2323. This is just fun. What's wrong with that? Laurie Anderson is one of the most intelligent and interesting artists out there. In a hundred years, critics and historians will indeed write about the cultural emptiness and artistic stupidity of today, but Laurie is will still be revered by intelligent people with good taste.

[@Seloa]

@lingshu8 I think she just means in general. All of them have the potential to become a human and in that sense half of them would become women. Actually it just seems like she's blanketing the facts over a larger scale so really... either way.

[@vuotopiuscuro]

fine

[@corbindallas30]

@piedpiperpianos niiice! lol :)

[@madlove1581]

................ jumpin jesus - no kidding!!!!

[@edgeways]

she's got a lot of CDs

[@harryschumacher8035]

Everybody, obtain your ticket to a Laurie Anderson concert for a great comedy! Say "SPERM" and... giggle! Save the stub of the ticket for later needs to prove everybody your "art stuff" expertice, intelligence, maturity and whatnot.

[@paulyoldmac]

i'd love to hear what thoughts this provokes

[@LunaSeaSane]

It is ridiculous that most of the insults a lot of people here bash at each other (or at some celebrity) would not be considered disrespectful. And yet, a humorous & informative piece performed with a minimum of taste & intelligence, would.

[@kuglepen64]

whauw

[@augopen]

Jay Suss

[@peritomoreno4660]

what does "mach 20" mean in that context? I'm not a native speaker

[@peritomoreno4660]

thanks Dirac! But where does MACH become from? In my country, there's a shaver that's called MACH 3.

[@peritomoreno4660]

Got it! thanks!!

[@joshuascholar3220]

Mach means the speed of sound. Mach 20 means 20 times the speed of sound.

[@madlove1581]

leonardo di caprio - his sister, he sure resembles her - here at her age, in this video

[@virus56777]

the bravery of being out of range are you all

[@seandeeify]

Good God, she's so strange.

[@Torc0]

Now that you mention it, Lou doesn't look any older now than he did 20 years ago. Maybe he's secretly funneling his age to her!

[@virus56777]

snl 's last breath 5-5

[@coprographia]

I only have the faintest idea who the hell she is because of Space Ghost.

[@k8fan]

Mean? It's not so much a song as a lecture about scale and drawing comparisons. Sperm the size of whales. It's just interesting.

[@Caleefornia]

Is it pretentious that I wish the audience wasn’t laughing?

[@lingshu8]

Awesome and eerie. But she flubs a number: instead of "400 blind and desperate sperm whales" it should have been "400 million" (hence a moment later she asks "would there be room for so many million?") Also, a minor hair-split: "Over half of them will end up as women." Actually, of those 400 million sperm, typically only 1 will end up fertilizing an egg (if any). The rest will die. Of course, the sperm that does succeed in conceiving has a 50% chance of becoming a woman.

[@peritomoreno4660]

she talks about huge sperm whales arriving the Japanese coastal waters...

[@latexinuit]

Mach 20 is not correct. 30 mph or 50 km/h is more correct.