so he is saying the American dream is truly the greatest of human dreams(only it's not real), the way the last line read when spoken was the only thing in the whole piece that didn't really stick for me
Burroughs is echoing the last page of Gatsby: "And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors' eyes-a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder."
There is a time and place for critique. And I assure you the family Thanksgiving table is not the place. If you are blessed enough to be at such a table (many aren't) and enjoy food that someone else's hands spend all day preparing; sharing such a provocative poem in order to provoke, speaks to an incredible lack of self awareness and utter ungratefulness.
William S. Burroughs American Exceptionalism at it's finest! And Thanks for "Naked Lunch, the only book you can read backwards and it still makes perfect sense.
I especially liked his passage about the church ladies. So damn spot on. The whole poem Just Hits. People don't even realize what Thanksgiving, or so it came to be called, it was really all about what the events were during that time.
I had a friend who once read this to his unsuspecting family on Thanksgiving. When he finished, there was dead silence and jaws lying on the floor. Needless to say, it didn't go over well.
@@markusbrauns4274when the people accept such easily dispelled lies as that the USA is exceptionally virtuous, or rather even virtuous at all, belies itself that the poets and ours is an eternal struggle. Hoi oligoi reign supreme.
I remember seeing this on MTV Europe back in the early nineties (back when MTV used to play music) It blew me away and has only become more prescient with each passing year. I post it up in my blog every year and dedicate it to Burroughs' memory and everyone who has been shat, used up or abused by the great lie of liberty, prosperity and inclusivity for all; especially in these cash-strapped times.
I also play this every 4th of July! Works just as well, especially in 2022! This unfortunately, will always be relevant in this carcass shell of a country.
Burroughs was a genius. This is actually pretty mild. My favorite Burroughs quote: "This is a war universe. War all the time. That is its nature. There may be other universes based on all sorts of other principles, but ours seems to be based on war and games."
According to Webster's New World Collegiate Dictionary, Fourth Edition, a fink is: "1 an informer 2 a strikebreaker; esp., a professional strikebreaker 3 a person regarded as contemptible, obnoxious, etc., ---vi. [Slang] to inform (on) ---fink out [Slang]" That's the gist, anyway. They seem to be soft-peddling it here; I would add the word "rat", but maybe that's more a thesaurus issue. Other descriptors pertaining to the word "fink" could be "unsavory", "treacherous", "back-stabbing", and so forth. As an American, I would say that the term definitely applies, in the context that William S. Burroughs uses it here.
@Ian Robertson I had to leave something for someone else; which is where you came in. As for tRump, I'm sure you realize that the word "fink" is far too limited a description. At this juncture I leave it to others to flesh out the remaining details of that incredible [slug? orangutan? hyena? warthog?] ...creature, with my blessings. 🤣😆🤔
Too bad nobody has the guts to say it like Burroughs said it. He would scoff at political correctness and the control of language. "Smash the Control Machine!"
I play this every Thanksgiving just before we sit down to eat. I usually get teary . makes me sad that we started with such high ideals and did so little with them.
I love my country, in the same way I've fallen in love with women for their potential. As superbly stated by WSB near the end, this disparity between potential and actual is vast, and with each passing year seems to grow exponentially. A gov't subservient to corporate interests, censored media that disseminates misinformation, etc., etc., and its no wonder the population is ignorant, pliable and easily manipulated. WSB shines the light of truth on darker destructive aspects of the American character. This T-giving prayer is 30 years old but more relevant than ever.
This Thanksgiving, almost 30 years later, this seems 100% relevant. This year we've been fighting nothing but the same type of evil that Bill talks about here, and I think for the most part we lost. Maybe next year.
Have not heard this before. Thx for sharing. Burroughs was one of 20th century's school of "dark" poets, for lack of a better term. Not recommended as a steady diet, but a good reminder of a dark corner of the prototypical American mindset.
"Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business" >>>My Favorite. On the Nod with you Willy Also from Willy: "They don't make them like they used to. The mold is gone"
Its not just America its the whole world. Gratitude is great, but we could have it way better. Hope I live to see my kids inherit at least a glimpse of a better world.
@NoPrivacyANYMORE10, I remember having to read this with a thesaurus in college. His indictment of "control-addicts" through language as authority- enough to get a book banned. The father of the Beat Generation poets spoke from a knowledgeable position- his family having invented the Burroughs Adding Machine. I actually got to meet him and hear him read. A very gracious man. A very honest man. Old Bill Lee would just smirk at all of this. He embraced the new generation. Tore down the walls.
@nixiedixie I always dug his quote: "The history of the world is the history of idiocy highlighted by a few morons who stand out as comparative geniuses." Or something like that. The man's words were pure gold.
I showed this to my family one year during thanksgiving...haven't been invited since....worked like a charm.
Lol
Wow- I wouldn’t had have the nerve… hah-
But I’m ISharing it like crazy!!
That is awesome, anybody start to come around yet, lol?! Happy misfit Thanksgiving, all!
Haha they're lucky, you just did that, you could've dosed the turkey lol
Happy Thanksgiving
Same. It’s been 21 years. Fuck this day. Should be a day of mourning and resistance.
"Thanks for the last and greatest betrayal...of the last and greatest of human dreams." Sheer poetry.
And the truth.
so he is saying the American dream is truly the greatest of human dreams(only it's not real), the way the last line read when spoken was the only thing in the whole piece that didn't really stick for me
@@ToneSoCooL3 I think he's referring to something other than the american dream, given the earlier parts
@@redcast104communism
Burroughs is echoing the last page of Gatsby:
"And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors' eyes-a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to
the last and greatest of all human dreams;
for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder."
Listen to this EVERY THANKSGIVING DAY
I use to do live ambient performances during the 90s for house and rave parties. I would love sneaking this track in, layered with various sounds.
Sounds horrible!get a job hippie!
Bro imagine hearing "thanks for the KKK, for n*gga killing lawmen" in the background of an ambient set.
Burroughs had a way of taking every gripe I had inside and making it poetic. Making it heard. Thank you William. Happy Thanksgiving.
Here again, Mr Burroughs.
This video is one of my favorite thanksgiving traditions.
Right? I share this on all social media on thanksgiving. I have for 4 years now
so have I, and I've been reading it before dinner instead of some other crap. And boy oh boy have I taken a lot of shit for it
My annual posting on Facebook as well. People love it.
Mine too
Same here, every year - I miss our reluctant heroes.
The ending of this leaves my jaw on the floor. Stunning.
Same here!
Most patriotic prayer ever. This should be read before every family Thanksgiving dinner!
There is a time and place for critique. And I assure you the family Thanksgiving table is not the place. If you are blessed enough to be at such a table (many aren't) and enjoy food that someone else's hands spend all day preparing; sharing such a provocative poem in order to provoke, speaks to an incredible lack of self awareness and utter ungratefulness.
@@sugarspice7768Tell me your opinion on athletes taking a knee.
@@sugarspice7768 as ever, this poster is offended that people question the great evils of the world.
I have played this every thanksgiving for 25 years.
William S. Burroughs American Exceptionalism at it's finest! And Thanks for "Naked Lunch, the only book you can read backwards and it still makes perfect sense.
I come back every Thanksgiving to watch this.
Who's here watching this in 2020?
ive shared it every year since probably it was posted
-- What we gonna do this Thanksgiving, Brain?
-- Same thing we do EVERY Thanksgiving, Pinkie... Listen to Burroughs and scowl contentedly...
Every. Single. Year.
Here because of Julian Casablancas
the ONLY worthy american tradition!
always relevant.
I especially liked his passage about the church ladies. So damn spot on. The whole poem Just Hits. People don't even realize what Thanksgiving, or so it came to be called, it was really all about what the events were during that time.
I had a friend who once read this to his unsuspecting family on Thanksgiving. When he finished, there was dead silence and jaws lying on the floor. Needless to say, it didn't go over well.
Some people would rather be lied to, about how great America is, and ignore the real hard honest truth.
@@markusbrauns4274when the people accept such easily dispelled lies as that the USA is exceptionally virtuous, or rather even virtuous at all, belies itself that the poets and ours is an eternal struggle. Hoi oligoi reign supreme.
Based William Burroughs
"No one owns life, but anyone who can pick up a frying pan, owns death." WSB
I remember seeing this on MTV Europe back in the early nineties (back when MTV used to play music)
It blew me away and has only become more prescient with each passing year.
I post it up in my blog every year and dedicate it to Burroughs' memory and everyone who has been shat, used up or abused by the great lie of liberty, prosperity and inclusivity for all; especially in these cash-strapped times.
It was available for selection on M2
@@GadgetManMatt Placebo picked this for their Under The Influence interview with Zane Lowe. I still have the VHS tape.
My goodness this brings back memories. This taught me the word "modicum" in 1990.
2021, especially true, the militarization and commercialization of space
I also play this every 4th of July! Works just as well, especially in 2022! This unfortunately, will always be relevant in this carcass shell of a country.
Well worded comment...
I start every Thanksgiving with these words of wisdom. Thank you sir.
Burroughs was a genius. This is actually pretty mild. My favorite Burroughs quote: "This is a war universe. War all the time. That is its nature. There may be other universes based on all sorts of other principles, but ours seems to be based on war and games."
haha an appropriately american sentiment
Twitter & Bisted? After all these years.....you bet- :)
Thank you, Mr. Burroughs, for seeing my broken nation for what it really was/is. RIP.
My word...this man is a genius in every facet.
Even more relevant this year.
Happy Birthday William S. Burroughs. You would be 100. You will be 10,000. Such is the nature of words that flow in and through eternity.
I watch this every Thanksgiving.
Naked Dinner
December 25 will be here before you know it so dont forget to listen to him read "The Junkys Christmas". Its here on youtube.
#metoo
Does this feed your hate for just America? Or for humanity as a whole?
@@Nobnoxious For all of humanity.
When William Burroughs speaks, he has our attention.
He was the driest man I ever met.
@@svalchemy dry wine is best wine🍷
Thanks for William S. Boroughs For helping to give ordinary Americans the right to speech, no matter how much it offends the powers that be.
And thanks for William S Burroughs.
Still rings true all these years later.
Sad, but very true
My yearly tradition!
welcome back, welcome back
"...thanks for a nation of finks..." What a beautiful prayer... Brings tears to me eyes... RIP Willy
brutalyzedbytv what's a fink?
According to Webster's New World Collegiate Dictionary, Fourth Edition, a fink is: "1 an informer 2 a strikebreaker; esp., a professional strikebreaker 3 a person regarded as contemptible, obnoxious, etc., ---vi. [Slang] to inform (on) ---fink out [Slang]" That's the gist, anyway. They seem to be soft-peddling it here; I would add the word "rat", but maybe that's more a thesaurus issue. Other descriptors pertaining to the word "fink" could be "unsavory", "treacherous", "back-stabbing", and so forth. As an American, I would say that the term definitely applies, in the context that William S. Burroughs uses it here.
Oh yeah, I left out "ass-kisser" but... I guess you get the idea.
@Ian Robertson I had to leave something for someone else; which is where you came in. As for tRump, I'm sure you realize that the word "fink" is far too limited a description. At this juncture I leave it to others to flesh out the remaining details of that incredible [slug? orangutan? hyena? warthog?] ...creature, with my blessings. 🤣😆🤔
@@morningcoffeecat2271 Hey, you got 9 lives? And if so, can we expect another 6 incarnations?
This poem is now 30 years old, yet it could've been written moments ago, eh?
Because the human brain likes to look for parallels and patterns.
Never more relevant.
Too bad nobody has the guts to say it like Burroughs said it. He would scoff at political correctness and the control of language. "Smash the Control Machine!"
34 years, some things never change.
“Poem”
Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! Soooo much to be thankful for!
William S. Burroughs is a legend
Yeah, legendary junkie and wife killer
I'm hosting a tgiving dinner and now Bill is gonna speak!!! Awesome!
I adore this great,wonderful, epic, unique, great visionary man!!
I love you Bill !!
Here we are. Again.
As soon as I woke up today, I watched this...
I play this every Thanksgiving just before we sit down to eat. I usually get teary . makes me sad that we started with such high ideals and did so little with them.
I love my country, in the same way I've fallen in love with women for their potential. As superbly stated by WSB near the end, this disparity between potential and actual is vast, and with each passing year seems to grow exponentially. A gov't subservient to corporate interests, censored media that disseminates misinformation, etc., etc., and its no wonder the population is ignorant, pliable and easily manipulated. WSB shines the light of truth on darker destructive aspects of the American character. This T-giving prayer is 30 years old but more relevant than ever.
I agree wholeheartedly. I post this every year on Facebook. I'm quoting you this year in my comments. I hope you don't mind.
not at all!
Well said, Mark
*****
thanks Ron!
+Mark Rose Well said.
Here for my annual watch. Happy Thanksgiving!?
" thanks for a country where nobody is allowed to mind his own business."
Happy Thanksgiving 2017!
I’ve got bad news, 2017…. 🦠
Happy Thanksgiving 2021☮🦃
Amen! Thanks for a nation of finks...
"There is nothing more provocative than minding your own business." - William S Burroughs
This Thanksgiving, almost 30 years later, this seems 100% relevant. This year we've been fighting nothing but the same type of evil that Bill talks about here, and I think for the most part we lost. Maybe next year.
+Dave LeFevre Nope.
+Dave LeFevre Imagine a boot crushing a human skull for a thousand years - maybe in year 1001
"williamburroughsVEVO" makes me sad but also smile, for no word this terrible, can live long
Thanks for being thankful😊
My family watches this every thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope all are healthy and happy.
Happy Thanksgiving from 2022!
Happy Thanksgiving, 2018! This is part of my tradition.
A tradition (along with "Alice's Restaurant") every Thanksgiving.
The truth is so beautiful.
William S Burroughs saved my life
Thanks for these righteous words Burroughs style. Rest In Power.
Have not heard this before. Thx for sharing. Burroughs was one of 20th century's school of "dark" poets, for lack of a better term. Not recommended as a steady diet, but a good reminder of a dark corner of the prototypical American mindset.
I wish William were still here to comment on the horror that is Black Friday
Love him.
And a magnificent voice
Still relevant in 2020. Happy thanksgiving WSB!
and a happy thanksgiving to you bill!
Posted this every year for over ten years and I will never stop until i'm fucking dead.
"Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business" >>>My Favorite. On the Nod with you Willy
Also from Willy: "They don't make them like they used to. The mold is gone"
I think I'll make this a Thankgiving tradition. I watched a Burroughs documentary on Tubi. This was in it.
Do you happen to have the link for the documentary? If so, would you post it, please?
@@nickb602 Install the Tubi app. (It's free) Then search William S. Burroughs: A Man Within. You can also try searching CZcams.
Thanks for Bill . For putting me back into perspective
Thank You Uncle Bill 👍🏾😁🦃🦃🦃Happy Thanksgiving 2022🦃🦃🦃
Its not just America its the whole world. Gratitude is great, but we could have it way better. Hope I live to see my kids inherit at least a glimpse of a better world.
Happy Thanksgiving 2023✌🏼
A great writer and a great American. We won't see anyone like him again.
If we did, he would probably be taken out, by some secret government agency...
Happy thanksgiving everyone
Thanks, Bill.
Thanks for all the things that you don't have, that you DON"T want
When someone asks me what I'm "thankful" for I say W.S. Burroughs and his Thanksgiving Prayer. Peace.
Thanks for a nation where no one is able to mind they’re own business
"Even the old dude is cool." -- Beavis and Butt-Head
You know what would make it even better? If someone puked ....
Mike Judge is a very clever writer... and trombonist
Happy Thanksgiving Uncle Bill! Love you and missing you on Thanksgiving 2021 You words ring truer with each passing holiday
This is the fourth year in a row that I have watched this video on Thanksgiving. Still great.
thanks mr burroughs
indeed
Gone but not forgotten Bill. Keep saying it like it is! :-)
Very relevant again, sad truths.......hope we make it
The FURBY commercial was a hilarious prelude to such a video.
Happy four of July Burroughs!
32 years and nothing has changed
Happy thanksgiving everybody, first thing I listened to this morning and the last thing I listened to before I went to sleep
Thanks William
My thoughts exactly
Great stuff
happy thanksgiving to the sane folks of the world
Thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams
I'm here again. More true than ever.
And, I thank God (or whatever you may like to call It) for giving us the breed and blood ov sir William S. Burroughs !
Happy Thanks Giving all
Every year I watch this and every year it gets truer and truer
This video seems more appropriate now than ever.
The "space is fake" 🎤 drop was a beautiful end...!
Thank you so much Mr. Burroughs ,to me you are one of the greatest thinkers. RIP ThX for the upload
A Thanksgiving tradition at our house.
Thanks!
@NoPrivacyANYMORE10, I remember having to read this with a thesaurus in college. His indictment of "control-addicts" through language as authority- enough to get a book banned. The father of the Beat Generation poets spoke from a knowledgeable position- his family having invented the Burroughs Adding Machine. I actually got to meet him and hear him read. A very gracious man. A very honest man. Old Bill Lee would just smirk at all of this. He embraced the new generation. Tore down the walls.
Just in time for the holidays
@nixiedixie I always dug his quote: "The history of the world is the history of idiocy highlighted by a few morons who stand out as comparative geniuses." Or something like that. The man's words were pure gold.
'Thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams.'
Happy Thanksgiving! (2021)
Thanks for everything William!