The Salesman — текст песни (Laurie Anderson)

Now the book is called Stories from the Nerve Bible and what I mean by the Nerve Bible is the body. And parts of the body appear and disappear throughout the book, adding up to a kind of self-portrait although not a very naturalistic one. And I used the word Bible in the title of this book because the first really strange stories I remember hearing were Bible stories. And these stories were completely amazing: about parting oceans, and talking snakes. And people really seemed to believe these stories. And I`m talking about adults. Adults, who mainly just did the most mundane things imaginable: mowing their lawns and throwing potluck parties; they all believed in these wild stories. And they would sit around and discuss them in the most matter-of-fact way. So in a way I was introduced to a special local form of surrealism at an early age and so there was always a question in my mind about what`s actually true and what is just another art form. Now I`ve always been intere! sted in trying to define what makes up the late twentieth century American for example and so, as an artist, I`ve always thought my main job was to be a spy, to use my eyes and ears, and find some of the answers. For example, I like to hang around the banks of phones in airports, one of my favorite listening posts and eavesdrop on conversations. Now I usually travel on the same schedule as salesmen and after lunch these guys call into the main office and I just stand there at the phones, listening in and taking notes for my portrait of the American salesmen.
— Oh Frank? Listen, Frank. You know, I hate to say this about Brad. I mean we both know he`s got a heck of a job. Ya, ya. Oh you`re so right. But you know, we both know that Brad isn`t pulling his weight. You know what I mean? And I`m not saying this just because we`re both up for the same Safeway account.

So this book is really a collection of voices and stories as well as portraits of people that I`ve met along the way.