“Buckminster Fuller is ... I don't actually know a lot about him. He was born in 1895 in Massachusetts, and I think what he is best known for is popularizing the geodesic dome, which are these sort of spherical buildings. People who know about these things inform me that it's very difficult to construct one that doesn't leak when it rains, but ... what are you gonna do?
Anyway, I figure as a tribute to Buckminster Fuller, who has a stamp coming out by the United States post office today, I would sing this little song, which he in fact wrote, and which there's a recording of him singing around some place.
Song:
There once was a square with a romantic flair
Pure Beaux-Arts, McKim Mead & White,
In the mood that ensued, he went factory-nude --
Mies, Gropius, Corbusier, and Wright.
Rome home to a dome, where
Georgian and Gothic once stood;
Now chemical bonds alone guard our blondes
And even the plumbing looks good.
Let architects sing of aesthetics that bring
Rich clients in hordes to their knees
Just give me a home in a great circle dome
Where the stresses and strains are at ease.
Rome home to a dome,
On the crest of a neighboring hill.
Where the chores are all done, before they're begun
And eclectic nonsense is nil.
Let modern folks dream of glass boxes with steam
Out along super-burbia way;
Split-levels, split-loans, split-breadwinner homes
No down money, a lifetime to pay.
Rome home to a dome
No banker would back with a dime
No mortgage to show, no payments to go,
Where you dream, dwell and spend your own time.
[end song -- I pasted the lyrics from http://www.waltlockley.com/manhattandome/dome03domes.htm, since I had a hard time understanding some of the words, but I did change a few of the words to match more what Jake was singing.]
And, that's the song. And as Buckminster Fuller himself said, sorry about the voice. Hope you enjoyed it. Bye.”
The lyrics I used were the ones given here (look under session 072). The lyrics that chicken_cem found appear to be a little more accurate, but hopefully the sound quality of the phone post is bad enough that you can't tell the difference.
The stamps are completely freaky looking. I have to go to the post office tomorrow and buy a bunch.