William S. Burroughs: The Last Words Of Dutch Schultz (This Is Insane)
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Before Spearhead, Michael Franti was a member of The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy. Stepping away from their traditional rapping mode, the Heroes created a bed of music over which William S. Burroughs performed readings from some of his better known routines. The resulting album, Spare-Ass Annie and Other Tales, is by turns hilarious, disgusting, insightful, and insane. The insanity level is particularly high on the track I am sharing with you today.
Dutch Schultz (born Arthur Flegenheimer) was a New York City-area gangster in the 20s and 30s, who was "taken out" by his bosses when they worried he might rat on them... Though he was shot, and mortally wounded, it took nearly a full day for Dutch Schultz to die, during which time he drifted in and out of consciousness, babbling nonsensical and incoherent phrases. Thinking the words might be death-bed confessions, the police had a stenographer write down what the dying man was saying.
I don't know if the police were ever able to use any of Dutch Schultz' last words to their benefit, but Mr. William S. Burroughs managed to put them to quite good use for us!
Hip hop doesn't get too much play on The Machine, so this post might seem anomalous- but it's got horns!
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This song is taken from my (almost) worn out cassette copy of Spare-Ass Annie..., so the fidelity is not the best. My apologies for that, but I hope hope HOPE you are intrigued enough to track down your own copy. You will like it.