Title: Our Retired Explorer (Dines With Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961)
Media: Song
Approx length: 2'23"
Where to find it: The Weakerthans' album Reconstruction Site, various music streaming services. The official video is here on YouTube, but I can't wholeheartedly recommend it because the video tells a really different story from the song itself, and it's the song I'm interested in. But if it's your only way to hear it, it'll do.
What is it, in summary?: The title really does sum it up. A former Antarctic explorer finds himself making awkward conversation on a dinner date with philosopher Michel Foucault.
What do you love about it?: It's clever and jaunty and completely silly, and unexpectedly lovely too, with a middle section about the beauty and terror of Antarctica.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: There's a lot a writer could do with this song, and my request will give a lot of leeway. There's room to go shippy/sexy or not (it's clear from the song that Foucault is interested, but the explorer is a lot more ambivalent), depending on what strikes the writer's fancy.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: Nope.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): None for the song itself. The video contains injury and implied character death.
Our Retired Explorer (Dines With Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961)
Media: Song
Approx length: 2'23"
Where to find it: The Weakerthans' album Reconstruction Site, various music streaming services. The official video is here on YouTube, but I can't wholeheartedly recommend it because the video tells a really different story from the song itself, and it's the song I'm interested in. But if it's your only way to hear it, it'll do.
What is it, in summary?: The title really does sum it up. A former Antarctic explorer finds himself making awkward conversation on a dinner date with philosopher Michel Foucault.
What do you love about it?: It's clever and jaunty and completely silly, and unexpectedly lovely too, with a middle section about the beauty and terror of Antarctica.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: There's a lot a writer could do with this song, and my request will give a lot of leeway. There's room to go shippy/sexy or not (it's clear from the song that Foucault is interested, but the explorer is a lot more ambivalent), depending on what strikes the writer's fancy.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: Nope.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): None for the song itself. The video contains injury and implied character death.