Word: offing
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Dates: during 1970-1970
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THEY LAUGHED when I bought a recording of humpback whales' songs. I laughed when I played it. At first I thought trucks were screeching their brakes outside, but then I saw that the needle was on the record. They told me it would be an emotional experience-the zoologist who...
A rapidly-dying breed of whale sang these "songs" in the Athlantic off Bermuda. Some of the sounds are laughably unmusical-the closest description might be of a constipated cow in pain. Others simulate underwater noises: burbling and the purring of motors. And there are a few beautiful echoing calls...
None of the sounds are songs in the melodious sense that one would expect. The album might be better entitled Calls of the Humpback Whale, for they are calls as birds' songs are calls.
The amazing thing is that the promotional build-up for the record ends up being true once you've listened to it long enough. This cacophony of calls becomes something truly beautiful and soothing. It's not exactly the record you'd sit down and listen to with your parents...
THE RECORD presents many subtleties of whale song, starting out on solos, moving on to duets and then a very long trio. The first side begins with a solo, which bears a strong resemblance for the first few minutes to a badly squeaking door. During the song, which the record...