Lisa Denton and Barry CourterLISA DENTON: Barry, you know those comedy skits where serious actors recite song lyrics? Like Christopher Walken reading Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”: P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face. Mum mum mum mah.
Pop songs always sound so weird when they’re read instead of sung. The Chattanooga Public Library is doing a Lunch Break program like that Wednesday called “Poem Song/Song Poem.” But they’re playing it straight (good luck with that) and not for laughs, I think.
On their playlist are lyrics by Bob Dylan, Patti Smith and Tupac Shukar, singers known for their songwriting talents.
BARRY COURTER: Old-timers will remember Steve Allen doing that on the original “The Tonight Show.” I think his recitation of “Be-Bop-A-Lula” is television history.
And, speaking of history, all kinds of it will be made on Thursday and Saturday. A group of opera enthusiasts calling themselves the Artisti Affamati, which is a fancy way of saying “starving artists” or, coincidentally, “opera enthusiasts,” will be presenting a fully staged opera at Historic Engel Stadium.