Cumbria Tourist Board is hoping to attract a whole new generation of visitors to the English Lake District and update its image with a rap version of William Wordsworth’s classic poem,
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze….”
The tourist board have released a video featuring Sam the red squirrel (the mascot of the Lake District). Sam has been re-named MC Nuts! and is shown in the video rapping to Wordsworth’s famous poem and at one point breakdancing on the lake! A spokesman from the Cumbria Tourist Board, who have renamed themselves, “Go Lakes”, explained the importance of moving with the times. Apparently they are hoping to attract the “You Tube” generation with the new-style video. You can watch Sam the squirrel aka MC Nuts in action on the Go Lakes website by following the link below:-
http://www.golakes.co.uk/wordsworthrap/
4 comments:
Now that was fun. That's one rap that I can actually understand!!
I can see this being used all over the world in schools, as a way to interest students in learning poetry, but I wonder what position Wordsworth is in right now ... spinning?????
Oh Naomi, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea and post about this at my blog. I watched the video. Is it popular? I know I'm not the target audience but this seems terribly disrespectful to Wordsworth's work to me.
I think that's a great idea Rosemary and a good way to put poetry like this across to kids. I'm sure Wordsworth is spinning in his grave right now at the thought of his poem being rapped!
Don't mind at all Sheila. Yes the video has proved very popular, particularly with the youngsters. Having studied some of Wordsworth's poetry in my youth I agree it's not very respectful but then again you have to move with the times and as Rosemary mentioned this might be a good way to get today's youngsters more interested in poetry.
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