still not on youtube. somebody find that clip.

[fflo]

Once in a while I check. There are always a number of other sign-offs and promos and bumpers and bits of television ephemera of the period to be seen, but so far no one's posted the best TV sign-off from back in the days of nightly TV sign-offs.

Most stations would have some prayer or "sermonette" and then close with the national anthem, circa 2 a.m.  But for a while DC's channel 5, WTTG, which we could pick up over on the Eastern Shore, used instead a beautiful montage of video from NASA on the moon


with the simple soundtrack of the short song by the band America, "Lonely People."

This is for all the lonely people
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don't give up until you
Drink from the silver cup
And ride that highway in the sky

This is for all the single people
Thinking that love has left them dry
Don't give up until you
Drink from the silver cup
You never know until you try

Well I'm on my way
Yes I'm back to stay
Well I'm on my way back home

This is for all the lonely people
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don't give up until you
Drink from the silver cup
She'll never take you down or
Never give you up
You'll never know until you try

It was a lovely lullaby, in trying times---trying times for most of us, and for me, already cultivating the practice that seemed like an essential way out, the staying up late, outlasting everybody else. It may be just about the sweetest piece of TV there ever was, that sign-off. Now channel 5 is a Fox station, and times have changed, and, in so many ways, not for the better, for most of us, but in many ways for the better, for me, anyway.

Read here what evidence I've found of anyone else remembering. They remember the way I do. One day I hope to see the little masterwork again.


Today was the day at my office that my now-ex-coworker came back by to get her stuff. What was roughest about it was a surprise to me. See? No use dreading. Often enough it's something else entirely that sucks.


Y'know, Oz never did give nuthin' to the Tin Man that he didn't, didn't already have.


Goodnight, silent place.
 

Comments

[kercov.livejournal.com]

"No use dreading. Often enough it's something else entirely that sucks."

i'll be stealing this line. ;)

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

Sounds really cool. I always liked that song, and well, Apollo video, too.