The Cremation of Sam McGee

[UPDATE: I'm not accepting video responses to this video. Sorry folks.]

A reading of the poem by Robert W. Service (Jan. 16, 1874 - Sept. 11, 1958).

Most people reading this poem treat it as lightweight fare, a funny parody of a horror story. Service probably intended it that way.

But for my own amusement, and as a gesture towards Halloween, I've attempted to reinterpret the poem as genuine horror. It wasn't easy! The climactic stanza is hilarious, not scary. I'll rely on you folks to tell me if I succeeded.

Once again, folks who like their poems read as though they were songs, adhering tightly to their rhythmic structure, will be disappointed. I don't read poems that way very often.

Text of the full poem is here:

http://www.robertwservice.com/modules...

Happy Halloween, folks. :-)

• Category

  Entertainment

[4amstuckonearth]

My Grandfather is very likely to pass away tonight... He used to read this to me as a child. Thank you for posting this.

[Urgelt]

Most welcome, 4amstuckonearth.

I'm glad your Grandfather gave you memories worth cherishing.

[NicktheNet]

This vaguely reminds me of that eerie old nursery rhyme:

"One fine day in the middle of the night,

Two dead boys got up to fight.

Back to back they faced each other,

Drew their swords and shot each other.

A deaf policeman heard the noise,

And came and killed the two dead boys.

If you don't belive these lies are true,

Ask the blind man. He saw it too."

[Urgelt]

Brilliant!

[Fetchdafish]

Lovecraft would be so proud.

[Nick Robinson]

This was wonderfully read! Thanks for the video :)

[bseaman2000]

my father always made us kids recite this on Christmas Eve. He passed away in September. We didn't this year Dad, but we will next year, I promise.

[bseaman2000]

you missed a bit Nick..One fine day in the middle of the night, two dead boys got up to fight, one was blind the other couldn't see, Cock-eyed Joe was the referee...

[Paul Ewing]

Fabulous, I have a facebook friend in Moscow so I posted it on my wall. Thank you for this wonderful, soulful reading, and great sound effects too!

[CarimboDomSigno]

I remember when this video got featured, long time ago! Hope all is well, your videos are great!

[SuperSpiteful46]

A few years ago, when I had a different 'tube account, I asked you if you'd been up north because you told the story like a true sourdough. I lived in Alaska for a few years in the '70s. Had a blast. Dad was a bush pilot, and I got real good with snow machines (snow mobiles to you Lower 48ers.) But the first I'd heard the poem was on the record "Larry Beck Recites Robert Service" when I was much younger. Hearing you again in such a long time takes me back to a time and place I'll never forget.

[Pinky Mixology]

This is a great reading, but my wife (she and her parents owned a few huskies, though never in Alaska) loves this poem and learned it to heart in school. ...me, I'm from the most opposite of a place that this poem can come from (New York City). But I was always partial to "The shooting of Dan McGrew " Thanks for the reading.