Lamentation de Peoria: The Worm has Turned

Tchaikovsky's 'Souvenir de Florence' mov. III.

This video is in response to Caterpillar Tractor Company's announcement that it will move its worldwide HQ from Peoria to Chicago. I lived twenty years of my adult life in downtown Chicago, but I also grew up in Peoria - and although its now been 30 years since I lived in Central Illinois, I still have surprisingly strong feelings about this announcement.

'The Worm has Turned' is a bit of a double entendre. In one context I intend it to mean a 'change in fortune' for the people of Peoria (and not necessarily a very good one), but one can't help but notice that a caterpillar looks a little like a worm, so you can say the company has responded to economic considerations. But I say the worm just rolled over. Period.

Another interpretation might be that the time has come for the citizens of Peoria take control of their own destiny or risk dying on the vine like every other industrial city in Illinois.

You might argue that Tchaikovsky's piece is too whimsical for the situation, but when I listen to this work I sense a mixture of emotions borne of a long suffering people who know how to deal with yet another pothole when it comes along. And I think this is how the people of Peoria will ultimately view the situation.

The audio comes courtesy of Musopen.org and is used here in a manner compliant with that license.