The celebration of going very fast indeed is close to the core of the Hooniverse ethos, whether it be on land, in the air or on the water. To that end, today we get a bonus, extra serving of audio-visual stimulation, blending Motorboat and Music Video Monday’s into one. You can blame it all on my Saturday music-fest, where I was at home alone and could spin any disc I pleased at any volume I like, and one of the platters I chose contained one of my very favourite tracks of all time. Marillion’s Out Of This World, featuring the lyrics “300mph in your purpose built machine, no-one dared to call it a boat”. “Make history”. The machine in question was, of course, Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7, which would tragically take his life in his quest for waterborne speed. Make the jump for an amazing video and to find out how the song, the machine and the man are inextricably linked. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ftZfB-VNQ[/youtube] The video (by Youtube member AmorokUK) is assembled from pieces of a 1988 BBC production called Across The Lake, which marked the 21st anniversary of Campbell’s death in Bluebird in 1967. The Marillion track was written in 1995 and references how the events of that fateful January day would pass into mythology. Most spine-chilling are some of the sounds layered within the track, including an actual recording of the last words ever spoken by Campbell, who was performing a commentary during his final 360mph high-speed run. At 04:28 you hear him say “I’ve got the bows out …I’m going…” And that was that. Further sound clips recount the safety boat reporting from the scene. It was only in 2001 that the wreckage of Bluebird were finally raised from the cold waters of Coniston Water, and that was only after a diver called Bill Smith was inspired to do so, after hearing Out Of This World by Marillion a few years earlier. It was all arranged in consultation with the Campbell family, if not with absolute approval of all of them. Nevertheless, it did mean that Sir Donald was able to receive a proper funeral at Coniston Cemetery. It was wholly appropriate that Steve Rothery, lead singer of Marillion, was present at the raising of Bluebird, and indeed he sung a solo version of Out Of This World during the funeral ceremony. It was a fitting tribute, which has continued with The Bluebird Project which is striving to restore the astonishing machine. Their website is an absolute must-visit, and will devour your spare time if you read back through the diary entries, which you must. Also, the Wikipedia entry for Donald Campbell is excellent; it takes us through the events of that final day in minute detail, including a transcript of Campbell’s historic commentary. Now you’ve got the full context, watch the video again, louder. Rather than being maudlin and mawkish, it’s a celebration of bravery and determination. And it’s amazing. (Lede image: Full Power by Arthur Benjamins (1988); bigger size Here via Donald Cambell’s Daughter Gina’s own site. Recovery photo from same source, video from AmorokUK)