Macapagal 51 greed, excess, waste, vulgarity. If anything, the absence of shoes reinforces the function of “Here Lies Love” as a product that reinforces Western fantasy-production. One cannot help but wonder what the real Imelda thinks of Byrne’s imagined character. According to a New York Times report: “Removing the ear-buds, tilting her head slightly, she said in an exaggerated tone, ‘I’m flattered; I can’t believe it!’” (Onishi 2010). While this response attests to Imelda’s enduring self-indulgence, thereby granting the album some degree of “authenticity,” it more importantly illustrates the danger posed by the very production of “Here Lies Love.” Imelda’s response of flattery is an affirmation of her dreams, as affirmed by Byrne’s project. Attali reminds us that “music today is all too often only a disguise for the monologue of power” (1997/2009, 9), and this is what “Here Lies Love” renders audible. While “Here Lies Love” invites us to hear Imelda’s dreams, what we should listen to is how the album ultimately exposes Byrne’s fantasies. NOTES In March 2008, following her acquittal from 32 counts of illegal dollar salting, Imelda was quoted as saying: “I am so happy, and I thank the Lord that the 32 cases have been dismissed. This will subtract from the 901 cases that were filed against the Marcoses.” According to a New York Times report, “The exact number of charges remaining against Mrs. Marcos is unclear.” See “Imelda Marcos Acquitted, Again,” http://www,nytimes.com/2008/03/11/world/asia/11phils. html?_r=1, accessed 31 March 2011. 2 Consider, for instance, the somewhat generous approach of an Inquirer interview with Imelda on her 82nd birthday. See “Imeldific at 82,” http://lifestyle.inquirer. net/9585/imeldific-at-82. 3 Byrne, a UK citizen, was born in Scotland but has lived in the United States for most of his life. 4 Imelda tried to prevent the release of this film by filing a case against the director. Imelda claimed she thought the film was only for a school project. See related report: “Imelda hits out at Documentary,” http://www.smh.com.au/ articles/2004/06/16/1087244969186.html, accessed 31 March 2011. 5 See James Hamilton-Paterson, America’s Boy: The Marcoses and the Philippines (London: Granta Publications, 1998). In his personal blog, Byrne cited a quote from this book as one reason for his interest in Imelda’s story: “There are moments when it seems that the world’s affairs are transacted by dreamers. There is a sadness here in the spectacle of nations, no less than individuals, helping each other along with their delusions. This way what is thought to be clear-sighted pragmatism may actually be shoring up a regime’s ideology whose hidden purpose is itself nothing 1