It's no secret that musicals (particularly old musicals) contain some of the cheesiest and most ridiculous lyrics in the world. (And check out this cheesy and ridiculous promotional photo that I found for the 1954 film "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.") Don't get me wrong, I love old musicals. But ever since I married J (who has never seen or listened to many musicals), I am increasingly aware of the silly lyrics that I sing around the house.Of all the musicals, I think that "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" takes the cake for having the silliest lyrics. I have always chuckled at songs like "Lonesome Polecat" (coupled with the axe-dancing performance in the film) and "Sobbin' Women." But for some reason, I never realized how silly some of the other lyrics are in that show. A few months ago, I was singing in the kitchen, when J interrupted me and said, "Wait a sec. Did you just sing, 'Bless your beautiful hide?'" And honestly, for the first time in my life, I realized how utterly ridiculous that song sounds.
What are your favorite cheesy musical lyrics? Can you think of a musical that's cheesier than "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?"
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15 comments:
Lil Abner is the worst musical especially for lyrics. I only saw it once and that was plenty for me.
How about Oklahoma's "The corn is as high as an elephant's eye?" Or the song "If I Were A Bell" from Guys and Dolls always made me cringe. (But I still love both of those musicals.)
I have to say that all the years that I've been friends with J I really did try to get him to watch musicals. Obviously I failed and the torch has been passed to you. GOOD LUCK!
PS. No I don't think there's a more ridiculous musical then "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", but it's still one of my favorites.
She thinks she's in love
She thinks she's in Spain
She isn't in love
She's merely insane
It must be the heat
Or some rare disease
Or too much to eat
Or maybe it's fleas
Keep away from her
classic!!
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is pretty tough to beat. I think the Tapioca dance scene from Thoroughly Modern Millie might rank among cheesy dances along with Lonesome Polecat. I also realized that all of Brigadoon was really cheesy when I watched it awhile back with Neal (and I loved it so much as a child).
Oooh, these are all good suggestions. I've never seen Lil' Abner, Shauna, and you just solidified my decision to not see it!
Krystal, I have always laughed at the "elephant's eye" part too. Good call. I mean, what is the likelihood that Curly ever saw an elephant while living in Oklahoma?
I like Nik and Kiersten's suggestions too. Nik, I think those lyrics from "West Side Story" are particularly silly when listening to the song - Maria is singing "La, la, laaaa!" while the women sing that she is insane. Ha!
"Thoroughly Modern Millie" has some pretty ridiculous songs, too - I forgot about the "Tapioca" dance! I was in a high school production Brigadoon, and the some of the Broadway songs (not included in the film with Gene Kelly) are pretty corny.
But yet, despite this silliness, I still love all these musicals...
It's hard to the beat the cheese factor in 7 Brides for 7 Brothers..."pretty and trim, but kinda thin, heavenly eyes, but oh that size..." So pompous. :) My favorite line, when Adams says, "how 'bout marryin' me?" Milly replies "Well, I'll have to finish my chores." WHAT???
Thoroughly Modern Millie doesn't QUITE count because it's a parody of sorts.
7 Brides is very very bad. But it's sort-of big and epic in it's badness. It's the low-budget musicals from the 40's-60's with the really TERRIBLE lyrics. Have you ever seen Tender Trap with Frank Sinatra & Debbie Reynolds? Or any Annette Funicello movie? Gidget? On a Clear Day?
Here's a good one from On the Town:
Ya got me, baby, ya got me!
Ya got my affection, baby, and my sympathy.
Ya got my whole muscular equipment from A to Z,
And it's free, baby, it's all free.
Free muscular equipment? So moving! It must be said, different eras make for vastly different sentiments.
Also? Bye bye, Birdie. "How lovely to be a woman"
It gives you such a glow just to know
You're wearing lipstick and heels!
How lovely to be a woman
And have one job to do;
To pick out a boy and train him
And then when you are through,
You've made him the man you want him to be!
Life's lovely when you're a woman like me!
Sorry. I'll stop. But this is a great topic!
Good ones, Rebekah! I own "On the Town," but I don't think I have ever caught that bit about "muscular equipment." Oh man! That's really a horrific phrase in terms of lyrics.
The "Bye Bye Birdie" one is good too. "How Lovely to Be a Woman" is the background music right now for some commercial on TV. I started to hum along the other night while the ad was running, and J immediately guessed that the music came from some silly musical. He was right.
So, I watched "Singin' in the Rain" last night and was thinking how cheesy the lyrics are to "Moses Supposes:
"Moses supposes his toses are roses,
As Moses supposes his toses to be,
A Mose is a Mose,
A rose is a rose,
A toes is a toes,
Hoopdedillydilly!
"Moses supposes his toses are roses,
but Moses supposes erroneously,
Moses he knowses his toses aren't roses,
as Moses supposes his toses to be!
"Moses! Moses! Moses!
As Moses supposes his toses to be!
"A rose is a rose is a rose is a roses,
A rose is what Moses supposes his toes is,
It couldn't be a Lilly or a taffy-daffy- dilly,
It's got to be a rose cause it rhymes with Mose!"
Sorry that was so long...I think the last phrase is especially silly. But I still love the movie!!!
Katie, I think that song is especially silly because of the choreography. I totally agree with you about the lyrics too. Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor sing that song with such gusto. What a funny show.
Oh wow, this made me laugh because that was my very favorite musical when I was younger and I watched it all the time! I still like it, even though the Sobbin Women and Bless Your Beautiful Hide lyrics are totally hilarious and weird. You're right!
I love the Tapioca dance song. C'mon guys:
"Slap, slapioca everybody!" and
"Franks, franks" while slugging the air?
So awesome.
This post has had me singing weird musical lyrics for a WEEK! In particular Finnegan's Rainbow "Something Sweet"...you nailed it - and now you are the cause of my ear worm!!!
Ha ha! I love the thought that weird musical lyrics have peppered the same week that Jaime had heart surgery. I hope it added a more light-hearted (no pun intended) flair to your week. That's "something sort of grandish," to be sure.
Sorry about the earworm, though. J recently played the bass for a "Music Man" production, and he constantly had "76 Trombones" stuck in his head after rehearsal. Oops - I hope that song doesn't get stuck in yours head too, Ant B!
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