| re: one of the more awkward/forced lyrics in Broadway history, I think | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 04:03 pm EDT 08/16/17 | |
| In reply to: one of the more awkward/forced lyrics in Broadway history, I think - Chazwaza 01:22 pm EDT 08/16/17 | |
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| It's funny. I've never really had much of a problem with this lyric, except maybe for the mis-accented "Big-ap-PUHL." "Big Apple" had been a very popular phrase in 1970's New York (it was around before then, but was revitalized in the 70's), so Rice was seizing on a popular topical phrase - as many lyricists have done at times over the ages. Obviously "BA" refers to both Buenos Aires and Big Apple - must it only refer to one of those? It's a clever bit of wordplay, and I think after hearing it a few times (as we do in the show) the wordplay should become evident. It certainly was to me the first time I heard it. It's certainly not awkward/forced to me in the same way that this Lorenz Hart lyric from Pal Joey is (which we once discussed out here, and I still have to confess I don't really get it at face value): "Thought he is well adjusted Certan things make him a wreck. Last year his arm was busted Reaching from a check." Or, to take an entire song by Mr. Rice - the poetic gobbledygook that "Any Dream Will Do" seems to be, IMO. I'm sure we can all think of lyrics that strike us as MUCH more awkward/forced than the "BA" lyric. And god knows, people have been misunderstanding the meaning of the phrase "Don't cry for me (Argentina)" since it was written. |
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