I love that, too!!!
And this is the kind of alliteration that doesn't draw attention to itself. It propels the singer, who gets to have all kinds of fun articulating those sounds, but we (as audience members) are never taken out of the scene. It just flows.
This is where I really think his cleverness surpasses his most famous mentee, who -- in my opinion -- sometimes just layers on so many rhymes that it feels (forgive me) masturbatory.
Hammerstein wasn't showy -- unless the scene absolutely calls for it:
Her hair is blond and curly,
Her curls are hurly-burly.
Her lips are pips!
I call her hips 'Twirly' and 'Whirly.'
Exactly the perfect time to show off a bit -- Nellie is literally singing a song, and it's all meant to be zany fun.
- GMB |
