I'm sure the phrase legal laws is intentionally redundant. Lerner is trying to be funny and Arthur is trying to be charming or whimsical. All the things that Arthur lists, e.g., /A law was made a distant moon ago here:/ July and August cannot be too hot/, are obviously not real laws, they are wishes or fantasies. By saying legal laws, he's doubling down on the whimsy.
Obviously what is funny is very subjective, but whenever I hear the line, it makes me smile (at least) and sometimes actually laugh. |
