musical parlor game
Feb. 4th, 2009 09:30 pmThere is a parlor game called Encore, in which the object is to sing a portion of a song containing the challenge word. You have to include at least eight consecutive words (including the challenge word) for it to count. What makes this fun for the challenger (in this case, me) is to try to come up with words that aren't found in a lot of songs. (And where I fail in that, maybe I'll learn about some previously-unknown music. :-) ) I promise that I have not used any language-analysis or statistical tools in assembling this list (which I mention because I used to work for a company that did such things).
You are, of course, supposed to do this from memory, not via Google or your music collection. Let's keep this Google-free to start and we'll see what happens.
Rules: Use the challenge word as the subject of your comment, and use the comments to include your snippet of lyrics + citation. I will award 1 point each for lyrics, name of song, and source (performer, author, name of show for soundtracks, broad categorization if you think it's anonymous, etc, as appropriate). If you come up with a snippet from a song other than the one I had in mind, I'll give a bonus point. I reserve the right to award other bonus points for any extraordinary cleverness I think deserves them. Winner just gets bragging rights, unless I get organized enough to actually come up with small prizes or something. (Physical mail is my bane...) Contest is open until everything's identified or this goes three days without additional guesses.
None of the words are in the titles of the songs I have in mind. All of the songs are primarily in English (loosely speaking). Capitalization and punctuation in challenge words matter. I used a different source for each song on this list, but some performers on this list do covers of other songs on this list. All songs were at one time available in published sources. These are all songs I enjoy listening to. A few of these should be insanely easy, but a couple are pretty obscure. You might find clues in past journal entries.
asthma'sbutt- conjugation
Dionysusexortum- fuligin
- gerbil (partial)
HeauimiereintermammaryjarlK-Mart- lifeline
- meatloaf
- Nabisco
ophthamology- Pedder
- quislings
- Reuben (partial)
Suvla- tingaling
uncontrolledvarlotswearyxenon- yeti
zip!
- I spent a year or so going to hear the performer of one of these songs every week.
- I spent about 15 years going to hear the performer of one of these songs every year.
- I once got a private hammer-dulcimer lesson from the performer of one of these songs.
- One of these performers stopped doing folk music to become a minister. (This one has been identified.)
- One of these songs is from a show I will see this year in Pittsburgh. (This one has been mostly identified.)
- One of these songs was on a tape given to me by Eric Bogle.
- One song title contains the name of a state.
- Two song titles are names of specific people.
- The American activist in this song should be known to most schoolkids north of the Mason-Dixon line.
- The Australian photographer/conservationist in this song was unknown to me until I heard the song, but hearing the song made me want to know more.
- This light-hearted folksong is from the Vietnam era.
- This heavy-hearted war song is from Ireland.
- This song contains the title of at least one Gene Wolfe novel.
- This song is a send-up of a pretty dreadful (IMO) poem by Rose Hartwick Thorpe.
- The author of this song has a filk "disease" named after him, and it would be either ironic or fitting if this one is not identified.
- This song is about three vices, but not quite the usual three.
- This song is not "Beware of the Sentient Chili" or "When Did We Have Sauerkraut?". (This one is likely to be hard.)
- I considered using "Fifty-Nine Cents (for every man's dollar)" instead of this song.
- Winter outings aren't always good ideas.
Heauimiere
Date: 2009-02-05 02:49 am (UTC)Recorded on Northwest Passage and Home in Halifax
"So this is Beauty's finish! Like Rodin's 'Belle Heauimiere.'"
Interesting side note... The liner notes in HiH confirm your spelling, but the notes for NP spell it "Heaulmiere" with an "L". www.rodin-web.org also agrees with the "L" spelling.
Re: Heauimiere
From:(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-05 02:58 am (UTC)So this is Beauty's finish. Like Rodin's "Belle Heauimiere",
The pretty maiden trapped inside the ranch wife's toil and care.
Well, after seven kids, that's no surprise,
But why cannot her mirror tell her lies.
- Stan Rogers, "Lies"
K-Mart:
"Set up a stand outside of K-Mart with a plate full of frozen peas
and a sign reading 'Take one!' If anyone asks you what the hell
your doing, give them a button that says 'I asked about the peas!'"
- Adam Sandler, "Inner Voice"
(no subject)
From:Weary
Date: 2009-02-05 02:59 am (UTC)"Don't mind the rain or the rolling sea,
A weary night never worries me."
Many people have recorded this song, but my favorite is a version that is nothing like Cyril's version. Here's Tinsmith's take on the song:
http://giddysinger.vox.com/library/audio/6a00d09e68b891be2b011017a70a7d860e.html
Re: Weary
From:Butt
Date: 2009-02-05 03:05 am (UTC)I am SO sorry.
I have to, and I really wish I didn't:
Baby Got Back, by Sir Mix-a-Lot.
Among many references to that word in the song:
"You can do side bends or sit-ups,
But please don't lose that butt"
Re: Butt
From:Re: Butt
From:Re: Butt
From:Re: Butt
From:Re: Butt
From:Re: Butt
From:K-Mart by Uncle Bonsai
Date: 2009-02-05 03:06 am (UTC)Re: K-Mart by Uncle Bonsai
From:Re: K-Mart by Uncle Bonsai
From:Re: K-Mart by Uncle Bonsai
From:Any cheap shot in the storm ...
Date: 2009-02-05 03:16 am (UTC)And get drunk on wine and spices
The Christians call them "vices"
But they're good enough for me!
Re: Any cheap shot in the storm ...
From:Jarl
Date: 2009-02-05 03:18 am (UTC)Has called to his banner a Viking band
And sailed off to Ireland to make himself
King of the Irish lands."
Windborne, album title "Written on the Wind" (a cover, I guess)
Mr. Fixer won a cassette of this album at a Pennsic bardic competition. It's one of the two songs I ever sing in the SCA.
Re: Jarl
From:Re: Jarl
From:Re: Jarl
From:Re: Jarl
From:Zip!
Date: 2009-02-05 03:28 am (UTC)Name of song: Marvelous little toy
Source: I think I first heard Pete Seeger sing it, although Peter Paul & Mary and probably others have done it too -- it's a folk/kid's song.
Re: Zip!
From:Re: Zip!
From:Re: Zip!
From:xenon
Date: 2009-02-05 03:30 am (UTC)"and argon, krypton, neon, radon, xenon, zinc and rhodium"
Actually, I'd have been struggling more, except Shmuel (who I ganked the game from in the first place) had used the same lyric
Re: xenon
From:Re: xenon
From:Suvla
Date: 2009-02-05 03:32 am (UTC)Eric Bogle, "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda"
Re: Suvla
From:Dionysus
Date: 2009-02-05 03:36 am (UTC)TItle: Shaw
Source: Composer/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim, from "the Frogs" (I'm most familiar with the '04 revival, but it existed in earlier versions back from his college days at Yale.)
Since Dionysis is a character in it, there are actually several songs with his name in it, but this is the one which came to mind.
Re: Dionysus
From:Re: Dionysus
From:(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-05 03:40 am (UTC)and roll up the floor; I'll
be priestessin' for Dionysus."
--"The Goddess Done Left Me", Leigh Ann Hussey (the late
(no subject)
From:Exortum
Date: 2009-02-05 03:43 am (UTC)Clausa per transitor
Unde lux est orta
Salus invenitor
Gaudete,,,"
Gaudete, (Piae Cantiones, more or less, 1598), Steeleye Span.
AND!
"Exortum est in love and lys
Now Christ his grace he gan us gys
And with his body us bought to blys
Both alle and some!"
I have no idea who recorded it, but it's in Early English Carols by, uh, Stainer?
Re: Exortum
From:Re: Exortum
From:Re: Exortum
From:(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-05 03:46 am (UTC)Uncontrolled
From:Re: Uncontrolled
From:(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-05 03:47 am (UTC)What a grand world this would be,
If the girls were all transported
Far beyond the Northern Sea...
(this is from memory, so I don't have good footnotes)
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:weary
Date: 2009-02-05 03:56 am (UTC)When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all"
Simon and Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Re: weary
From:Reuben James by Kenny Rogets
Date: 2009-02-05 04:03 am (UTC)Re: Reuben James by Kenny Rogets
From:Re: Reuben James by Kenny Rogets
From:Weary
Date: 2009-02-05 04:08 am (UTC)Title: Old man river
Source: the musical "Show Boat"
(Give credit for this one to Joy, though -- she came up with "Bridge over Covered waters", but I told her that had already been done.)
Re: Weary
From:butt
Date: 2009-02-05 05:15 am (UTC)Dierdre Flint, The Bridesmaid Dress Song
Re: butt
From:(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-05 10:29 am (UTC)Rasputin's HMO
Austin Lounge Lizards
"Your plan, sir, doesn't cover any ophthalmology"
Weary
Witch of the Westmereland
Clam Chowder (don't remember the author)
"And its weary by the ?something? water"
(no subject)
From:Re: Ophthalmology
From:Intermammary
Date: 2009-02-05 11:38 am (UTC)Heroine Barbarian
On the Mark: Among Friends
"And why my togs expose my intermammary concavity"
I don't remember the author, but I could look it up :)
Re: Intermammary
From:Re: Intermammary
From:Ophthalmology
Date: 2009-02-05 11:49 am (UTC)Rasputin's HMO
Austin Lounge Lizards
"Your plan, sir, doesn't cover any ophthalmology"
I didn't read the rulez correctly and forgot to include the word as the subject of the comment :(
Weary
Date: 2009-02-05 11:50 am (UTC)Witch of the Westmereland
Clam Chowder (don't remember the author)
"And its weary by the ?something? water"
Following da rulez :)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-05 04:44 pm (UTC)Reubens and meatloafs and chocolate tarts / Vials, injections, and cardiac charts — "Song for a young daydreamer"
Exortum, extortum, an leavum / yes that's the prophet's way — "Song for old Daniel"
O Nabisco! O K-Mart! O lifeline of the Midwest! — "Exultation for a lengthy busride"
All of these being, of course, McCall, R. J. (2008).
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:Weary
Date: 2009-02-05 05:25 pm (UTC)Clam Chowder (don't remember the author)
"And its weary by the ?something? water"
"And the misty ?something? fern way"