On Randy Newman Lyrics - Part 1
I own about a dozen Randy Newman albums. The liner notes to one of his albums describes his lyrics as mordant, introducing me to that wonderful word. Because he is a poet and because I am a fairly literal person (see, e.g., this post on Erin O'Brien's blog where I completely failed to appreciate Pete the Plumber was making an allusion), it can take me a few weeks, months, or even years to develop an accurate understanding of the meaning of some of his songs.You Can Leave Your Hat Onwas not one of those songs. Even I was able to "get" that one. Fairly quickly. Probably because there aren't really euphemisms in that song. He just puts it right out there. "Shake 'em" ...
But Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear totally fooled me (see below for all of the lyrics). At least temporarily. However, I am pleased to report that while I was driving to work one day last week, my iPod (set on random) played it for me. And thanks primarily to Dongley Shlongford's enlightening, non-stop, and highly prurient euphemisms (including his recent raincoat reference), the thunderbolt hit.
Although this song masquerades as a cute little song about a happy fellow that children might enjoy, it is actually about a flasher. I will leave it to Dongley to more specifically identify Simon's "Dancing Bear." Lyrics follow.
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Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear
I may go out tomorrow if I can borrow a coat to wear,
Oh, I'd step out in style with my sincere smile and my dancing bear.
Outrageous, alarming, courageous, charming,
Oh, who would think a boy and bear,
Could be well accepted everywhere,
It's just amazing how fair people can be.
The big attraction everywhere,
Will be Simon Smith and his dancing bear.
It's Simon Smith and the amazing dancing bear.
Oh, who would think a boy and bear,
Could be well accepted everywhere,
It's just amazing how fair people can be.
Seen at the nicest places where well-fed faces all stop to stare,
Making the grandest entrance is Simon Smith and his dancing bear.
They'll love us, won't they?
They feed us, don't they?
Oh, who would think a boy and bear,
Could be well accepted everywhere.
It's just amazing how fair people can be.
The big attraction everywhere,
Will be Simon Smith and his dancing bear.
It's Simon Smith and the amazing dancing bear.
posted by garrett @ 8:43 AM
4 Comments:
I've seen a bear stand on a barrel at a Wild West Show.
They can train bears to dance?
Do they sweat?
I don't know much about Bears. As far as I know, there are no bears on Molokai, but then I spend my days on the beach in my thong sipping Don Julio. And yes, it is very difficult to contain The Pendulum in a thong, but that's the way I roll.
Or maybe I should say, that's the way I swing?
you talk nice good.
purr.
"Who needs money when you're funny?"
You need to sustain both the comedian and it's audience with drugs and that costs money. Everything is funny when you're high. If you are a paranoid drug addict then this line does not apply.
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