Double Entendre Edition
Much of the comedy in “Musical Comedy” is the ability to play with words. The greatest of musical composers seem to love the fun that comes with twisting words in the some of the most conspiratorial positions and letting the dustier minds in the audience play around with them.
Kicking this off with I Love the Way from Something Rotten. Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick took their lead from Shakespeare and hid all sorts of giggles in the double meanings.
Portia:
I love Sydney, and Marlow,
And often I borrow their words to express how I feel.
I love poems of mystery,
Fantasy, history, oh what seductive appeal.
At night, alone in my bedroom,
Satisfying my need.
The candlelight fire ignites my desire,
To read
Oh, every time I hear a perfect rhyme I get all tingly
Because I know,
That to find a perfect rhyme is not an easy, thingly. I love places that words let me go
I love the way that your words move me so
No words have touched me the way that yours do
And I love…
(you are really doing something to me mister poetry man
Oh forgive me, I never get to discuss poems in this way)
Nigel:
(Oh it’s okay,
I just never knew that poetry could affect someone the way it affects me.) Portia:
(Me neither)
Nigel:
It’s the end all, the be all. Oh, you ought a see all the books that I have on my shelf
Portia:
(Me too!)
I find pleasure perusing those writings and musing so often I pleasure myself
Wait, that didn’t sound right
Nigel:
No, I know what you mean
When I’m deep in the throes of impassionate prose,
I could scream
Portia:
(You scream?)
Nigel:
(Yeah)
Porita:
(So do I! Ahh )
Oh, I love a lilting line of lyrical alliteration.
Nigel:
Who doesn’t love alliteration?
Portia:
And then I’m like well, when the phrases come together like a consummation
Nigel:
It’s sweet elation
Both:
I love the places that words let me go,
I love the way that your words move me so
I love, that you feel, the same way I do
And I love,
You know that I love,
You know that I love,Nigel:
(Me too!)
You get the idea. From here on out, there are even more lyrics to come from some of our greatest composers:
Cy Coleman and lyricist David Zippel
Cole Porter
Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyrics)
Stephen Sondheim
Frank Wildhorn and lyricist Leslie Bricusse
Mel Brooks
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