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Sigmund in Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes

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Michael Blake

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Jan 11, 2004, 12:29:50 AM1/11/04
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Bernie's lyrics refer to Sigmund in that song, and I was wondering what
is the meaning of the reference. Thanks.

-- mike

Karen M

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Jan 11, 2004, 1:32:59 AM1/11/04
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In article <ib5Mb.3226$i4....@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
Michael Blake <ab...@pipeline.com> wrote:

"Sigmund" seems to be as elusive as "Alvin Tostig". I've been looking
for a ballet with a character called Sigmund since the question first
came up. I've found nothing.

There is a ballet called "The Red Shoes", based on the Hans Christian
Andersen fairy tale. The main character is a young girl, though.

Michael Blake

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Jan 11, 2004, 9:31:36 PM1/11/04
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Thanks. It's comforting that at least the answer isn't a no-brainer.

-- mike

MagicWhite

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Jan 14, 2004, 6:33:02 PM1/14/04
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Sigmund was a composer of ballets around the high point of ballets , back in
the 1940's and 50's. Go to google , type in Sigmund Ballet you will find it
there.

Michael Blake

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Jan 15, 2004, 3:10:41 PM1/15/04
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Very interesting. Thanks!

--mike

Harmony

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Jan 15, 2004, 8:34:26 PM1/15/04
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**Sorry, but I've been into ballet since before the King of England
died (1952) when my ballet lessons ended, and there is NO famous
person in the ballet world, named, Sigmund. There was Prince
Siefried, from Swan Lake, but no Sigmund.
(and there was no "high point" in ballet ~ it's always been popular,
since the 1800's I think.)

The only reference in Google about a Sigmund, is Sigmund Romberg the
composer, but he did not do ballets. (wrote The Student Prince ~ a
musical/light opera) The Desert Song and a few other famous and
popular songs. (such as "deep in my heart")

or this one, who is still alive and who no one's really heard of.
(certainly not famous, nor died of AIDS, as far as I know)

http://composers21.com/compdocs/lillebjs.htm

Mr. Sigmund Lillebjerka from Norway (born 1931)
STAGE: The Sea Monster (ballet music)

=====

Bernie MUST have been referring to the famous *Sigmund* Freud)

He wouldn't have used an unusual name like that, without referring to
someone world famous!

Why doesn't someone ask Bernie!!!!??????? (or Elton)


In fact, Bernie should write a book about his lyrics, since so many of
them are elusive!

Who the F*ck is he referring to!!!!!!????

It's driving me mad!!! ;-))

Brenda (the ballerina!:-))

Crockrock

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Jan 15, 2004, 11:11:45 PM1/15/04
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Why doesn't someone ask Bernie!!!!??????? (or Elton)

****************

Bernie has already answered the question on EJ.COM.

Taupin on Ballad of the Boy in Red Shoes: "If you listen closely it's not
hard to figure out what it's about. OK, it's about a ballet dancer dying of
Aids, reflecting on when he was youthful and alive (...Back then I was
Sigmund...Hand me my Red Shoes I want to dance...") Get the picture? Also I
wanted to make as harsh a condemnation as I could of the Reagan White House
for initially ignoring the existence of this disease and refusing to fund
research. Listen and figure that one out, it's in there OK..."

MagicWhite

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Jan 15, 2004, 11:21:12 PM1/15/04
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Sigmund Romberg IS exactly the reference "I FEEL" Taupin is making here. Name
another Sigmund related to Ballet? I can't so for now that is fine with me. How
many Sigmund's could there be? And frankly who cares, I think it's Kudo's to
Elton that he can sing such a silly name in a lyric! :)

Noreen & Joe Romano

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Jan 16, 2004, 10:38:57 AM1/16/04
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I don't think Romberg is related to ballet. Please see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Romberg and
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046896/.

Neither is Lillebjerka. http://www.lillebjerka.com/

Sigmund Freud? I don't think so.

Nor does Bernie clear up the mystery with his comment on EJ.com.

Maybe "Sigmund" is simply a made-up name ala Alvin Tostig.

Cheers,
Noreen


glenboy

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Jan 16, 2004, 5:18:59 PM1/16/04
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Here's some links to the British film from 1948 called "The Red Shoes"
that's about a Russian ballet company. It's based on the Hans
Christian Andersen tale as was mentioned earlier. I'm not sure but I
believe the lead character (a ballerina) wears the red shoes and has a
tragic ending.

http://homevideo.about.com/library/weekly/aafpr111301.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IPHT/102-8190667-8936118?v=glance&vi=contents

There's no one named Sigmund in the cast, but the credits list a bunch
of people as "Dancers." I would tend to agree that Sigmund is a made
up character, perhaps imagined to be one of the Dancers????

Bernie won't explain his lyrics, but there seems to be some references
from or connection to this film. Maybe he saw this film in his
childhood. Yes/No?
Glen

NUMBER1EJFAN

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Jan 16, 2004, 8:42:43 PM1/16/04
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He also composed a song called "The Girl In Red Tights".
Laura

Noreen & Joe Romano

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Jan 17, 2004, 12:15:47 AM1/17/04
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Kate Bush's last (I think) release was called "The Red Shoes." I believe
the title track was based on the British film.

Cheers,
Noreen


MagicWhite

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Jan 17, 2004, 6:26:15 PM1/17/04
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Yes and back then she was Sigmalia. :)

Jane

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Jan 18, 2004, 12:37:27 AM1/18/04
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Sorry if this is obvious, but Sigmund was a dancer dying of AIDS. Who
exactly Sigmund was, I don't know, but the old man who wouldn't listen
was Ronald Reagan.

Michael Blake <ab...@pipeline.com> wrote in message news:<ib5Mb.3226$i4....@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net>...

Karen M

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Jan 18, 2004, 1:29:02 AM1/18/04
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In article <a88bdfbc.04011...@posting.google.com>,
dixn...@hotmail.com (Jane) wrote:

> Sorry if this is obvious, but Sigmund was a dancer dying of AIDS.

Sigmund is not a dancer dying of AIDS. "I" is the dying dancer.

Karen

just flashed on another, non-ballet character Sigmund theory. Will
report back if I can make any sense out of it.

Chris Del-Manso

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Jan 18, 2004, 8:53:17 AM1/18/04
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This is obviously not the correct answer, as someone would have easily
come up with it by now if it was, but when I listen to it I imagine
that it means roughly the male equivalent of "ingenue" - so the young
male lead in the ballet.

chris

Karen M <itsk...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<itskarenm-161EB...@daffy.sb.west.net>...

Jane

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Jan 19, 2004, 11:30:38 AM1/19/04
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This makes it sound fictional.

"Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes" is the best of the rest that fall
between rediscovery and self-homage. Former Madonna collaborator
Patrick Leonard helps John re-create the muscular orchestration of
"Tiny Dancer" to metaphorically suit Taupin's tale of a male ballet
master thinking back on former glories and family frustrations as AIDS
claims his once-agile body. John can't always send his music soaring
the way it used to, but its spirit and ambition have finally come back
home.

http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=2043124&cf=


Karen M <itsk...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<itskarenm-161EB...@daffy.sb.west.net>...

MagicWhite

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Jan 19, 2004, 7:10:48 PM1/19/04
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I still can't help wonder how that reviewer, could not hear a 5 star review
when listening to this album. He was almost accurate, the album did reinstate
Elton to his old magic, and wonderfully so. Either you like Old Elton John or
you don't. That's the whole key to this. Mansfield is not everyone's cup of tea
nor is Birds or wasteland..fans of Too Low or Zero and Sad Songs Elton may not
find much to grasp here, oh darn. Maybe he can address that on this next studio
album, but he should not side step what he has accomplished already with this
album. It was a wonder and a marvel the day of its release to us and it remains
that for this fan.

Stephen

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Jan 28, 2004, 12:55:43 AM1/28/04
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I think what probably happened is that when Bernie wrote the lyrics he
was thinking of Prince Siegfried from "Swan Lake" and made a mistake and
called him "Sigmund". Either that or he simply decided that "Sigmund"
scanned or fitted better in the song and left it that way. I know when
I heard the song for the first time and saw the discussions about it on
here I was sure the lead character in "Swan Lake" was Sigmund... but
obviously I was wrong. Not much of a ballet fan really <grin>
Anyway... thats what *I* think happened.

Steve

Noreen & Joe Romano

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Jan 28, 2004, 2:39:11 PM1/28/04
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I'd had a similar thought, that "Siegfried" may have been the original name
in the lyric but perhaps when Elton sat down with it he changed
it..."Sigmund" works better than "Siegfried."

We'll probably never know... :-)

Cheers,
Noreen


johnw....@gmail.com

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Jul 1, 2019, 4:28:00 PM7/1/19
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If you go to "urbandictionary.com" you will have your answer...

Sigmund

A male with a huge penis, eyes, and hair
"Man that guy is a sigmund"

Komer Growl

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Mar 29, 2022, 12:09:49 PM3/29/22
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Remember Taupin's OTHER reference to "Red Shoes" was in the song FASCIST FACES. In that song, the "Red Shoes" meant
"communist leanings"

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