Tom Lehrer-- Missing Lyric (request)
William Rock
I was wondering if anyone knew the lyric to "My Home Town", in the line
about the sunday school teacher and the parson? No recorded versions of
the song that I know of have it, nor does the songbook.
Thanks
Bill Rock
christopher motherway
Sure. The line is:"We're recording tonight, so we'll have to leave this
line out!"
Seriously, though, from what I gathered, Tom's original line had to be
removed because of ethical reasons (sort of pre-FCC reasons). There was
a contest held to see who could come up with the best line. But, as far
as anyone knows, only Tom knows the REAL line...and he hasn't told!
Chris Wolvie
====================================
"One jump ahead of the bread line.
One jump ahead of the sword.
I only steal what I can't afford...(and that's everything)."
-ALADDIN
Jeff Morris
At least, that's what Tom claims.
It makes sense that he never really had a line. He wants you to think
whatever you want, which is probably nastier than what he would've said
anyway!
Every time I have heard the song performed, there is a different saying
inserted here.
The contest referred to is that in his original song book, he wrote that line
as "(Hum)*", and there was a footnote at the bottom which read "* A small
prize is being offered by the author to the reader who suggests the most
imaginative line to be inserted at this point. (The original line is omitted
for several reasons.)"
But in his 1991 interview with Dr. D, in which the Dr. said that many people
had asked HIM what the line was, assuming he would know, he said that there
Elliott Schiff
Lyric .. William Ro...@nyx.cs.du.e (220)
> I was wondering if anyone knew the lyric to "My Home Town", in the line
> about the sunday school teacher and the parson? No recorded versions of
the song that I know of have it, nor does the songbook.
Now, from the authorities at cs.uwp.edu:
That fellow was no fool
Who taught our Sunday School,
And neither was our kindly Parson Brown.
(Hum)
In my home town.
EllioTT Schiff ---> es...@andrew.cmu.edu
All right, Bird, beat this: andrew.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!pitt.edu!
uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!
court.spectrum.bball!.......nothing but net.
G. Wolfe Woodbury
It was written in the days when Tom did have a *little* bit of
discretion. The line is just mumbled or la-la'd over, leaving the
details to the sordid imaginations of the listeners, which is much worse
than anything TL could have written.
That fellow was no fool
Who taught our Sunday School,
And neither was the kindly Parson Brown.
La da da dah da da da da da da da daah
In my home town.
The guy that taught us math,
Who never took a bath,
Acquired a certain measure of renown,
And after shcool he sold the most amazing pictures,
In my home town.
--
G. Wolfe Woodbury @ The Wolves Den, Durham NC [This site is NOT affiliated ]
wo...@wolves.durham.nc.us [with Duke University! Idiots!]
UUCP: ...!duke!wolves!wolfe <Standard Disclaimers apply>
Above All, we celebrate! --Celebrate the Circle, Statement of Purpose.
Gerry Myerson
>
>
> I was wondering if anyone knew the lyric to "My Home Town", in the line
> about the sunday school teacher and the parson? No recorded versions of
> the song that I know of have it, nor does the songbook.
> Bill Rock
A Frequently Asked Question. The answer is, THERE IS NO MISSING LYRIC!
He sings it the way he wrote it. It's just a little JOKE!
Why don't people believe me when I say this? It has been obvious to me
since I first heard the song, 30 years ago.
Gerry Myerson
Allyn Fratkin
> It was written in the days when Tom did have a *little* bit of
> discretion.
> Who taught our Sunday School,
> And neither was the kindly Parson Brown.
> La da da dah da da da da da da da daah
actually, in dr. demento's interview of tom lehrer about a year ago,
tom said that he was just never able to think of a really good
line that fit there. hence, the "la da da" or "we're recording
so i'll leave this line out".
--
From the virtual mind of Allyn Fratkin al...@sdd.hp.com
San Diego Division - or -
Hewlett-Packard Company uunet!ucsd!hp-sdd!allyn