To help organize things, I'll make a list of all the songs, by page number (from the first edition) and opening line: 1) p. 75-7: "We thought that you might like to know": Reprised on p. 250-1 as "We hope that you've enjoyed your stay" 2) p. 85: "When first the light of dawning": Perhaps not a song, just a short inscription 3) p. 87-9: "We'd like to welcome you sincerely" 4) p. 94-5: "I'm supposed to be a princess": Reprised on p. 106-7 as "I suppose you've heard the story" 5) p. 124-5: "Rollin' rollin' rollin'": Identified as "Rawhide" by Dmitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington. 6) p. 128-30: "From the minute you're born": The evident "title" of this song is "My Own Sweet Tyrannical Way." 7. p. 138-40: "When I was just a little chap, my father said to me": Sounds very Gilbert & Sullivan. 8) p. 161: "Falling apart again": Identified as "Falling in Love Again" by Frederick Hollander and Sammy Lerner. 9) Also p. 161: "I'm an automaton": May be "Just a Gigolo" by Leonello Casucci and Julius Brammer, but doesn't quite fit. 9a) p. 162: "Oh, I / Ain't got no body...": These two lines quoted in isolation are a paraphrase of "I Ain't Got Nobody" by Spencer Williams (best known as part of a medley in which it is combined with "Just a Gigolo") 10) p. 165-7: "Once the screen was really silver": The evident "title" of this song is "Monochrome." Note: the last line of song 3 is "Stompin' at the Savoy Way." "Stompin' at the Savoy" was a Benny Goodman song, however, its verse structure doesn't match song 3. The one I'm most curious about is "My Own Sweet Tyrannical Way." Back before I knew there were real songs these were based on, I composed my own melodies for them in my head. Most of them were forgettable, but I came up with a good one for this song, which was actually based on "Hit the Road Jack," but modified to fit the lyrics. It's the only one of the tunes I came up with that I still remember. The real song it's based on probably sounds entirely different...
I am pretty sure the top one's from HMS Pinafore. Damn, I wish I had my book handy. And the one on page 162 matches up songwise with "Just a Gigolo" all the way through.
^^Actually that would be the second song on p. 161, which I now see is separate from "Falling apart again." And it almost matches "Just a Gigolo", but not quite. (I've edited my above post with this information.)
You're probably thinking of "When I Was a Lad" from Pinafore, but the meter is different. And I can't find anything else in Pinafore that fits.
The problem is that so many parody lyrics seem "close" a particular song, but the lyrics don't scan properly. Writing lyrics that match and scan to a melody is tougher than most people think. --Ted
^^Which raises the question: Did Ford match all these songs precisely to the tunes of existing songs, or are some of them just pastiches that aren't meant to correspond exactly? Without knowing that, it could be hard to make positive identifications.
p. 76 From Charms Intramural - Gilbert and Sullivan - Ruddigore p. 77 By A Simple Coincidence Few" - Gilbert and Sullivan - Patience P. 77 Now to the banquet we press" - Gilbert and Sullivan - The Sorcerer Kevin
Well, I loaned the book to my father, who's pretty knowledgeable about musical matters, in the hopes that he could recognize some of the songs. But he had no luck. Increasingly I'm wondering if many of the songs are just "in the style of" rather than precisely "to the tune of."
Yes, I was starting to think the same thing - which is a shame because it's always been one of those holy grails of TrekLit.
I don't own the book in question, so I don't have the rest of the lyrics of this, or any other song. However, based solely on the given line, my guess would be "Lemon Tree", made popular (if it wasn't already) by Peter, Paul, & Mary. Does this make sense?
Well the examples I quoted in post #9 are exact quotes from the various Gildert and Sullivan operettas. Kevin
To tmclough: Hmm, almost. The first line is almost the same and they're both in iambic heptameter, but the overall structure is different. "Lemon Tree" has three 4-line verses alternating with three identical 4-line refrains, but the song on pp. 138-40 has three 10-line verses alternating with three different 4-line refrains. Maybe Ford created a composite song influenced by "Lemon Tree" but with more of a Gilbert & Sullivan structure and subject matter. To Ktrek: Yes, that's true of the ones you quoted, but only of those. Those are sung by the Enterprise crew in response to their musical greeting from the natives, sort of getting into the spirit of things, so they're just quoting something readily at hand in their memories. The locals are doing whole original songs tailored to the occasions. So the ones you identified are the exceptions to the rule. Sorry.
Just starting reading this again. Haven't gotten to the golf yet. Just got past the first song, actually. "WILL THAT BE CASH OR CHARGE?" Hee. Didn't I hear / read that Mr. Ford wanted to include a song guide in the book, but TPTB said no? If that's the case wouldn't that argue that there is a 1:1 to SOME song somewhere?
Has anyone asked the individuals that "sing" the songs? I just ran across a post where Mr. Gaiman mentioned "Monochrome". (Don't know the music, but it's one of my favorite songs in the book.)
7. p. 138-40: "When I was just a little chap, my father said to me": Sounds very Gilbert & Sullivan. Also fits with Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. I think.