Tunes for the songs in How Much for Just the Planet?

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Now that my Christmas CD auditions are over, I'm going through a number of CDs that might have applicable tunes (mostly Joan Morris and William Bolcom).

Went through "Other Songs by Leiber & Stoller." I don't think anything fits any of the texts at hand. (It does, however, have a great rendition of "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots," as well as "Let's Bring Back World War I," which I believe was written specifically for Joanie). Went through their latest, "Someone Talked," a collection of World War II popular songs (with guest tenor Robert White, and narrator Hazen Schumacher). Going through "Moonlight Bay: Songs As Is, and Songs As Was"; nothing jumps out at me there, either. Next, I guess I'll be going on to their two Vincent Youmans collections (since I had somehow confused those with "Moonlight Bay" CD).

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Went through both CDs of Vincent Youmans. Now going through a couple of Rodgers & Hart CDs (currently Joan Morris; next, Dawn Upshaw).

Had a near miss with "Bewitched" and "I'm Supposed to be a Princess": "After one whole quart of brandy" does scan, if quirkily, with "I'm supposed to be a princess," and the last line of each verse ("like me"/"no more") does scan the same as "for me". Unfortunately, nothing in between appears to fit at all.

 

[Christopher]

^As I suggested before, maybe the songs in the book are more composites or pastiches of particular styles of song rather than being set exactly to the tune of specific songs.

I assume that by "Bewitched" you're not referring to the theme from the TV show.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Correct. AKA "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (although on the Joan Morris/William Bolcom recording, it is identified simply as "Bewitched," and they are usually sticklers for accuracy; "lorenzhart.com" does, however, give the title as "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered").

Rodgers & Hart, from Pal Joey. Haven't seen the show myself.

http://www.lorenzhart.org/bewitchedsng.htm

But I'm pretty sure it's a dead-end in terms of "I'm supposed to be a princess."

One thought that occurs to me about the "pastiche" theory: we could be dealing with a verse tune from one song being spliced to the refrain tune from another.

 

[kkozoriz1]

I hearby declare April 10th "John M. Ford Seance Day"

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Actually, a lot of his earlier parodies have slightly altered melody lines, so there might've been some CYA going on at that point. Later on, when it became a badge of honor to be parodied by Weird Al, he started doing the original tunes unaltered.

I thought it was because of Al's different vocal range. With some songs it might be easier on his voice to sing in a different key.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I just went through all of my Joan Morris CDs, both of my Dawn Upshaw CDs, my John Denver CD, original cast CDs of 1776 and The Phantom of the Opera, and a recording of The Pirates of Penzance. No luck. Is there something in 1776, Phantom, or Pirates, that might not have jumped out at me?

What about West Side Story? Pippin? State Fair?