HMS Pinafore - Never Mind the Why or Wherefore

[med_cat]

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"He little thinks how eloquently he has pleaded his rival's cause!" :P
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Lyrics:
 CAPT.          Never mind the why and wherefore,
               Love can level ranks, and therefore,
               Though his lordship's station's mighty,
                    Though stupendous be his brain,
               Though your tastes are mean and flighty
                    And your fortune poor and plain,
CAPT. and      Ring the merry bells on board-ship,
SIR JOSEPH.         Rend the air with warbling wild,
               For the union of his/my lordship
                    With a humble captain's child!
CAPT.               For a humble captain's daughter--
JOS.                For a gallant captain's daughter--
SIR JOSEPH.         And a lord who rules the water--
JOS. (aside).       And a tar who ploughs the water!
ALL.           Let the air with joy be laden,
                    Rend with songs the air above,
               For the union of a maiden
                    With the man who owns her love!
SIR JOSEPH.         Never mind the why and wherefore,
                    Love can level ranks, and therefore,
               Though your nautical relation (alluding to Capt.)
                    In my set could scarcely pass--
               Though you occupy a station
                    In the lower middle class--
CAPT. and      Ring the merry bells on board-ship,
SIR JOSEPH.         Rend the air with warbling wild,
               For the union of my/your lordship
                    With a humble captain's child!
CAPT.               For a humble captain's daughter--
JOS.                For a gallant captain's daughter--
SIR JOSEPH.         And a lord who rules the water--
JOS. (aside).       And a tar who ploughs the water!
ALL.           Let the air with joy be laden,
                    Rend with songs the air above,
               For the union of a maiden
                    With the man who owns her love!
JOS.           Never mind the why and wherefore,
               Love can level ranks, and therefore
               I admit the jurisdiction;
                    Ably have you played your part;
               You have carried firm conviction
                    To my hesitating heart.
CAPT. and      Ring the merry bells on board-ship,
SIR JOSEPH.         Rend the air with warbling wild,
               For the union of my/his lordship
                    With a humble captain's child!
CAPT.               For a humble captain's daughter--
JOS.                For a gallant captain's daughter--
SIR JOSEPH.         And a lord who rules the water--
JOS. (aside).       And a tar who ploughs the water!
(Aloud.)       Let the air with joy be laden.
CAPT. and SIR JOSEPH.  Ring the merry bells on board-ship--
JOS.           For the union of a maiden--
CAPT. and SIR JOSEPH.  For her union with his lordship.
ALL.           Rend with songs the air above
               For the man who owns her love!
 
This joyous outburst of sprightly music serves not only as a comic device on the superficiality of decisions maiden Victorian England but also a display of three individual attitudes toward class. One notable action in the piece by Josephine can be interpreted to serve dual meanings. Following Sir Joseph's self ordained title as the "lord who rules the water,"  Josephine, instructed by stage actions turns aside whispering a repeat of the phrase replacing lord with tar. This reference to a tar, or common sailor, assumes two meanings. The first is that of Josephine mocking Sir Joseph's arrogant display of pride and self  image by reminding us that in the end Joseph is nothing more than a sailor (rather than a man of social order). A second meaning can be taken as Josephine's expressal of her love for Ralph as she comes to the realization that love, being able to level all ranks, removes any barriers of class preventing her marriage to Ralph.

 (lyrics and analysis from  gopcapitalist.tripod.com/song2.html)

Comments

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

This may be relevant to your interests!
Tra la! (http://goldvermilion87.livejournal.com/113962.html)

[med_cat]

Have read and commented.

Magical name -- d'Oyly Carte

[devifemme.livejournal.com]

I saw the G&S tag in your list, since I'm still finding my way around your amazing blog! Went there (that is, here) and saw the reference to d'Oyly Carte -- and was tickled to discover a second occurance of the name in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday we saw a reading of "Before Oscar was Wilde," a theatre production at Kennedy Center's annual Page to Stage festival. It was presented by the Center's Kenan Fellowship, which underwrote the script. The focus is on Wilde's letters and journal about his 1870s lecture tour of the U.S. (30 or more cities and towns, including Leadville, CO, in the midst of its silver boom)-- under the aegis of D'Oyly Carte.

Small world! And the piece was wonderful -- presumably to be produced SOMEWHERE in the near future.

Hugz, Justine

Re: Magical name -- d'Oyly Carte

[med_cat]

Thank you for the compliment, and the production sounds very interesting; would love to see it if it does get produced, let me know if you hear :)

Re: Magical name -- d'Oyly Carte

[med_cat]

P.S. In fact, did you notice, in the top vid in this entry?

Admiral:"Never mind the why or wherefore--
Woops, I think my underwear tore!"

Capt: "Quickly, sailor, tell the tailor--"

Adm.: "That my gusset's come apart!"

Daughter: "Need for stitching?"

Adm.: "Quick, it's itching!"

All three together:

"Won't see _this_ at D'Oyly Carte!"

;)

Re: Magical name -- d'Oyly Carte

[devifemme.livejournal.com]

No, alas, MISSED that cunning twist! But, you know, I've suddenly recalled where I first ran across the D'OC reference: it was in a 40s Warner Bros. cartoon (Th-th-that's all, folks!) -- probably seen on TV in the 60's -- and some minor character was named "D Oily Card".

I think I asked my mother (Google being many years in future), and she explained the hyper-obscure link. I've ALWAYS thought it was remarkable for its opaqueness -- and utterly impossible to happen nowadays.

Re: Magical name -- d'Oyly Carte

[med_cat]

Hee hee, interesting ;) And yes Warner Bros would throw in obscure references, wouldn't they.

And yes, quite so, the downside of readily-available info via 'net search...:)

[devifemme.livejournal.com]

Yeah - BTW I love your illustration of "med_cat" in your icon.

Kisses, J

[med_cat]

Ah, my default cat icon? It is from Lackadaisy comics and was made by anastgal :)

She has lots of other animal and anthropomorphic animal icons--if you or your LJ friends would be interested, I can get the links for you.