Uke-Song, An Anachronistic Anecdote: UKULELI, UKULELA, + volcanic Palindromes.

POST #47
PARODY-LYRICS
ORIGINAL SONG: "Funiculi, Funicula" , Luigi Denza, 1880.
PARODY COMPOSED: Giorgio Coniglio, February 2013. 

KEYWORDS: history, classicsong, multicultural, palindromes 

This mostly-true story has 3 characters - the volcano itself, Vesuvius, which dominates the Bay of Naples, and 2 music composers. Luigi Denza wrote hundreds of songs, mostly in Neapolitan, including this smash hit composed for the opening of the funicular in 1880.  Richard Strauss lived in Munich; after visiting Naples in 1887 as a young man, he incorporated the tune into a symphonic work aus Italien, which was poorly received by critics. Later he became famous for symphonic tone-poems including Thus Spake Zarathustra,  the theme for 2001: A Space Odyssey, and modern operas - der Rosenkavalier, Elektra. 
The fanciful existence of ukuleles in Europe in the 19th century is an anachronism; hence, the song was initially titled Anacroni, Anacrona. 

UKULELÍ, UKULELÁ

(to the tune of "Funiculi, Funicula")

     

 INTRO: ’Ncoppa jammo ja’, ukulelí, ukulelá.

One day, while Strauss was tramming up Vesuvius,
He heard a song, a catchy song.

And as he’d brought along his uke and notebook,

He wrote it down, then strummed along.

He gave the borrowed pencil back to Denza,
With whom he jammed, as up they swayed.

And as the active crater hissed and rumbled,
Strauss missed him mumble, above Pompei.

(Denza sang)……

“ Copy-, copy-, copyright is mine,

Specific terms the sanctioned use define.
While jamming here is gen’rally fine,

While jamming here is gen’rally fine,

Legal friends opine, Vesuvius - Sì, but Munich - Nein  ”.

  

Years later, Strauss was brooding back in Deutschland,
He read reviews, scathing reviews.

And found Luigi’s letter on his cr'Denza,

No how-d’ya-do’s, but howled j’accuse.

He fumed, “ My sunny, fun-filled tarantella,
While fun to croon, is no folk-tune.

Our case is legally air-tight, feckless fella, 

Piacere, please, pay royalties."

(Denza sang)……

“ Copy-, copy-, copyright is mine,

Specific terms the sanctioned use define.
While jamming there was gen’rally fine,

While jamming there was gen’rally fine,

Legal friends opine, Vesuvius - Sì, but Munich - Nein  ”.

One day, if you should hike up on Vesuvius,

(The tram’s no more, - since 'forty-four).

Inspired up there where lava’s been effluvious,

You write a score; but one thing more.

Take care ! - “O Sole”, “Funi” even “Torna”,

They might be groovious, but out of bounds;

When streaming from the steaming hot caldera, 

This c'Denza sounds, and then resounds.

(Denza sang)……
“ Copy-, copy-, copyright is mine,

Specific terms the sanctioned use define.
While jamming here is gen’rally fine,

While jamming here is gen’rally fine,

Legal friends opine, Vesuvius - Sì, but Munich - Nein  ”.

   Bb                     F             C7           F  

‘Ncoppa jammo ja’, ukulelí, ukulelá.



Volcanodromes (Palindromes dealing with volcanoes): 


Point of information: Etna, Stomboli and Vesuvio are the 3 major active volcanoes in Italy)

No lava ! Not on Avalon !

Foo! hot Ava, lava to hoof.

A red lac, red nice cinder, caldera.   (lac is a red dye obtained as a byproduct of processing shellac)

Ante-time; I am game. Magma I emit. Etna.

I lob morts. Stromboli   (mort is French for dead-man, cadaver)

O! I'v U severe. Pere Vesuvio.

Tessa's in Italy - Latin is asset. 

Mt (A)etna June, 2014 

Performing notes


Intro: ’N[Bb]coppa jammo [F] ja’, ukule[C7]lí, ukule[F]lá.

One [F] day, while Strauss was tramming up Vesuvius,He [C] heard a [F] song, a [C] catchy [F] song.

And [F] as he’d brought along his uke and notebook,

He [C] wrote it [F] down, then [C] strummed a[F]long.

He [Am] gave the [E7] borrowed [Am] pencil [E7] back to [Am] Denza,
With [E7] whom he [Am] jammed, as [E7] up they [Am] swayed.

And [C] as the [G] active [C] crater [G] hissed and [C] rumbled,
 Strauss [G] missed him [C] mumble, a[G7]bove Pom[C]pei.
   

(Denza sang)……
[C7]“ Copy-, copy-, copyright is mine,

Specific terms the sanctioned use de[F]fine.
While jamming [A] here is gen’rally [Dm] fine,

While jamming [A7] here is gen’rally [Dm] fine,

[Bb] Legal friends o[F]pine, Vesuvius - [C7] Sì, but Munich - [F] Nein  ”.

.....
.....

  

Outro: ’N[Bb]coppa jammo [F] ja’, ukule[C7]lí, ukule[F]lá.

Alice in Wonderland, Medical Version: "THE VALGUS AND THE CARBUNCLE"

POST #46
PARODY-POEM, with suggestions for singing

ORIGINAL POEM:  "The Walrus and the Carpenter", Lewis Carroll, set in part to music in the Disney animated cartoon, 1951.

PARODY PUBLISHED: CMAJ 1995, J Nucl Cardiol 1999, reprinted here with permission of the author.

Explanation of the parody lyrics: A historical vignette......In the 1990s, attempts to streamline medical care resulted in the propagation of standardized patient-care protocols, clinical  guidelines, and “continuous quality-care initiatives”; these efforts were concurrent with extensive bed closures, reduced hospital stays, and expanded use of day-care procedures. Some health care workers felt that such developments were primarily economically motivated, and that care had been depersonalized. These lines compare the plight of assembly-line patients to the unfortunate oysters in Carroll’s poem.

THE VALGUS AND THE CARBUNCLE

(poem, can be sung to the Disney version)

“ O Patients, come pre-op with us ”

The guidelines did beseech.

“ A stick, a pee, an ECG,

Some gas, the CUT, the street –

We cannot deal with motions four,

And give a pan to each. ”

“ Your gastric tubes can be recycled

In the blue box there:

Send us a card, e-mail or fax

To say you’re passing air;

And as you leave fill in your Satis-

faction Questionnaire ! ”

“ Next month you’ll find our parking rates

Conveni-ently low:

For total hips, and I-and-Ds

Alice, with
Tweedledum and Tweedledee

And fixing your great toe -

Our waiting-line for porcine valves

No longer moves so slow ! ”

“ Our king-sized rooms for CABGs

Can tempt you while you’re here; 

Or Seven Maids Home Services 

Will lease for half a year. “

But no one spoke, because they had

Shoved off, with all their gear.

Oysters in their oyster-beds

Medical Lexicon: 
stick: nobody dares say 'needleprick' anymore, at least not in N. America
ECG: electrocardiogram, also abbreviated as EKG in the British context
gastric tube: more properly, a naso-gastric tube, device inserted postoperatively to collect saliva and secretions while awaiting spontaneous recovery of gastrointestinal function 
I-and-D: incision and drainage, a surgical procedure to treat local infection
total hip: orthopedic surgeon's jargon for prosthetic replacement of both components of the hip joint
porcine: referring to the source of biologic heart valve replacements
CABG: coronary artery bypass grafting, an important treatment for vascular heart disease (partially blocked arteries)  

HOTLINKS TO OTHER MEDICAL-THEMED SONG-POSTINGS

Adenoma

Avitaminoses 

As We Nuke It

Flaking Out is What They Do

Mel and His Hernia

Mergerwocky

Off-Patent Drug#19

Prostate Cancer

Reflux Romp

R-I-C-E

The Uniqueness of Nuclear

The Valgus and the Carbuncle (see below)

Under My Own Steam part#1

Under My Own Steam part#2

Where Has Neurosyphylis Gone?

...AND A FEW LIMERICK-BASED SONGS

Singable Limerick-Medley #17: Nuclear Cardiology

Singable Limerick-Medley #20: Medical Imaging

UKULELE-FRIENDLY FORMAT

(Click on any chord-chart slide to move to 'song-presentation mode'; then navigate through thumbnails at bottom of page.)

Suggested chords follow: 

[C] “ O Patients, come pre-op with us ”

The [F] guidelines [G7] did be[C]seech.

[C] “ A stick, a pee, an ECG,

Some [F] gas, the [G7] CUT, the [C] street –

We cannot deal with [Am] motions four,

And [F] give a [G7] pan to [C] each. ”

etc.

The Prohibitions and Prudery of Palindromes: A Refer-ence List

POST #45
PALINDROMES: new and previously published: 
See also my previously posted collection of "canalindromes"  - palindromes related to canals and to Mercer's iconic creation here.  

A surprising proportion of palindromes is characterized by themes of denial, reproach, disparagement, sarcasm and even prudery. Here are some examples.

Original Sources: PalindromeList (PL); Neil/Fred's Gigantic List of Palindromes. ; these provide a portion of the palindromes, the remainder (about half) composed by GC.

Palindromes in song are rare, but you can find 2 palindrome-songs on this blog "X66X" and "Gnats Sang: Gnus Stung" by clicking these titles or by using the search option.

NEGATIVE-THEMED PALINDROMES

Den-gila

A dim or fond 'no' from Ida.

A man, a plan, a cad, a canal, Panama. 

A man appals, I slap Panama. 

A Maj., a plat, a fan, a fatal pajama. 

Amen! Eon; no enema.

Amor, a dab, a bad aroma.

Ate plate - elk-cub, ergo ogre, buckle et al.  - PETA

A slut nixes sex in Tulsa.

Ban/borrow or rob/nab.

Bats enliven evil nest, Ab!

Borrow or rob.

Border burrow, or rub red, Rob.

Damn US nixes tax at sex in sun. Mad!

Denial slain, Ed.

Evita, Gen.!

Den-gila? Tong not aligned.

Dennis, Madam, sinned.

Dennis and Edna sinned.      (etc.)

Devil never even lived!

Dog-doo. Good God!

Diaper repaid.

Dill, a plan, a canal - pallid.

Don't revert. Nod.

Egad! A base tone denotes a bad age.

Eh, ca va, la vache!

Elsie. No tax at one isle.

Evade tame mate, Dave.

Evil, all its sin is still alive. 

Evil axis - six alive.

Evil, Olive

Eros? Sidney, my end is sore.

Evita, Gen.? Negative.

Word-salad

Flee radon. No dare, elf!

Gnats stang. 

Gnu dung. 

Hades unused. Ah!

Hair, a plain arc - cranial pariah.  (a very bad hair day)

I made lie veiled, ami.

In word-salad, alas, drown I.

Kind, under-referred - nudnik. (disparaging Yiddish term for an irritating person). 

Knife idea, Mae; die, fink! 

Lame tale - dame made late, Mal.

Less evasion evade, Dave. 'No' is a vessel.  

Liar trail.

Live not on evil.

Llama - nix in a mall.

Lonely Tylenol.

Male rut rote: torture, Lam.

May a moody baby doom a yam?

Model truth: turtledom.

Murder for a jar of red rum.

Nab, rob or ban.

Named is nit inside Man.

Nap not on pan.

Natalie; veil a tan.

The ultimate Palin-drome

Ned rages, "Reverse Garden."

Never odd or even.

Night nets tenth gin.

Nightlife? Filth, gin.

No brace-pins snipe. Carbon

No brace. Not one carbon.

No 'D'. No'L'. Dwell lewd, London.

No "Darn!" in radon.

No dot, Sam - mastodon.

No drapery re 'pardon'.

No enema-name - neon

No era far - eon.

No grade, Ed - argon

No grasp, Alf, on no flaps - argon. 

No 'h'-typo - python.

No. I save on no evasion.

No. I told Ed, "Lotion"

'No' is iced decision.

No! Is sap. Passion.

No! It is opposition.

No. It can assess an action.

No. It is open on one position.

No! It is opera reposition. (or A reposition? No, it is opera)

No, it never propagates if I set a gap on prevention.

No! It's a bare-era bastion.

No 'k' in Nikon.

No 'l' lags. Gallon.

No laser re salon.

No lass Tin is sin. It's salon.

No lava! Not on Avalon! 

No 'lem'n' in melon; etc.

No levers revel on.

No lynxes' sex - nylon.

No 'm', lass. Tin is sin. It's salmon.

No 'm' lasts. Old lost salmon.

No medal; LA demon.

No 'melon' in 'O lemon'; etc.

No, Miss. It is Simon.

None X-mas, Sam - xenon.

No risks - iron

No robe re boron.

No rod-lid dildo, Ron.

No 's' re person.

No 'S' -  a Saxon.

No. Sì. Operas are poison.

No same mason.

No sir, prefer prison.

No sir. Penal-lane. Prison  

No sir, Panama's mood dooms a man - a prison.

No stetson. 

No word, no bond, row on.

No 'x' in Nixon.

No 'x' - a Saxon.

No 'xx' - Exxon.

No 'yarn' in rayon. 

Not a banana baton.

"Not New York," Roy went on.

Not so (bad, Ida) - Boston.

Not so! Bees see Boston.

No trace. Not one carton.

Not tube, button

Not 'UF' - not on futon.

O! No!

Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo.

Party-trap.

Parade: villained denial lived. A rap!

Plan no damn Madonna LP.

Rapes reverse pardon.

Rawer burger murders - re drum, re grub, re war.

Re hypocrisy; as I say, sir, copy her.

Re-flip: pilfer

Red dates? Apple? -Help, Pa! Set adder!

"Reno, sir. Plan a canal". Prisoner 

Rep uses reverse. Super!

Revelation? No it a lever.

Revenge beg never.

Revenge? Slap pals, e.g.? Never!

Revocation? No, it a cover.

Satan; I plan a canal  - pinatas.

Satire; veritas.

Senile felines.

Set a gender. Red negates.

Set agenda? Ad negates.

Sex afar, Ira faxes.

Sex at (noon/my gym) taxes.

Sis - emesis.

Stella won no wallets.

Step on no pets.

T. Eliot nixes sex in toilet.

Trap all afoot. I, too, fall apart.

Tennis tenet sin-net.

Tim made dire ride, dammit!

Timid? I'm it.

Tip-top pot-pit!

To Idiot:

To pseudonym enemy, no due spot.

Ton. Net. Forever. Often. Not.

Toronto got no rot.

Tut-tut!

Wales, oppose law.

Wets dab noses on bad stew.

Won't fig gift now. 

Wontons- not now.

Worse: lame female's row.

'x' 'n 'y', Lara. Lynx.

'x'; 'y'; no 'z'. Onyx

Yawn a more Roman way.

Yell! avoid area, Mae - Radio Valley.

'