Tuesday, January 13, 2015

I was reading about Jerry Lewis and the affection for him in France. Most of what we assume is not true, all of that happened in the 60's and no longer holds force. France does appreciate Jerry Lewis but no more than Italy Germany, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands. At one point "The Delivery Boy" is mentioned. I hadn't heard of it.

Straightdope.com

It comes right up on YouTube.

I was talking about this in comments. Before, in the past, my friends wondered what a song was saying so they'd ask me and that forced me to listen carefully to lyrics best as I could, but now anybody can have all lyrics instantly so that no longer happens. They can feel a beat. What they didn't know is what makes the song uniquely interesting. What is the singer doing with their voice, how do the lyrics punctuate the music, how does the voice match? What is the song doing, pleading, describing, angry, sad, melancholy, cheerful, or what? When a trombone makes a slide, what does that sound like? Does the voice do the same thing? What? What does the music sound like, what emotion does it evoke?

I think this segment is brilliant. It is silly. Ridiculous. But it is perfect. Without a single useful word Jerry Lewis physically describes the music. Whatever else you may think of him Jerry Lewis is a natural signer.

8 comments:

ricpic said...

Where is Señor Wences when you need him?

ampersand said...

Can someone explain American critics praise for Jean-Luc Godard,The French Ed Wood?

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I tried to educate myself by forcing myself to watch all of the Monsieur Hulot stuff but it didn't work.

My loss, really.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Ever the optimist, in such situations I do my level best to conclude that there's a lot of subtext that I'm not getting for reasons that aren't my fault.

Chip Ahoy said...

I think it's amazing that Lewis extemporizes so brilliantly to interpret the sound of the horns, building up his energy with the music. He's such a natural clown.

rcocean said...

"He's such a natural clown."

And that's why I hate him. I hate clowns.

rcocean said...

Bozo, Ronald MacDonald, the ones at the Circus.

Even Krusty.

rhhardin said...

Sid Caesar Beethoven argument.