# Difficult-to-enunciate lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327 "2014-03-23T00:46:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/1 "2014-03-23T00:46:49Z")
For this the palm must be awarded to the Major-General’s song in _The Pirates of Penzance._ How about Tom Lehrer’s “Lobachevsky”? _I havd a friend in Minsk Who has a friend in Pinsk Whose friend in Omsk Has friend in Tomsk With friend in Akmolinsk. …_ Any others? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/2 "2014-03-23T00:56:39Z")
[“Not Getting Married Today”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrRDrz53Q1E) from _Company_, at the intended speed. There are quite a few other ones in Sondheim’s body of work, too. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/3 "2014-03-23T02:09:57Z")
How about “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” by R. E. M.? I’ve tried to sing along with that in a karaoke game and even with the lyrics right in front of you, it’s hard. Also “Hardware Store” by Weird Al is in the same category. And “One Week” by Barenaked Ladies. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/4 "2014-03-23T02:25:36Z")
[“We Didn’t Start the Fire.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m50p-XScreM) Apparently even Billy Joel himself dreads singing it live at concerts, because if you mess up one word, everything turns into chaos. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/5 "2014-03-23T03:30:50Z")
Danny Kaye practically made a career out of “patter” songs, like [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkJdmTrlTYk). ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/6 "2014-03-23T03:38:49Z")
“Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little” from _Seventy-Six Trombones._ ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/7 "2014-03-23T05:15:39Z")
[“One Week”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC_q9KPczAg&feature=kp) by Barenaked Ladies? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/8 "2014-03-23T05:24:26Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > [“One Week”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC_q9KPczAg&feature=kp) by Barenaked Ladies? Psst–Post #3. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/9 "2014-03-23T05:25:50Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Danny Kaye practically made a career out of “patter” songs, like [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkJdmTrlTYk). I can’t bring YouTube sequences up on my computer (I only have Dial-Up); is that the ditty from _Court Jester?_ ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/10 "2014-03-23T05:26:33Z")
:smack: I’m sorry. I have a cold. [“Informer”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StlMdNcvCJo&feature=kp) by Snow? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/11 "2014-03-23T05:32:48Z")
[The Wake of Magellan](http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/savatage/thewakeofmagellan.html)by Savatage. Particularly this bit during the chorus, which is sung very quickly: _Columbus and Magellan and De Gama Sailed upon the ocean In a world of ignorance With thoughts so primitive That men were killed With no more will Than that they simply had the notion But in this world of heartless men This thing they never did._ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/12 "2014-03-23T05:38:48Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I can’t bring YouTube sequences up on my computer (I only have Dial-Up); is that the ditty from _Court Jester?_ It appears to be from an album of selections from his radio show: _Tschaikowsky and Other Russians_. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/13 "2014-03-23T06:18:44Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > it appears to be from an album of selections from his radio show: _tschaikowsky and other russians_. Спасибо! ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/14 "2014-03-23T06:48:02Z")
From “Old King Tut” a 1923 song. It’s sung at a fairly brisk pace, making the third line in the selected lyric a modestly impressive vocal feat. “In old King Tut-Tut-Tut-enkhamen’s day, the dancers then in style _ **would even make the old Sphinx smile…** _” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/15 "2014-03-23T07:28:08Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > And “One Week” by Barenaked Ladies. Along with “Jerry Springer” by Weird Al. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/16 "2014-03-23T08:06:36Z")
[Carolina in the Morning](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD0P3lEmLZo) [The Object of My Affection](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oslbxm1MA9E) [Nagasaki](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi5L821iGtE) (I chose this clip because it has a clear rendition of the lyrics - not so easy to find.) ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/17 "2014-03-23T09:03:31Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Спасибо! Gesundheit! ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/18 "2014-03-24T06:14:34Z")
Hahahahahahahaha… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/19 "2014-03-24T06:33:21Z")
How about[Life is a Rock (but the radio rolled me)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU&feature=kp)? Or [Grazing in the Grass](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UhResTVZ6s)? And there’s always the immortal [I’ve Been Everywhere](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw&feature=kp). ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327/20 "2014-03-24T07:26:24Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > […] > And there’s always the immortal [I’ve Been Everywhere](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw&feature=kp). Who recorded that one? I’d like to find it… 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difficult-to-enunciate-lyrics/684327.md?page=2)