Branching off this thread:
If it all just doesn’t work out, I resign with a:
When searching for something and still can’t find it, I start getting all “I looked, here, I Iooked there, I looked everywhere”.
Whenever I drive past the Livorna Rd exit (Concord, CA) on I680, I belt out at the top of my lungs:
Passionate, wild and in love in Livorno,
Singing with Guido all night on the phone,
LOOOOONNNNNG AGOOOOOOOOO (cough cough, sputter, boy I sing bad.)
Many years ago!
How he needs me soooooo!
And he’ll be the Last. To. Know. It.
(It’s from the musical “Nine”.)
When seeing mention of (or driving past) the city of Menomonie, Wisconsin (pronounced “muh-NAHM-eh-NEE”), I invariably have to follow with “doo doo da doo doo!”
Driving past a local sign for Rochelle:
New Rochelle! New Rochelle!
That’s the place where the mansion will be
For me and the darling, bright young man
I’ve picked out for marrying me…
- How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
For me, that same city always reminds me of Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman” (she gives me money when I’m in need…) “Menomonie” sounds just like “when I’m in need” to me; I’m not sure I even know the correct pronunciation of the city name. Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” samples the line as well.
Also, when I drive by Gary, Indiana, I immediately leap to Robert Preston and Ron Howard.
A bunch of us were driving from Chicago to Minneapolis and when we passed Menomonie we all simultaneously started singing “Mahna Mahna”. And then of course did it again on the way back.
For me it’s the word “phenomenon” that evokes that response.
I already mentioned this in the other thread, but since it actually fits better here, whenever I hear a celebrity obituary on the news it makes me want to sing “People Who Died”.
I’ve posted about this in other threads.
From Duresori: Voice of East
English translation:
It can be hard, it can be painful.
But we should walk on this path.
*(alternate But this is the path we should walk on )
https://youtu.be/JkfxgTHUuG0?t=277
The soloists are Jo Ah Reum, Kim Seul Gi and Im Ha Nui. Testament to Ha Nui’s vocals, the second solo sung by her has never been included in any live version of Duresori Story since this performance in 2011.
I (badly) sing this to myself, sometimes not so quietly whenever I’m down or frustrated, especially at work and it’s been on repeat in my car since 2017. To bring myself up, I’ll sing the repeat of the solo by Im Ha Nui, which in my mind and ears is a defiant affirmation of strength.
The song is about creation of Duresori (literally Music Sound), the real life choir of the National School of Traditional Arts and was the closing song of the fictional pseudo-documentary movie about its creation, Duresori - The Voice of East . All of the singers are/were real students and members of Duresori, including their teacher.
I don’t know how much of the movie is true, but the song begins with about how the members of Duresori were forced together in a summer makeup class. First being unhappy, then finding enjoyment, with a coda, sometimes not sung, about how they bring joy to the world with their singing.
I just watched it and it still brings tears to my eyes.
There are days when I go around with a continual soundtrack in my head. I’ll hear a phrase, it will remind me of a lyric and that song will play in my head. A while later, new phrase, new soundtrack.
Sometimes I can have a dozen or more songs to accompany my day.
When somebody says that it’s windy, I say, “Ev’ryone knows it’s windy.“ Of course, people younger than about 60 might not get the reference.
I’ve never actually used this one, but I am ready if it ever comes up. I was watching a movie on TV. I forget which one. One character said something very optimistic. The second character said, “You’re a dreamer.” Before the first character could reply, I said, “You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”
We get punchy and even invent triggers on that trip…
You go through “Well, the north side of Chicago… is the boring side of town.” and later we “Do the Madison”… oh, and even if you’re “Born and raised in South Beloit”, “Don’t go back to Rockdale…” or you could get “Stuck in Lodi Again”
"Oh, Black River Liquor Sales, keep on flowin’… “Dylan ‘nearly went mad in Baton Rouge, he nearly drowned in Lake Saint Croix’.”
Two hours before the “Menominee” sign triggers “doo doo duh doo doo!”, I sometimes pass through Sparta. So I can call my daughter and tell her I’ll see her soon and that I’m on schedule… because the sign I just passed says “THIS! IS! SPAAAARTAAAA!”
Yes, I know that it gets exponentially more annoying every time I keep doing it.
Whenever I hear the name of Beloit, I always think of two jokes, to which it is the punchline (it helps to remember that it is pronounced “buh-LOIT”):
- What’s the only city in Wisconsin named after dropping a quarter into a toilet?
- What’s the only city in Wisconsin named after a fart in a bathtub?
When somebody mentions William & Mary College, I say, “Oh, no, William & Mary won’t do.” Sometimes I sing it, and sometimes I don’t.
I worked at Beloit College, and it was either what kenobi said, or “Beloit College, named after the sound of a turd hitting the water in a gas station toilet.”
or (bad Pepe LePew accent): "We are actually a branch of the Sorbonne, here at Bel-WAH…"