# I'm listening to Ethel Merman **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080 "2003-11-08T15:39:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/1 "2003-11-08T15:39:49Z")
I’m listening to Ethel Merman. Yep, that’s right. I bought the CD a few months ago, and I’m not afraid to play it. I guess I’m just posting this as an opposite viewpoint to all of the “Music you’re afraid to admit you like” threads. I’ve never posted in one of those. I’m brazen. 🙂 \ \*You’re the tops, you’re Mahatma Ghandi, You’re the tops, you’re Napoleon Brandy. You’re the purple light of a summer night in Spain, You’re the National Gallery, you’re Garbo’s salary, you’re cellophane…\* \ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/2 "2003-11-08T15:47:39Z")
\It’s **Gandhi** \ Get in touch with your inner belter, **Forbin**! So what if you’re scaring the hell out of your neighbors? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/3 "2003-11-08T19:20:25Z")
That’s great, but would you mind turning it down a bit now? You’re keeping the baby awake. ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/4 "2003-11-08T20:27:54Z")
It’s Die Walkure now, not Ethel Merman anymore. IIRC, Ethel Merman was a star back in the days when the studios really attended to every detail. Stars were taught to sing, dance, intonation coaching; the whole shootin’ match. If the story I’ve heard is correct, Ethel Merman went for one lesson, and her teacher declared, “You must never take a voice lesson ever.” (or something like that) I think he felt that she had so much personality, expressed with her singing, that he didn’t want to “learn” it out of her. ---
**Author:** ![indecisive1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/41988e/32.png) [@indecisive1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indecisive1)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/5 "2003-11-09T14:56:24Z")
I just have to share my Ethel Merman story. A good friend of mine is a very talented singer. She is also somewhat nuts. So one day, she’s standing in my dining room, and breaks into song. She starts singing “When I need You” by Leo Sayer… except she sings it Ethel Merman style. “Whennn Iiii neeeeeeeed… \*\* LOVE!\*\* I hold out my hannnnds and I… \*\* TOUCH! **… \*\* LOVE!** ” That was about 15 years ago. I’ve been on medication ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/6 "2003-11-09T15:50:52Z")
There’s NO Business, Like show Business…! Who does not love Ethel Merman? (Whom, for some reason, I’ve always mixed up with Vivian Vance from I Love Lucy.) What CD is it anyways? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/7 "2003-11-09T15:52:38Z")
Who would win in a fight: Ethel Merman or Christina Aguilera? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/8 "2003-11-09T16:03:30Z")
Are you kidding? One belt from those brass-lined lungs and Christina would melt into a pudddle of makeup and lycra. One of my favorite Hollywood factoids is that she was married to [Ernest Borgnine](http://www.famous-couple.com/famous_couple-ernest_borgnine-ethel_merman.htm) for about a month. The mind boggles at the thought of those two doing the horizontal tango. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/9 "2003-11-09T16:29:24Z")
Ohhh, I didn’t know she was married to Ernest Borgnine. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/10 "2003-11-09T16:36:49Z")
I would love to reanimate the Ethel Merman’s of her day and bring them back now to show the Christina’s and Britney’s and Madonna’s what real talent is all about. ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/11 "2003-11-09T17:03:17Z")
**What CD is it anyways?** It’s “Doin’ What Comes Naturally”, 1999, Jasmine Records. I never have understood the “ashamed of my music threads” Anyway, I like Ethel Merman. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/12 "2003-11-10T13:10:36Z")
YOU’LL BE SWELL! YOU’LL BE GREAT! GONNA HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD ON A PLATE… ain’t she grand? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/13 "2003-11-10T13:29:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\*One of my favorite Hollywood factoids is that she was married to [Ernest Borgnine](http://www.famous-couple.com/famous_couple-ernest_borgnine-ethel_merman.htm) for about a month. The mind boggles at the thought of those two doing the horizontal tango. \*\* Dear og… ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/14 "2003-11-10T13:36:44Z")
\ Poor man, thinks he’s Ethel Merman… \ ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/15 "2003-11-10T14:03:16Z")
She’s not one of my favorites, but she beats the bejezus out of Kate. Fucking. Smith. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/16 "2003-11-10T14:14:41Z")
Speaking of Kate. Fucking. Smith., the sunset flag-lowering ceremony the Kiwanis do in Cape May every evening involves her on the boombox. I get the impression there’s no postmodern irony on the part of the organizers, but I can’t vouch for all of the observers. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-listening-to-ethel-merman/212080/17 "2003-11-10T14:50:52Z")
If you ever have a song stuck in your head, sing it out loud, Ethel Merman style. Strangely, it works.