Are there any actual lyrics to the Masked Ball song in Eyes Wide Shut, or is what they’re singing just nonsense?
I saw the movie once, but can’t recall the music. Does this help:
See http://www.romwell.com/entertainment/FromMovies/Frommix.htm
No, because it doesn’t even mention the Masked Ball song at all, much less the lyrics to it. You know the scene in Eyes Wide Shut where they’re having the masked orgy and the “high priest” guy is chanting? Is he chanting any actual words or is it just gibberish?
The chanting may not be nonsense originally but it is played in reverse. See this .
Wow. What a cool question, and what a cool answer. I just recently started listening to that song again, too.
I don’t recall where exactly I read this, so I can’t provide a concrete cite. However, I’m fairly certain this is true.
In the theatrical release of the film, Kubrick used a chant from somewhere in Asia – I seem to recall India specifically. This was met with protests; it’s apparently some sort of important religious verse (think the Baghavad Gita), and transplanting it into the orgy was highly offensive to some people.
Thus, for the home-video release, the studio (Warner Brothers) got Kubrick’s estate (his wife, who painted the art in the Harfords’ apartment, and his son-in-law, who produced the movie) to agree to change the music. I don’t know what it is now, but it’s evidently a more innocuous selection.
I imagine additional details could be unearthed with some dedicated Googling.
What you’re talking about isn’t “Masked Ball” (the song brought up in the OP), but rather “Migrations”, the subsequent track. “Masked Ball” plays during the black mass/lesbian homoeroticism part and “Migrations” during Dr. Hartford’s wandering through the mansion afterwords. Naturally some in Hindu community wasn’t terribly happy with having the Bhagavad Gita recited as people are having sex in groups in the background.
UnuMondo
“Awwwwwwwwww black prawn Mc Noodle.”
It sounds like he is singing about a new fast food dish, dark shrimp with noodles.
Can anyone determine the other lyrics?
“Awwwwwwwwww! Black prawn Mc Noodle.
Yes, did he who is ordering all got cheese.”
He is singing about a new fast food dish, dark shrimp with noodles, with an optional side dish.
[Red Cloak]
Awwwwwwwwww! Black prawn Mc Noodle.
Yes, did he who is ordering all got cheese.
[2nd singer]
Oooh you’ll dare tell
tall tale Cynthia.
Don’t set a belief in sh*t all
or she goes anywhere.
Where’s everybody goes
any bath
and then all three
chin all til
kind a tell
Chickadee
Viva cha
did cha cha
Vasna Vali
pa Knee
Da hoo…