# This is my brain. This is my brain on Marlo Thomas. Any Questions? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 4, 2001, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363 "2001-10-04T12:13:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/21 "2001-10-04T14:27:49Z")
Thank you _so_ much, **Fenris** , now I’ve got those “Free to Be” things running through my head too. We must be contemporaries. I’ll just do what I’ve done before, and you might want to do the same–think of Bart and Lisa Simpson going through that ride at Duff Gardens. Remember the song? _Duff Beer for me, Duff Beer for you. I’ll have a Duff, You have one too!_ Ahhh, that’s better! Maybe there’s a commercial in there somewhere: “Duff Beer–Wipes out memories of That Girl in seconds!” 🙂 Seriously, count me in as another fan of _The Point_. “A point in every direction is the same as no point at all.” Somewhere in my vinyl collection is the soundtrack, and I’d love to see the film again–is it available on video, do you know? ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/22 "2001-10-04T14:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spoons \* > \*\*Seriously, count me in as another fan of _The Point_. “A point in every direction is the same as no point at all.” Somewhere in my vinyl collection is the soundtrack, and I’d love to see the film again–is it available on video, do you know? \*\* It was, but for some reason they redubbed the video so that Dustin Hoffman’s voice is replaced by Ringo Starr?! (I love the Beatles, Ringo was an exceptionally talented performer, but boy is he distracting. You keep thinking “Why is Ringo Starr this kid’s father?”) Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/23 "2001-10-04T14:43:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*Hey **Fenris**! > > You forgot my favorite! > > > [@](#): > > > > A doll! A doll! > > William wants a doll! > > \*\* A doll! A doll! **Fenris** wants a doll! A doll! A doll! A latex, blow-up doll! ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/24 "2001-10-04T14:45:37Z")
And **Spoons**? The Duff Beer song didn’t work. It remorphed back into “Free to be” Duff Beer for me, Duff Beer for you. I’ll have a Duff, You have one too! Duff Beer for me Duff Beer is free Drink Duff Beer, it tastes like pee For you and meeeeeeeeeeee \ For Duff Beer Where the drinking is free For Duff Beer Made in the green coun-try For Duff Beer Made with malt, hops, water, barley and you and me are free to drink And then we’ll pee… :eek: It’s the proteus song: Anything you sing will turn into “Free to be!” Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/25 "2001-10-04T14:49:41Z")
Just as an aside to **Abe** and **Cal** : I hadn’t heard of that Twain story (but when I get home, I’ll see if it’s available on Project Gutenberg. From **Abe’s** description, it sounds like it was swiped for a series of early '70s Archie stories. Jughead would wake up with the obsession to talk and respond in rhymes. The obsession didn’t go away until the obsession was passed on, so they had to send Jughead out of town. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/26 "2001-10-04T15:03:17Z")
wow… definite flashbacks of kindergarten. I went to kindergarten in the early 1980s, to a great place, run by some really great, well, maybe not quite ex-hippie types, but close to that. Anyways, I probably haven’t even thought of those songs since elementary school, but I totally remember them. Definite flashback. Fortunately for me, I’ve just got the Duff beer song stuck in my head on repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/27 "2001-10-04T15:07:45Z")
Fenris, Do you feel like this? [http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20010907](http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20010907) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/28 "2001-10-04T15:07:56Z")
Aaaaaaaghh! This whole thread is doing my head in! All the annoyingly catchy songs in the world are merging into one giant medley… \*It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears It’s a world of hope and a world of fears There’s so much that we share That it’s time we’re aware I’ll have a Duff, you have one too! Who can make the sunrise? Sprinkle it with dew? Thunderbolts and lightning Very very fright – Blame Canada! Blame Canada! Don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart, Comin’ home from our house Christmas Eve, If there’s an audience to be found, he’ll come streaking a-round, And I’m hungry like the wolf! Can you hear the drums, Fernando, And I’m Rosie real, You light up my life And I know that my heart will go on. [uptempo Weird Al accordion solo] Whatsamatta you? (Hey!) Why you look-a so sad? Over the horizon, what can it be? Looks like it’s gonna be in a land where the rivers run free in a land with a green coun-try in a land with a shining sea in a land where the children are free and you and me are free to be you and meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! \* [sub]jr8 crawls off into a corner and curls up, whimpering and faintly muttering “A, alligators all around…”[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c2a13f/32.png) [@The\_Man\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_Who)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/29 "2001-10-04T15:09:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Spoons \* > > \*\*Seriously, count me in as another fan of _The Point_. “A point in every direction is the same as no point at all.” Somewhere in my vinyl collection is the soundtrack, and I’d love to see the film again–is it available on video, do you know? \*\* > > It was, but for some reason they redubbed the video so that Dustin Hoffman’s voice is replaced by Ringo Starr?! (I love the Beatles, Ringo was an exceptionally talented performer, but boy is he distracting. You keep thinking “Why is Ringo Starr this kid’s father?”) > > Fenris \*\* Well now I need to know. “Free to be” ran on TV Land last month, but we didn’t have expanded cable then, so I didn’t get to see it. Which version did they use. I Must know! -Myron ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/30 "2001-10-04T15:16:54Z")
You can even buy the album from Amazon! > **[Marlo Thomas, Various Artists - Free To Be... You And Me (1972 Television Cast)...](https://www.amazon.com/Free-You-1972-Television-Cast/dp/B000002VDL)** > > Amazon.com > > > > > > > > > There are thousands upon thousands of children's albums out there, but the one that quietly left its mark with more '70s children than perhaps any other album was this disc. Free to Be...You and Me was a pet... ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/31 "2001-10-04T15:18:23Z")
Thank you again, **Fenris**. Now I’ve got Duff Beer and Free to Be stuff all rolling through my head together. Just had to make my day a little more surreal, eh? 🙂 And **jr8**? My monitor thanks you–as a result of your catchy song mixups, it is now wearing the coffee I was trying to drink. 🙂 No real harm done though–thanks for the laughs! Gah, I must at least _try_ to get some work done now… ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/32 "2001-10-04T15:21:25Z")
> [@](#): > > I went to kindergarten in the early 1980s, Pray excuse me for a moment. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Thank you. I saw the orginal prime-time broadcast in 1974, and I thought it sucked. I saw it again on TVLand and STILL thought it sucked. And I was in COLLEGE in the early 1980s!! [/sub]Damn young whippersnappers, where’s my Metamucil? MMMAAATTTLLLOOOCCKKK!![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/33 "2001-10-04T15:22:24Z")
Sorry, I have nothing but fond memories of all of those. Maybe it’s because I’m a chick. Maybe it’s because my sister and I almost never got to watch TV, but we could listen to all of the audio we wanted. Every night I put on “The Point” for my kids so they can fall asleep to it. The audio-only is sung AND narrated by Nilsson…when I finally saw the cartoon, it looked and sounded all wrong. My kids love it. Got me wondering if “The Phantom Tollbooth” is available on audio anywhere. And maybe I’ll find some “Free to be…” songs on Morpheus and burn them for the kids…and every time I put it on for them I promise to think of you. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/34 "2001-10-04T15:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > Pray excuse me for a moment. > AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! > > Thank you. > > I saw the orginal prime-time broadcast in 1974, and I thought it sucked. I saw it again on TVLand and STILL thought it sucked.\*\* '74? I thought it was '72?! And I only saw the original too. Thankfully I missed the TVLand rebroadcast. I was in college in the early '80’s too, so we’re from the same era. **The Man Who** : Free to Be did not have Ringo Starr. There was only the one version. The Point DID have a version with Ringo Starr (which was bizarre beyond words), as well as a version with Dustin Hoffman (who was wonderful) and a version with Alan Thicke (who wouldn’t be bad, actually). **Hamadryad** , I don’t think the Chuck Jones version of The Phantom Tollbooth is available on audio, sadly. But it’s got some catchy songs: _Henceforth, and forthwith Let it be known by all men That Rhyme and Reason reign once more_ or _Time is a gift Given to you Given to give you The time you need The time you need To have the time of your life_ **jr8** : You missed one. Somewhere in that mix you needed to toss a Sid and Marty Krofft themesong. Something like: \*Whatsamatta you? (Hey!) Why you look-a so sad? Over the horizon, what can it be? \*\*It’s Sigmund the Sea-Monster And Johnny and Scott are friends. The finest friends that ever could be On the Land or on the shining sea \*\* in a land where the children are free and you and me are free to be you and meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! \* Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/35 "2001-10-04T15:44:32Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by me_ > Gah, I must at least try to get some work done now… Nope, couldn’t. With various tunes from Free to Be, Duff Beer, Small World, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Point all rolling through my head, I couldn’t concentrate on the task at hand. So instead, I came up with this: \* Me and my Arrow, Straight up and narrow As long as we’re here We’ll drink some Duff Beer Just me and my Arrow. Me and my Arrow Taking the high road To the big shining sea Where we’ll drink Duff barley And dance the fandango. And living in a free country Even though it’s a small world after all There’s Duff Beer for me and Duff Beer for you And thunderbolts and lightning on call. Me and my Arrow With a wheelbarrow Taking puppets of Small World And Duff Beer and That Girl To the dumpster-i-no! \* Had to share. Enjoy! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/36 "2001-10-04T15:56:20Z")
Try “Istanbul” by They Might Be Giants, **Fenris**. It always works for me. It leaves “Istanbul” stuck in your head, of course, but how can that be a bad thing? For some reason, for years now I’ve been conflating the songs “Nature’s Mosquito” by Jonathon Richman and “Game of Love” by Katrina and the Waves: “Bite bite bitey-why…teachin’ the game of love.” I had a huge crush on Marlo Thomas when I was a wee tad. My mom had an issue of McCall’s that had a long fashion feature about Marlo, and I used to steal the magazine and gaze at the pictures for hours. This was before I knew about masturbation, so all I did was stare… [Fixed the coding. -JMCJ] [Edited by John Corrado on 10-04-2001 at 01:20 PM] ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/37 "2001-10-04T16:18:44Z")
I had the help song screaming through my head on Monday night: \*Agatha Fry, she made a pie And Christopher John helped bake it Christopher John, he mowed the lawn And Agatha Fry helped rake it Now, Zachary Zug took out the rug And Jennifer Joy helped shake it Then Jennifer Joy, she made a toy And Zachary Zug helped break it And some kind of help is the kind of help That helping’s all about And some kind of help is the kind of help We all can do without\* But at least it was better than “It’s alright to cry” THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH JOHN. (but I’m not alone, it haunts other people too…) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/38 "2001-10-04T16:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\*Try “Istanbul” by They Might Be Giants, **Fenris**. It always works for me. It leaves “Istanbul” stuck in your head, of course, but how can that be a bad thing? > \*\* “Why they changed it, I can’t say People just liked it better that waaaaaayy…” Gee, thanks, **Fiver**. And **Fenris**? I just have this to say: _One banana, two banana, three banana, four He’s your friend when things get rough The Bugaloos, the Bugaloos, They’re in the air and in a land where the rivers run free in a land…_ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/39 "2001-10-04T16:58:02Z")
Ha! I remembered the Twain song, and actually found a copy. Conductor, when you receive a fare, Punch in the presence of the passenjare! A blue trip slip for an eight cent fare, A buff trip slip for a six cent fare, A pink trip slip for a three cent fare, Punch in the presence of the passenjare! Punch! Brothers, punch! Punch, punch with care, Punch in the presence of the passenjare. Punch, Brothers, punch! Punch, punch with care! Punch in the presence of the passenjare! RealAudio version: [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/smhtml/audiodir.html](http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/smhtml/audiodir.html) **amarinthp** , I think we just traded. Now _I_ can’t get the help song out of my head. Damn it all. Must… focus… upon… slip… song… losing… conciousness… ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363/40 "2001-10-04T17:00:38Z")
I read a “tell-all” book about Marlo Thomas written by her chief servant and let me tell you this woman’s narcissism would make Barbra Streisand blush. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-my-brain-this-is-my-brain-on-marlo-thomas-any-questions/85363.md?page=3)