From jain@cs.cornell.edu Tue Nov 16 20:54:17 1993 Received: from THIALFI.CS.CORNELL.EDU by news.cis.ohio-state.edu (5.61-kk/5.911008) id AA09574; Tue, 16 Nov 93 20:54:16 -0500 Received: from CLOYD.CS.CORNELL.EDU by thialfi.cs.cornell.edu (5.67/I-1.99E) id AA20435; Tue, 16 Nov 93 20:54:13 -0500 Received: from AGNAR.CS.CORNELL.EDU by cloyd.cs.cornell.edu (5.67/I-1.99D) id AA17913; Tue, 16 Nov 93 20:54:21 -0500 From: jain@cs.cornell.edu (Neel K. Jain) Date: Tue, 16 Nov 93 20:54:09 -0500 Message-Id: <9311170154.AA20445@agnar.cs.cornell.edu> Received: by agnar.cs.cornell.edu (5.67/N-0.13) id AA20445; Tue, 16 Nov 93 20:54:09 -0500 To: frank@cis.ohio-state.edu Subject: Anyone know the _translated_ Overture song? (wbb@acpub.duke.edu in alt.animation.warner-bros) Status: RO Dave Hayes (dave@elxr.jpl.nasa.gov) asks: > > A long time ago on the net, someone posted a different translation of > the "Overture, dim the lights" song used on the intro to the Bugs > Bunny cartoon show. It contained the translated lyrics and explanations > of what they meant in relation to the animators' personal lives. > > Does anyone have a copy of that post, a pointer to these lyrics, or > even know what I am talking about? Email preferred. -- I have this from ages back. I include the original attributions. I posted it publicly because I thought others might like it, too. -Boyce From: dryfoo@athena.mit.edu Newsgroups: rec.humor.funny Subject: Warner Brothers song Keywords: original, chuckle Date: 27 Jan 89 11:30:06 GMT } From: } Subject: Re: On with the Show this is it... } } In article writes: } > Could someone please send me the complete set of words for the song } > that opens/closes the bugs bunny cartoons. You know...the song starts } > off something like this: } > } > Oh Mashay, Purple Lights } > This is it; the life we like } > We've been rehearsing and working our parts } > We know every part by heart... } } My goodness! "Oh Mashay, Purple Lights"? } } } } I'm sorry, I'll behave now. } .... } From: } This is TOTALLY from long-term memory, probably not totally right, but } it's the best I can come up with for now... } } Overture, curb the lights, } This is it, the night of nights, } ... } Are there other verses? Actually, wasn't too far off. I have a newly-released book on the Warner Bros. animation studios (the real inside story) called "From Cels to Cells -- Bugs, Thugs, and Drugs at Warner Brothers" And it lists the words to this song. If you sing it, you'll see how well it fits the tune. I'll add explanations as appropriate: Oh Mache' Curb the Lights! This a zit? Deny the knights! No Morey -- hearse Ignore nursing apart. Ween? Oh, Avery part! Pie art! Oh, Mature! Curb the Lights! This a zit? We lit the hides! And owe what hides we lit. Unwitting Joe, This a zit? NOTES: OH MACHE' -- (as in paper-mache -- for various reasons, this was WB slang for heroin) CURB THE LIGHTS! -- (The assistant animators and 'tweeners used to laugh at how badly their stoned-out bosses reacted to the bright lights used in production.) THIS A ZIT? -- (Cartoon characters never have complexion problems before their close up scenes. This was the animation studio's dig at live actors and the difficulties of working with them.) DENY THE KNIGHTS! -- (Again, a dig at the live stuff. WB had been cranking out those chivalry epics one after another.) NO MOREY HEARSE -- (Morey Amsterdam wanted to do some voices for them, and the animators wanted him. Blanc pulled some strings with Jack Warner, though, and Morey was `dead') IGNORE NURSING APART -- (Chuck Jones's very shapely young wife was nursing her new baby around the studios, and he'd asked everyone -- especially the lascivious Tex Avery -- not to stare at her.) WEEN? OH, AVERY PART! PIE ART! -- (Jones frequently threatened to decorate Avery's face with a pie if he (TA) didn't stop staring at his (CJ) wife's breasts. OH, MATURE! -- (Victor Mature was always hanging around the studios, trying to get them to model a 'toon after him. The couldn't get rid of him.) CURB THE LIGHTS! -- (ibid) THIS A ZIT? -- (ibid) WE LIT THE HIDES! -- (Referring to the evening of the drunken rampage in which they burned all the old WB Tarzan costumes.) AND OWE WHAT HIDES WE LIT. -- (They, of course, had to reimburse the studio for this arsonous running amok.) UNWITTING JOE -- (Their secret nickname for a local teamster boss who had a lot of leverage over all their union staff) THIS A ZIT? -- (ibid) } Are there other verses? Yes, but you don't want to hear 'em. They are *reeeaaalllly* obscure! Hope this helps. -- Gary L. Dryfoos -- Edited by Brad Templeton. MAIL, yes MAIL your jokes to funny@looking.UUCP Attribute the joke's source if at all possible. I will reply, mailers willing. Remember: PLEASE spell check and proofread your jokes.