Freddie2 976 Report post Posted April 23, 2018 How many songs can you think of where Lucy is specifically referenced? I have a few: First, she pops up in a couple of songs from musicals. In "Drop That Name" from Bells Are Ringing, her name is rhymed with Lauren Bacall's. In Little Shop of Horrors, Audrey's idea of perfect domesticity is to "snuggle watching Lucy on a big, enormous, twelve-inch screen." Lucy also appears in two obscure songs written by Stephen Sondheim. First, in a song he wrote for his friend's daughter's birthday called "A Star is Born" in 1954. It's very reminiscent of "Autograph Annie and Celebrity Lu", even sharing some of the celebrities listed off. Sondheim actually hates the song, which is a prolonged lineup of Hollywood elite donating extravagant and bizarre birthday presents to the young starlet "Kitty Lou". "Lucille Ball sent a calling card, and the gun used in Sunset Boulevard." The second time he used her in a song was for a 1959 TV special called The Fabulous Fifties, when he wrote a number featuring young children on a playground, all playing children's musical jumprope games while referencing cultural events of the decade. Lucy comes in to the tune of "Frére Jacques": "Suzy Parker, Suzy Parker, Desilu, Desilu, Hi-ya, Judge Medina. Gimme a subpoena! Rudolf Bing, Rudolf Bing..." 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mot Morenzi 1,818 Report post Posted April 23, 2018 Great post, and very educational. The only one I was familiar with was the Little Shop of Horrors reference (I appeared in a school production of that, voicing the plant). You certainly know your Sondheim! I'm more well versed in Lloyd Webber history myself. I find I'm more pick-and-choose with regards to Sondheim. I know Little Richard's Lucille isn't about her specifically, but I always think of Ms. Ball when I hear it. It was also used in a TV spot for the 2003 telefilm. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarryCarter 1,289 Report post Posted April 23, 2018 Great idea! In the song "When I'm Drunk, I'm Beautiful" from the 1971 closed-out-of-town, flop musical Prettybelle, the lead character compares her beauty to "Garbo, Harlow, Miss Lucy Ball." Who sang this? Angela Lansbury! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luvsbway 2,331 Report post Posted April 23, 2018 Lucille is named in a long list of people in the song I Want It All from the musical Baby. There's a song in the musical Bring It On that mentions Lucy and Ricky. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mot Morenzi 1,818 Report post Posted April 23, 2018 Just remembered the Weird Al parody of Toni Basil's Mickey...Ricky. The only thing that could've made it better was to have Mrs. McGillicuddy do the final verse, singing the original lyrics! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Freddie2 976 Report post Posted April 24, 2018 12 hours ago, Mot Morenzi said: Just remembered the Weird Al parody of Toni Basil's Mickey...Ricky. The only thing that could've made it better was to have Mrs. McGillicuddy do the final verse, singing the original lyrics! How could I forget "Ricky"! Weird Al was hot stuff when I was ten. My class knew all his songs and music videos. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Irene Kampen Tripp 287 Report post Posted March 1, 2019 I had no idea about any of this!!! Thanks for the heads up! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neil 1,553 Report post Posted October 17, 2019 On 4/23/2018 at 4:28 AM, HarryCarter said: Great idea! In the song "When I'm Drunk, I'm Beautiful" from the 1971 closed-out-of-town, flop musical Prettybelle, the lead character compares her beauty to "Garbo, Harlow, Miss Lucy Ball." Who sang this? Angela Lansbury! I have the Prettybelle CD but never caught those lyrics. Prettybelle is no WILDCAT but it has a good score. Show closed out of town but many years later Angela and (what I assume is) the rest of the original cast put it out on LP. This was 1971 so I don't know how UN-PC this was at the time, but there are many references to rape (including its own peppy song) and it's treated a little too light-heartedly. I was able to get a recorded-from-audience version of whole show and my favorite number "Manic Depressives" had been cut!. The failure of Dear World and Prettybelle along with the rather unsavory "Something for Everyone" movie are reasons cited for why Angela did not get the Mame movie, but I'm inclined to believe even without front-runner Lucy, they wouldn't have gone with Angela. Though I can't think of any other likely candidate in 1973. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarryCarter 1,289 Report post Posted December 28, 2019 The title song of the Jerry Herman revue "Jerry's Girls" (set to "It's Today!") lists many of the famous women who have sung Jerry's songs including "Lucie Arnaz and her mother." 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
