One of the themes in A Streetcar Named Desire is music. Blanche has flashbacks to
a particular barn dance, complete with musical accompaniment...
the Varsouviana Polka.
Let's give a nod to Weird Al and enjoy a little accordion music.
You can give it a few seconds here...
Let's give a nod to Weird Al and enjoy a little accordion music.
You can give it a few seconds here...
But this is catchy little tune is NOT what has been stuck in my head
since watching the movie (thanks for the viewing schedule tip, Mrs. S.!) and reading the play. Nope!
Of course, some of you might be able to guess why I am partial to songs about "Moons." I bought a Natalie Cole album released right before my high school graduation, where Natalie sings the songs of her famous father, Nat King Cole. Now my daughter also loves the album, and though she is, in every way, a very modern thirteen year old with Facebook and texting and whatnot, she can also sing along every word to this classic song featured in our Tennessee Williams play...
Paper Moon.
Lyrically, it is pretty much Blanche's life anthem. The whole song is about fake sets of cardboard, and how the fake doesn't matter if the people in the relationship pretend it isn't fake!
However, that is STILL not the song stuck in my head! (It is lovely though, isn't it?)
However, that is STILL not the song stuck in my head! (It is lovely though, isn't it?)
Nope... Blanche tries to pretend she is pure and innocent with lines like "What you are talking about is brutal desire—just—Desire! The name of that rattle-trap street-car that…brought me here!" (from scene four). We learn later what a sneaky little diva she really is, and nowhere is it more obvious that in scene six, when she graphically tries to seduce Mitch... but gets away with it because her words were in French and uneducated Mitch
(am I the only person who sees him more as Mr. Cellophane, from the musical Chicago?)
is not bilingual. Blanche says,
"Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"
(Literally, in English... "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?")
gasp! scandal! pearl clutching!
Now I've never taken a French class. But I know a Patti LaBelle line when I read one! This may be most of the French words I know that are not about food! Because I love all things cheesy-musical related, I just have to share this clip from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, where Christina Aquilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink, and Missy Elliot remake the LaBelle classic. (Quick warning- there's a lot of underwear in this video. But hey, that whole musical takes place in a brothel, ya know?)
(Literally, in English... "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?")
gasp! scandal! pearl clutching!
Now I've never taken a French class. But I know a Patti LaBelle line when I read one! This may be most of the French words I know that are not about food! Because I love all things cheesy-musical related, I just have to share this clip from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, where Christina Aquilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink, and Missy Elliot remake the LaBelle classic. (Quick warning- there's a lot of underwear in this video. But hey, that whole musical takes place in a brothel, ya know?)
So thanks, American Literature class.
I've been thinking about Ewan McGregor all week,
and that is not really a disappointment at all. Photo credit
(Dear God, please let there be a religious allegory left in this semester
so I can justify adding a bunch more Moulin Rouge links to my blog. Amen.)
I seriously love reading your blogs! You should so do this for a living or something because I crack up reading them every time and it opens your mind to different things and how they relate to our readings. I like your reference to Blanche being a "sneaky little diva", because I feel that describes her perfectly! It is almost as if she is not trust worthy because she is never being honest with anyone. She lies to get what she wants in her life, which is not fair to anyone else, like Mitch, but she continues to do this because people allow it and do not say anything about her behavior. She just slides right by in life, sneaky little diva! I really enjoyed your song choices, definitely worth the listen! Thank you so much for your blog post!
ReplyDeleteChelsey Meyer
I also enjoyed your blog on this story. I liked how you merged music that wasn't necessarily mentioned in the story, but more modern. I didn't think about the Mr Celaphane (ms) from Chicago when reading about Mitch, but kind of makes sense. I also like musicals and enjoyed those references as well.
ReplyDeleteI felt that she put on too many airs about their background and how much better she was than other people. Then to later discover that his suspicions were correct put in further negative light. I feel for her sister trying to keep peace, hold her same esteem for her sister, and so on, but at some point she needed to just cut strings and hold her accountable for everything. Just shows how much better Stella was over Blanche's attitude toward the world, people, and themselves.
Take their advice! Keep up with the blog! Very good work!
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