medjuck Posted June 4, 2015 Report Posted June 4, 2015 The liner notes to the new Mosaic Condon/Freeman box make reference to a famous joke about "Come to Me My Melancholy Baby". AmdI the only one who doesn't know it? What is it? Quote
johnblitweiler Posted June 4, 2015 Report Posted June 4, 2015 Could it be the old one about the cantelope, the dog, and the infant? Quote
sonnymax Posted June 4, 2015 Report Posted June 4, 2015 A female singer asks her audience, "Does anyone have a request?" A drunk in the crowd yells, "Sing Melancholy Baby!" "I'm sorry, I don't know that one," the singer apologizes, "Do you have another request?" The drunk responds, "Yeah. Show us your tits!" Quote
skeith Posted June 8, 2015 Report Posted June 8, 2015 A female singer asks her audience, "Does anyone have a request?" A drunk in the crowd yells, "Sing Melancholy Baby!" "I'm sorry, I don't know that one," the singer apologizes, "Do you have another request?" The drunk responds, "Yeah. Show us your tits!" If that really is the joke...it may be the worst joke ever....not sure how that joke could become famous.... Full disclosure .... my reaction has nothing to do with the use of the word "tits" Quote
sonnymax Posted June 8, 2015 Report Posted June 8, 2015 Of course, the original version of the joke might have used another word for breasts. "Bubs", for instance, was popular in the 1920's. I don't think it's that bad for an off-color joke. My 95-year-old dad chuckled at it, adding that he could imagine it happening in a vaudeville house. Word has it that Judy Garland "adored" the joke when it circulated in the early 50s. To appreciate this rumor, you have to be familiar with a certain scene from Garland's 1954 movie A Star Is Born. Quote
JSngry Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 Apparently Fred Mertz was the first person to sing the song in public, under his vaudeville name of William Frawley, which he later changed to "Bub" when he too the Steve Douglas gig. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Melancholy_Baby I bet Ethel slapped the shit out of him every time he sang that song. One more vote for Ethel over Judy in this year's Common Sense Sweepstakes. Quote
skeith Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 Of course, the original version of the joke might have used another word for breasts. "Bubs", for instance, was popular in the 1920's. I don't think it's that bad for an off-color joke. My 95-year-old dad chuckled at it, adding that he could imagine it happening in a vaudeville house. Word has it that Judy Garland "adored" the joke when it circulated in the early 50s. To appreciate this rumor, you have to be familiar with a certain scene from Garland's 1954 movie A Star Is Born. My point is rather that the punch line could have been uttered with regards to any song....it has nothing to do with "Melancholy Baby" and so for me if the joke is worthy of being considered a famous joke about "Melancholy Baby" it ought to have something to do with the song, the lyrics, etc... Quote
jazzbo Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 I too agree with Mr. Keith. It's one of those jokes that drunks make and laugh at. Quote
JSngry Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 Of course, the original version of the joke might have used another word for breasts. "Bubs", for instance, was popular in the 1920's. I don't think it's that bad for an off-color joke. My 95-year-old dad chuckled at it, adding that he could imagine it happening in a vaudeville house. Word has it that Judy Garland "adored" the joke when it circulated in the early 50s. To appreciate this rumor, you have to be familiar with a certain scene from Garland's 1954 movie A Star Is Born. My point is rather that the punch line could have been uttered with regards to any song....it has nothing to do with "Melancholy Baby" and so for me if the joke is worthy of being considered a famous joke about "Melancholy Baby" it ought to have something to do with the song, the lyrics, etc... I think the fact that the joke was already being made at the time is a testament that the song was already a cliched favorite with jerky saloon patrons of the time, same as Freebird is for jerky rock fans. What the joke might lose in immediate contemporary cachet, it makes up for in potential sociological time capsule. Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 I too agree with Mr. Keith. It's one of those jokes that drunks make and laugh at. That's kind of the point of the joke, Melancholy Baby was the kind of saong drunks asked for and was widely reputed to be such, and so... Quote
JSngry Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 Modern-ish Day Equivalent: Drunk Biker to Band: PLAY FREEBIRD! Band ignores Drunk Biker Drunk Biker to Band, louder: Play FREEBIRD! Band ignores Drunk Biker again...etc. Finally Drunk Biker goes up to the edge of the bandstand and slurs out. :Hey don't you deafass sons of bitches take requests?" Guitar player calmly says, "sure, what can we do for you?" Drunk Biker says, "Well for starters, you can all suck my dick and kiss my motherfuckin' ass...AND THEN GET BACK UP THERE AND PLAY SOME GODDAMN FREEBIRD". It would work with any song, but Drunk Biker & Freebird conjure an immediate association in the contemporary minds of people of a certain age and experience. Same thing with Melancholy Baby and drunks. As to whether or not it's funny, hey... Quote
skeith Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 ok....I get it.... it is just that such a joke does not deserve to be famous...it is not related to the song or show any wit or intelligence...which are qualities of jokes that deserve to be famous. Quote
JSngry Posted June 9, 2015 Report Posted June 9, 2015 It's been my experience that the only thing a joke has to do to "deserve" to be famous is to have it old a whole lot over the years, i.e. = become famous. Quote
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