Flanders & Swann

Madeira M'Dear
AT THE DROP OF ANOTHER HAT
on Broadway 1967

By Permission of THE FLANDERS & SWANN ESTATES

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Comedy
• Music
• Flanders
• Swann
• Madeira
• Hat

[LeonPFB]

There is footage of 'high fidelity' (ie. Song of Reproduction). I'll see if it's in good enough condition to post

[pmatzner1]

Versions of Lyrics????

Thank you Thank you!

I remember different lyrics from the album "At the Drop of a Hat" and from the touring production I saw in the 60s

Gin- "Besides it's inclined to affect my prowess" for "finesse" in this version

Awoke in morning and "a voice in her ear overtickled and siad..." "and a beard in her ear..."

And

.. slyly inveigled her up to his flat to view his collection of stamps ("all unperforated")

Can anyone elucidate the when and where of these?

[LeonPFB]

This video was a made for a US TV audience and MF presumably felt he had to tone down some of the more suggestive lines.

Leon

[hummmmmmingbird]

in my collection of F&S he says 'prowess' not 'finesse' :)

[LeonPFB]

This film was made for American TV ... so there was a little cleaning up for a family audience ("Mum, what does 'prowess' mean?")

[jaylovesstacey2009]

how did flanders end up in a wheel chair :S:S:S:S:S

[LeonPFB]

He was serving in the Navy during the war and contracted polio at the age of 21 (it's a waterborne virus). After 4-5 years in an iron lung he was confined to a wheelchair fir the rest if his life.

[lhommeler]

They were craftsmen of their art. Such skills seem to have vanished these days. I feel priviledged to have been around when they were in their prime; unfortunately I didn't get to see them live. Thank you the Internet.

[unclemuntze]

Zeugma!

[5610winston]

Swann's playing here sounds a bit more elaborate than in the LP and CD recordings.

[npetrikov]

@LeonPFB I believe it's "beard in her earhole."

[TheMimifur]

My parents used to play Flanders and Swann to us when we were little but they always censored this one!

[emmag1959]

Leon, you've brightened my Monday morning considerably. I could only be happier if it was the English lyrics but heyho. There's a smile on MY lips now.

[greytabbysfriend]

Tony Randall sang this on the Carol Burnett Show; I've not found a copy of it, but I remember hearing it before I knew about F&S.

[dehydrogenated]

Wow, never seen footage of them before, only listened to the records. Can't believe I never thought of looking on here before!

[Razkali]

I love how these two are of such high quality and I find it quite amazing, if a little sad, how there's not one moment of swearing in any of their acts and yet they're so wonderfully funny.

Kind of shows how much our humour has changed slowly over time. I don't think humour like this would work so well with nowaday comedians.

[rwm1]

Great Great. I still remember Tony Randall telling how incensed a lady in the audience was when he did this song. A very funny anecdote to a whimsical song.

[ccdesan]

By the silken breast of Mogg's mother... thank you so much for posting this wonderful memory. I saw this show by these two indescribably wonderful gentlemen in that very year, and purchased their Bestiary album as a memento. Comedic genius distilled...