The Simple Joys of Maidenhood from Camelot

This is the Song "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" from the 1967 musical film "Camelot" starring Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave. The Music and Lyrics are by Alan Jay Lerner and Fredrick Loewe. I DO NOT own anything. This is film is owned by Warner Bros.

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People & Blogs

Tags:

• simple
• joys
• of
• maidenhood
• camelot
• vanessa
• redgrave
• richard
• harris
• musical
• lerner
• loewe

[NeoPalladio]

@AslansButterfly Now let's all get something straight here: Julie Andrews undeniably one of the great voices of the 20th century. Not only is her tone effortlessly clear and bright, her pitch, intonation and musicality are always flawless.  And Vanessa Redgrave is none of these things. BUT I still think she's the better Guenevere, handsdown. She acts the hell out of every song she sings, every note is charged with Personality (with a capital P). Why, she makes this number positively STEAMY!

[MJTro12]

@NeoPalladio (the uploader's awesome friend) I totally agree with you...... but MJ (the uploader if you've forgotten) who's standing behind me says he sees your point but he still prefers Julie Andrews as you can see by most of the songs he has uploaded.

[flicker2754]

Vanessa Redgrave actually convinced Alan Jay Lerner to write a new line to this song for her to sing in the film. In keeping with her antiwar politics, the lyric "not be carried off or better still, cause a little war" was changed to "never have my face recruited for launching countless ships". It's a minor, but terrific revision, and shows the high regard Lerner had for her in accommodating Redgrave's request. Her singing was of the folk-pop style of the time, very emotive and effective.

[tigerlily9938]

Sometimes I feel like this haha

[13LittleLotte]

@mamc1986 Genivieve is Gwyenevere's patron saint. For Catholics, when they get baptized, they pick a saint that is suppposed to intercede on their behalf.

Ok, that probably wasn't much help.

[ChloeChum]

I didn't think they had tea in Britain during Arthurian times...

[mamc1986]

who is gienivive?

[ThrobertMcGee]

It's not clear to me how Redgrave's requested change in lyrics is an improvement from an anti-war POV -- since the altered version about a "face launching ships" alludes to the Trojan War, in which an entire city and culture was destroyed by the Greeks, and its inhabitants massacred or scattered, but only after a full decade of fighting that killed thousands.

So Guenevere is STILL wishing that her face would cause a war, but simply without using the word "war."

Nice fail, hippie! ;-P

[Lumotaku]

Changing the lyrics to the song is fail especially if about politics and although she is hot shes fail compared to julie andrews. 

[Goddessdaughter]

Although I do feel bad for Arthur after this scene. When he falls from the tree and she starts freaking out "You'll carry me off, you'll take me to the ground!" he tries to be civilized and protests "no!" but then she freaks at him again. "Oh what I'm not good enough for you to carry off?!"

xD

it's like poor man, can't win xD

[Goddessdaughter]

I like both Julie and Vanessa playing the Queen. However, I will say one thing. While Juile carries more of a royal, classy, refined air to her...I can't see her cheating on her husband and giving into her desires as Gewn is suppose to. However, watching Vanessa here and during the "lusty month of May" she comes across as more of a head strong woman who allows her desires to rule more so than her mind for duty does.

[PearlGrimes]

Pathetic Vanessa, she's flat and just shouts the higher notes, I don't care how many people call that face 'sexy' she ruins the music of this MUSICal.