Chicago Fans - "Roxie" Lyric Question

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:04pm

I had a book of sheet music a few years ago - I remember it had the revival artwork. In "Roxie" there was an additional set of lyrics - great ones, ie "more kick than old O'Leary's cow." I've never come across the additional verse in any recording. Shame, because it's great. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I'll try to dig up that old songbook and see if I can post the alternate lyrics.

[wildcat]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:35pm

There's a reference to Mrs. O'Leary's cow in the cut song "Loopin' the Loop". Was that perhaps in the songbook?

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:41pm

There's a practice in pre-1980s shows to have "commercial lyrics" and "show lyrics." It's mostly died out, but back then, songbooks would be sold with non-context-specific versions of the lyrics, so that anyone with a cabaret act could perform the song.

If a new typesetting of the songs isn't done for revivals, you're likely to still get the "commercial lyrics" instead of the show lyrics. The 1998 revival of Little Me reproduced the original commercial-lyrics songbook.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:45pm

There's a practice in pre-1980s shows to have "commercial lyrics" and "show lyrics."

Was that the case for the extra verse in Pippin's Corner of the Sky. Or is that other verse just one they discarded?

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 7:04pm

I guess it could have been a republication, but this songbook had the revival artwork.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 8:51pm

Verse 2

Here a ring,
There a ring,
Everywhere a ring-a-ling
But always in the best of taste

The Windy City's gonna shake
From hurricane Roxie
More kick than old O'leary's cow

So get inside and grab a seat
Before she knocks you off your feet
Here comes Roxie now.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 8:51pm

It's probably just a re-branded reprint. Especially if the music looks to be typeset by a pre-Finale, pre-Sibelious program.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 8:53pm

The verse is in both editions of the vocal selections. Original and revival.

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 9:31pm

Huh. I've never seen those lyrics before. Interesting-thanks for sharing!

[justoldbill]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 10:12pm

Possibly the original lyric before Verdon was given her little "personality" monologue break ("Oooooh, I'm a star... And that's show biz, kids.") It's one of those little touches where she could really connect directly with the audience like no one else. (And then for the published "pop" version, they would, of course, print the lyric matching the music.)

Updated On: 5/31/13 at 10:12 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/1/13 at 9:53pm

Thanks, Taz. What a little gem. I prefer it to the second verse that's used.