Hairspray "Without Love" Lyric Question

[Matteo]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 10:19am

In the song Without Love, they say "Life is like a beat that you can't follow, without love, life is Dorris Day at the Apollo".. Maybe I just don't know enough, but wouldn't Dorris Day at the Apollo be a good thing??

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 10:21am

So Hairspray has to do with race relationships in the '60's. Here's a picture of Doris Day...The Apollo Theater is in Harlem, at that time (and today) a rich African American community.

Posted: 11/3/09 at 10:48am

Imagine Celine Dion on BET.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 10:51am

Or Celine Dion in concert with 50 Cent or Kanye West.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 12:11pm

Or Chris Brown.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 12:14pm

Celine Dion would beat the sh*t out of Chris Brown.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 12:18pm

Celine Dion would beat the sh*t out of Chris Brown WHILE hitting the sustained high note in "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" AND chewing the Cirque scenery.

And the Day/Apollo line may be my favorite in all of HAIRSPRAY's glorious score.

P

[Justin D]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 12:26pm

Like Taylor Swift and Kanye on the same stage, oh wait...

[Jon]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 12:32pm

Isn't the point of the lyic NOT that it would be bad, but that it's impossible to imagine it ever actually happening, like Edna on a diet?

Posted: 11/3/09 at 12:41pm

No, it's things that are unpleasant- Edna diets all the time I bet ("MY diet pill is wearing off!"). Another line mentions "Making out with Perry Como" - that's my favorite.

[zamedy]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 1:49pm

Life is like Broadway without Hairspray.

Hairspray.. I miss you.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 2:00pm

The lyric in the licensed version (and I believe the way it is performed in the national tour and even Broadway) is "Making out TO Perry Como," not "Making out WITH Perry Como." I think it makes more sense this way, as they wouldn't be making out with the person but with his music in the background.

~Steven

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 2:00pm

Now that you bring that up, I kind of don't like that lyric. It sort of flies in the face of the message of the show. I mean, yes I get that Doris is "so vanilla" and has "no soul" so she would be out of place at the Apollo. But actually, I think Doris is pretty hip and to say she would be lame at the Apollo is kinda mean and segragating in and of itself. Oh well, it's just a lyric meant to be light-hearted, but I love me some Doris and I got her back. :)

Posted: 11/3/09 at 2:22pm

Doris Day WAS not hip.

Posted: 11/3/09 at 2:27pm

And the first lyric site I googled hasn't gotten the memo:
Life is like my dad without his bromo
Without love
Life is making out with perry como!

Lots of people enjoyed making out TO Perry Como. With? Not so much.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 2:48pm

I love Doris Day, so that lyric does kind of make me sad. But I see their point.

[Basely Tearful]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 3:42pm

The lyric is more about the absurdity of a white performer playing a black concert venue than Doris Day herself. They could easily have put any white artists' name in there. Hers happened to fit into the music best.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 4:13pm

"The lyric is more about the absurdity of a white performer playing a black concert venue"

Um, isnt the whole premise of the show about African American teens trying to get onto a previously all white show. Based on your interpretation the lyric flies in the face of the show's message.

I do actually think it is more about Doris herself, her being square and not soulful. I don't think it is about race.

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/3/09 at 4:17pm

The joke is that Doris Day was the epitome of "white." Like, whitest woman in America white.

Posted: 11/3/09 at 4:21pm

Doris Day at the Apollo is absurd- a let down, way too dull and whitebread to fit in. Other 1962 hitamkers: Burl Ives? No way. Connie Francis? Uh, no. Elvis Presley at the Apollo? Could be.