Is "Her Is" the most annoying and grammatically incorrect song ever???

I actually love "Her Is". I don't really understand the point of the grammatical inconsistancies, but I still love the melody. However, I can't say the same for "Once A Year Day."

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I HATE IT. It annoyed me, I was like COME ON! GET BACK TO SID AND BABE ALREADY!

The grammar is incorrect because it's "baby talk." It's supposed to be oh-so-cutesy, barely-able-to-talk-yet lingo.

I haven't heard this new recording, but isn't that made clear??? It sure was in the original.

Or are they just supposed to be stupid adults that can't "talk good."

God forbid. That would be a real weird thing.

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I adore "Her Is". I find it just delightful, and especially, the reprise (though the current revival does sacrifice a sure-fire joke by using a svelte Mae).

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To my mind, the most "annoying and grammatically incorrect song" in a Broadway musical is from MY FAIR LADY.

Prof. Higgins is described as "an expert dialectician and grammarian" yet he isn't onstage more than 10 minutes when he makes a grammatical faux pas. In "Why Can't The English?" he sings, "By right she should be taken out and hung for the cold blooded murder of the English tongue". Well, any 6th grader would know that PICTURES are "hung" but PEOPLE are "hanged".

When I directed the show I wrote an alternate lyric that offended no one: "By right her neck should thoroughly be wrung for the cold blooded murder of the English tongue". It was so much easier to listen to.

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Hopefully, there were no grammarians who objected to your splitting the infinitive of "should be" with "should thoroughly be"

You're right about the "hung," "hanged" thing, but it's still not as annoying as "her is, isn't her?" to me! At least the "hung" thing can be attributed to the rhyme. Even in baby talk, "her is" just sounds horrible to me. Also, please note, I don't blame any of the performers on this one - this is just a song writing complaint.

Once a Year Day, though, is another story...

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That is also indicative of how Prez speaks at some points in the show. Try reading word for word the original text of his speech that opens Act II -- it is full of incorrect grammar! I have played the role twice so I do like "Her Is"..but I agree, the text is a bit lame. It is fun on stage though! Especially during the dance breaks!

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I really can't stand the song. "Her is" is probably my least favorite song of the show. Well, maybe "Think of the time I save" but that is beside the point.

As far as the grammer is concerned, it's part of Prez's character. Generally Prez looses his ability to stucture a sentence when he gets excited.

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The fact that you were hung (hanged?) up on the grammar issue led me to believe you didn't "get" the baby talk thing.

It's like correcting the grammar of the dialogue in Guys & Dolls.

I agree that the baby talk is a bit "cutesy"... But who cares about the grammar when it's intentionally incorrect?

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Updated On: 5/12/06 at 08:04 PM

ljay - exactly. I understand EXACTLY what was being done with the song - I didn't express that clearly in my first post, though. In fact, I almost put as the subject "the most annoying and intentionally grammatically incorrect" but it just sounded awkward.

I actually worked on The Pajama Game in college - the new CD is what prompted the post in the first place here. I've always been annoyed by the song. I know the writers were trying to write a song using the poor grammar of the characters - my opinion is simply that it doesn't work. The song comes off as annoying to me rather than "cute" as it was intended. Of course, that's just my opinion - there's a reason I put the question marks at the end of the subject. :)

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I'm sorry but the most annoying song which also lacks proper grammar can be found in "Peter Pan."

Ug-a-wugga-meatball.