The Timelessness of "I'm Still Here" — Page 2

Au contraire, Reginald!

Mrs. Simpson was commonly referred to as "Wally" by the regional U.S. tabloids, never by the better periodicals.

THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j-M-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-UwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5346,7241415&dq=wally+simpson&hl=en

THE PITTSBURGH PRESS

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HFwbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-UwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4744,1699293&dq=wally+simpson&hl=en

THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ssUnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fGkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5691,5774327&dq=wally+simpson&hl=en

THE LEWISTON (Maine) DAILY SUN

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gsEgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qGoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3454,4287789&dq=wally+simpson&hl=en

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The historical specifics of the song are irrelevant. Anyone can infer, say, 'Paris Hilton' for Brenda Frazer---the sentiment remains the same.

Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire

And Stritch now changes it to Barbara Walters. Unsure if that's a Sondheim approved change but her delivery of it gets a gigantic laugh.

Brenda Frazer is probably the most obscure of the references, so the Temple/Walters changes don't bother me.

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The first time Shirley Temple substituted Brenda Frazier was for the Side by Side recording.

Future U.S. Representative from NY Garrow T Geer Jr and his date Brenda Frazier, the most famous debutante in the world, in formal wear getting drinks at the bar at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, 1938



If Sondheim had seen this picture, he might have changed the lyric to "I've been through Garrow Geer Junior and I'm here"

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Anything Goes is one of my favorite songs. And one of the things I loved most about it was ferreting out the stories behind Porter's lines. And apparently, when something newsworthy happened, he'd write a new line and take it to the theater to drop it in. Can you imagine? You go to see a hit show and in the midst of the title number, Ethel Merman makes reference to something that happened THAT DAY? How amazing would that be!

For those who struggle, a woman name June Abernathy compiled this annotated guide to the song:
sondheim.com: 'I'm Still...' What!?

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Or for those who want to now how to make a vodka stinger:

http://www.sondheim.com/features/the_sondheimcom_faq.html

>>> In the context of the show, the song can never be updated. FOLLIES takes place in 1971, and always will. Carlotta in 1971 would not be singing about Barbara Walters, Bill Clinton, Britney Spears, and reality TV. I can see updating it for cabarets, etc.

Agreed. And I think it's sorta good that one doesn't always pick up the references. This is an older woman making references to things in the past. She's singing about things that are relevant to *her*, not to you. It's just like when an older person today talks about listening to the wireless or eating a Denver sandwich (my parents tell me there was a chocolate bar with this name). The old school references adds to the charm of the song.

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Vodka's just gross.

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Don't you be dissin' the Vodka now- Chelsea Handler will string u up for blaspheming agin her gawd!

I loved watching Dolores Gray perform the number in London, she left you in know doubt what she thought of the individuals or events mentioned - as an audience, you don't need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of mid-twentieth century history - it's Carlotta's story and her reaction is the only thing that is important. I also get the idea that she's rather bemused by the people she recalls - I mean why Ghandi??

There was a slight crossover with the history in the song, that I witnessed, on the night that Dolores Gray sang the song for the Queen and Queen Mother at the Royal Variety - on the line "Windsor and Wally's affair" , my eyes swiveled to the Royal Box to see if there would be a reaction (and I can't have been the only one), but the Windsors didn't bat an eyelash - after all that 'affair' was the reason why they were sitting where they were.

Oh and for the record Shirley Temple - always seems to get a bigger laugh.