West Side Story Lyrics

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:42pm

So recently during a discussion it came up as to if some of the lyrics in "I Feel Pretty" have been changed over time. Has the line "I feel pretty and whitty and gay, and I pity any girl who isn't me today" been changed to "I feel pretty and whitty and bright and I pity any girl who isn't me tonight?" It was also suggested that one is sung in one verse and the other in the next. I know that Sondheim changed one of his lyrics in Company ("I could understand a person, if its not a person's bag-I could understand a person if the person were a fag" changed to "I could understand a person, if its not a person's way-I could understand a person if he happened to be gay") so is it possible that he also changed this lyric in West Side Story? Any imput?

[cello_dude]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:53pm

they are two different verses

[dry2olives]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:53pm

The lyric in "I Feel Pretty" was changed simply because the scene takes place during the daytime in the musical but at night in the movie.

[scott68]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:54pm

I believe the lyric is "gay" in the movie, but "bright" in the original show, not because of any extreme case of political correctness. Of course, it's entirely possible that I could just be making that up.

ETA: Ah! Beaten!

Updated On: 5/28/08 at 11:54 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:58pm

I think it's "I could understand a person if he said to go away," not "if it's not a person's way."

[dry2olives]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:02am

Oops, reverse my answer. Bright/night for the stage musical, gay/day for the movie.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:28am

In the movie, the song takes place during the afternoon so they changed the lyric.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:31am

"I'm hot for secrets!" Isn't it weird she could say that, Anita couldn't say Bernardo was hot.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:42am

I prefer:
"And I pity, any girl who isn't gay today"

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:46am

When Maria says, "He just came to deliver some aspirin," does she really mean birth control? Is that why Anita says they will need it?