Why were so many lyrics cut from "UggaWug" in recent verisons of Peter Pan?

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 4:07pm

I'm going to see "Peter Pan" with Cathy Rigby next summer, but I am confused about something. The original version of "UggaWug" which is sung by Peter, Tiger Lily, and company had more lyrics. Look at this version with Cathy which was probably back in the late 80's early 90's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-uJnxgJzGo&feature=related

Sandy Duncan's revival also had the same lyrics since it was the first revival of the original Mary Martin version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vvdFqZzFSY

However, in Cathy Rigby's recent version there are no more lyrics of the song after just over a minute. The rest of the song is just a bunch of dancing, which is very good, but the rest of the lyrics are gone. Why did they decide to cut these lyrics?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVK7BMWlbKE

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 4:12pm

The changes made to the song were done in an effort to make it more politically correct. They also changed the lyrics from "brave noble red skin" to "brave noble warrior."

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 5:37pm

Because Red Man don't speakum that wayum.

[Nettik]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 6:22pm

Maybe they decided yelling out "Ugga wugga meatball!" was a little bit too dated/offensive?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 6:42pm

Let us all hail the work of the PC police

Well done

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 6:56pm

So we can count on you to buy a ticket to the PC Policemen's Ball?

[Jon]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 7:01pm

By the way, can anyone explain how a bunch of Native Americans got to Neverland?

[crewdude]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 7:03pm

People also don't fly or break out in to spontaneous song and dance. Boys do grow up. Pixies don't need you to clap for them to live, since they don't actually exist.

If you can suspend belief to live in the world of Peter Pan where all those things happen - then you should be able to understand that "Injuns" do speakum that wayum even if there are no such people as "Injuns".

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 7:08pm

Who even said they were Native Americans? Where in the text does it say that?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 7:45pm

And when did Tiger Lily turn into a stripper as she seems to be costumed in most new versions?

P.S. Tiger Lily is a great stripper name.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 8:06pm

"My name is Gypsy Rose Lily, what's yours?"

Those "red skins" are native to Neverland. Why not ask Peter Pan and his "lost boys" (yeah, right ...) why they insist on stealing the native Neverlanders' land from them?

Smoke-um peace pipe, indeed.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 9:29pm

There's a large Native American population out here on Eastern Long Island and a high school production of PETER PAN was canceled because of their protests, although the infamous Greenport production was given the green light.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 9/22/11 at 10:11pm

Having done this show and also seen various versions of Peter Pan, I can honestly say this is a really annoying number.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 9/23/11 at 12:17am

Curtainpulldowner- The Stripper look is to make the Dads in the audience less suicidal.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/23/11 at 12:30am

There's always the option of cutting the song all together. Personally, I'm most pleased with the current "stomp" version from the Rigby production and I would venture to guess that it's the least offensive, but I guess it depends on how you look at it.
Updated On: 9/23/11 at 12:30 AM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/23/11 at 2:01am

"Pixies don't need you to clap for them to live, since they don't actually exist."

Somewhere, a fairy just fell down dead.

I think the Indians' shouts during the dances are just as offensive as the original lyrics.

[Starcarolina]

Posted: 9/23/11 at 2:55am

You think, in the later versions, since Cathy Rigby had gotten some age on her that her "Ugga could not Wuga as well" after all these years?

[crewdude]

Posted: 9/23/11 at 8:29pm

Native Neverlanders don't have a problem with the depiction of their language in the musical Peter Pan since they don't exist. The characters are also not "Native Americans" since the story takes place in Neverland and not America. It is also told by British children not American children. So if anyone would have a right to be "offended" shouldn't it be Native Brits or Native Neverlanders? If you can suspend belief that the ancient looking Cathy Rigby is a young boy that can fly maybe people should just get a grip and do the show the way it was written.

[3bluenight]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 3:14pm

the thing is media representations are important. for example, look at the evolution of homosexuals in film and television. from casablanca to glee, the image has changed significantly. however, when looking at ethnic minority representations they are still, some would argue (myself included), problematic.

i fully concede it's important to suspend belief, but peter pan was adapted by american writers for an american audience. i would also assert that barrie was well aware of America's native populations by the time he wrote peter pan. so to imply that they are completely unrelated doesn't convince IMHO

[Kad]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 3:28pm

Moreover, the original novel was written in the era of Imperialism and the notion of "the noble savage".

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 3:52pm

I'm always fascinated by the comments that say "get a grip" and the like. Call me whatever you want for thinking this way, but it's infinitely more troubling to me that some people would rather plug their fingers in their ears and hold their breath under the false nobility of "doing something as written" and not taking a moment to step out from their veils of privilege and at least give a moment's thought to why lyrics like these are changed.

If you can't deal with something being "politically correct" perhaps you could just think of it in terms of basic decency? If your theatrical experience is ruined because you no longer have native savages singing "Ugga Wugga Meatball" then I really have no idea what kind of theatrical experience you're after in the first place.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 4:04pm

It's one thing to be politically correct for certain pieces of art, but Peter Pan is a fantasy, sometimes silly, sometimes child-like. If the gays aren't mad that Captain Hook is an evil queen, well harumph.
Tiger Lily is a brave, sympathetic character and whimsical. When I watched it as a kid on TV, I was in love with Sondra Lee, and she wasn't a sex object as she is now. I looked forward to her Ugga Wugga Meatball every year.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 4:12pm

It's one thing to be politically correct for certain pieces of art, but Peter Pan is a fantasy, sometimes silly, sometimes child-like.

Which to me sounds like a great reason for there NOT to be potentially offensive and unnecessary stereotypes.

Personally, the creepiest thing to me about Peter Pan is a menopausal woman mincing about, pretending to be a little boy, but I think it's silly to pretend that because something is written to be a fantasy or for children, that that doesn't mean it's exempt from critical examination, especially when contextualizing the way (and why) the "other" is presented the way they are.

Twelve Little Indians and Eeny Meeny Miney Mo are children's rhymes, but that doesn't change the fact that their origins are steeped in racism. Should we campaign to bring their original forms back to placate the people who think others just need to get a grip?

Updated On: 9/24/11 at 04:12 PM

[3bluenight]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 4:16pm

I guess i would argue that when one looks at the representations of native americans in media and popular culture, it's not what one would describe as a positive image. the stereotypes "brave warrior" or "noble red" are ones that serve a white community.

political correctness isn't a semantic game (although that is what it is often reduced to). if words are symbols that will never truly be able to express the complexity of our emotions or thoughts, then it is important to consider the implications of a word or statement.
for me, it's comparable to hearing my white, male friends complain about how they are generally in a much more disadvantageous place now because of policies such as affirmative action. I just think, 'gosh the point is really being missed. '

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 9/24/11 at 5:25pm

"Ugga Wugga Meatball"

I thought those lyrics were supposed to be "Ugga Wugga WIGWAM." LOL.