how was the song "the tunnel of love " controversial in the musical side show?

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 6:50pm

in the interview with henry krieger on broadwayworld.com it said the song the tunnel of love was controversial? how so? how was it staged?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 7:04pm

Not sure what he means but I nearly wet myself when Alice belted WHERE IS MINE. I WANT MINE!
The shirtless sweaty carney boys added to the drama that one twin was getting off and not the other.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 7:31pm

It wasn't as controversial as it was just plain odd...

I'd never seen anything quite like it...

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 8:11pm

Beats me. A show about siamese twins is controversial in and of itself

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 8:28pm

I was wondering the same thing, as this is one of my favorite songs from Side Show. I've only seen the Lincoln Center Recording, but didn't really find anything strange about the staging. Maybe I was just distracted by the vocals - "take me and give me your all", "I want what she's got", and of course "where is mine"...truly sublime.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 10:04pm

But the whole show is a mess.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 10:23pm

No, it's not.
Brantley loved it, at least one person got it.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 3/12/12 at 1:09am

As I remember it, it was staged as the foursome was seated together on the "tunnel of love" ride. Somehow, I remember it being elevated (? - in the air?), with dim lighting &(spotlights) , and superbly sexy, heavily pulsating music, building to a "climax". Just fantastically sung by all. (very Freud/Hitchcock - "tunnel of love!"). Just a great piece of theatre music, going inside their (4) heads/hearts simultaneously..)

Lyrics:

Terry:
We're on a mid-way
A Texas-sized playground
Lots of diversion around
We need distraction
Without too much action
Let me show you a quiet spot I've found
Let me take you to the Tunnel of Love
Dark and relaxing inside
All of us could share the Tunnel of Love
Please come along for the ride
We need a break from the push and the shove
Work has us preoccupied

Buddy & Terry:
We can relax in the Tunnel of Love
Please come along

Violet:
I'll come along

Daisy:
I'll come along

Buddy, Terry, Daisy, Violet:
For the ride
We're going down to the Tunnel of Love
We'll get a boat and embark
Water below and blackness above

Terry:
We'll be alone, Daisy

Buddy:
Like we're alone, honey

Daisy & Violet:
Almost alone in the dark

Buddy, Terry, Daisy and Violet get on the Tunnel of Love ride,
where they discover how they truly feel about each other...

Daisy:
Dreamed of being close
Now I'm pressing against his side
Do I dare to make an advance?
He's not made a move
Should I swallow my girlish pride?
This could be my only chance

Buddy:
Out there in the spotlight
Never had a doubt I want her
Why do I feel panic
Down here in the dark?
Violet, I love you
Thought that love would lead to passion
Passion should be private
Me and you
But I know she's here too

Terry:
I had planned to keep the temperature cool
She's raising my Fahrenheit
Don't let passion rule you
Don't be a fool
Don't feel that appetite
Oh what the hell - why fight?

Violet:
What is going on?
Why don't Buddy's kisses feel divine?
Why do Daisy's shivers run down my spine?
Much more passion on her side than mine
Buddy's tame
Daisy's aflame

Buddy, Terry, Daisy, Violet:
Secrets of the dark
Secrets of love
Longing to be satisfied
Though no one can see in the Tunnel of Love
There's not a place I can hide

Daisy:
Terry's on fire
All the heat I've been praying for

Buddy:
I can't even try to pretend

Violet:
He has no desire

Terry:
These are sins I'll be paying for

Daisy:
I hope this never will end
Lost in the darkness
The boat that I am floating in
Feels like it's flying through space

Violet:
I want to lose myself
All the thoughts of who I am
Here in his private embrace

Daisy:
I think I might sink
Edging close to the brink
Of a dangerous steep waterfall
Or am I not moving at all?

Violet:
All alone now
No one is watching us
Why not climb over the wall?
Take me and give me your all

Daisy:
Groping my way
Towards an unstated goal
Don't know where I'm going
But feels like I've been there before

Violet:
Shouldn't you take the lead?
Shouldn't I follow?
Shouldn't you fill the need?
My heart is hollow

Daisy:
I know you are ready
I'm on the right track
No stopping now
No turning back

Violet:
I want what she's got
What I'm feeling she's got
Everything he's not yet feeling with me

Daisy:
I am yours
You are mine
It's a sin
It's divine
So divine

Violet:
I want mine
Where is mine?

Daisy and Terry kiss, while Violet and Buddy just sit there confused...

Company:
Secrets of the dark
Secrets of love
Longing to be satisfied
Though no one can see in the Tunnel of Love
There's not a place you can hide

The ride ends, and Buddy, Terry, Daisy and Violet get off...

Terry:
Was this a mistake - The Tunnel of Love?
Passion could not be controlled

Buddy:
How can we forget the Tunnel of Love?

Violet:
Why was I left feeling cold?

Daisy:
I found my dream in the Tunnel of Love
Will it continue outside?

Buddy, Terry, Daisy, Violet:
Now that we're out of the Tunnel of Love
Gotta get off
Gotta get off
Gotta get off
This ride
This ride
This ride

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/12/12 at 1:33am

For what it's worth, it's bww's interviewer who claimed it was controversial, not Krieger. Krieger doesn't really say anything about it period.

tiny's recollection is about the same as mine. At the beginning of the song they get in the amusement park ride and eventually they were suspended in the air above the stage.

I know it's a divisive show, and I get why people hate it, but I loved every second of it.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 3/12/12 at 2:06am

me, too. Divine show. Great music, talent.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/12/12 at 10:45am

Interesting thoughts...but I was thrilled several times throughout the show, and this was one of them. Before the show, we went to McHale's for a quick bite and the waitress mentioned she had seen it and liked it, but it creeped her out about the girls sexuality. I expect that may be why some found this number particularly "controversial".

The staging was thrilling, with the Tunnel of Love car rising and moving in a circular motion, but it was the vocals that really made it soar.

I always felt the one thing that hindered the show was the basic fact that Daisy and Violet couldn't move and it left the direction stilted. Other than that I loved it, and went back for the last show. It was still thrilling and girls spoke at the curtain call. Unfortunately, Norm was clearly sick and had trouble vocally that last night.

Posted: 3/12/12 at 12:10pm

I think it had something to do with sexual activity between what was basically 4 people. Actual conjoined twins usually reported people found their sex lives unusually interesting.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/12/12 at 12:29pm

The only thing controversial about it is that some people hated it and the show and some people love them.

Count me among the former.