Today’s guest post comes from Beth Ann.
There are an amazing number of performances of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” to be found on YouTube. Everyone from Alfalfa to Patti Page and from Kate Smith to the Mills Brothers join in on this schmaltziest of schmaltz. Beyond the chorus there are enough different verses for it to qualify as a folk song.
Now the folks at Minnesota Community Sings are asking us to add more versions. They are sponsoring a sing-along in collaboration with Dan Chouinard to benefit Minnesotans United for All Families The group is organizing a No vote on the Marriage Amendment to Minnesota’s constitution.
The lyric writing contest is described as follows:
You are invited to write your own lyrics to the chorus tune of “Let me call you sweetheart.” Make it funny or heartfelt – write words that can be sung at the state capitol or in the Pride parade – lay on the schmaltz or give us your most acerbic wit. Our judges will choose several finalists whose lyrics will be sung by everyone at the Feb. 18 event. Winners will receive the accolades of the crowd and the best lyrics will doubtless be used at rallies and gatherings forevermore.
When I saw the contest it seemed to be right up the baboon alley. I would like to challenge all devotees of schmaltz, acerbic wit, and rhyme here on the trail to write a rainbow version of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” from this template:
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too
Keep the lovelight glowing in your eyes so blue
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you.
Come on baboons! The future of love songs is in your hands.
Let me cell or tweet you, I’m a twitterer over you
I expect a tweet or text back that you heart me too
We’ll keep the backgrounds glowing on our Iphone two
I’ll waste all my bandwidth sitting next to you.
like
Cleaver, Clyde.
thanks, B-A, for the early morning fun! and what a great challenge. i’ll have to think on it a bit and will look forward to all the cleaverness on the Trail today.
how did that manualist do that?????
What a way to start the day! I’m with biB, I can’t wait for all the cleaverness that we’ll no doubt see on the trail today. This is a fun challenge for a serious issue. I really appreciate how creative the organizers are about rallying people to the cause. I agree, Dale, that this project is right up the Baboon Alley. Let’s rise to the challenge, Baboons!
Sheesh, I didn’t even notice that this was a guest blog. Good one Beth-Ann.
Oooh PJ I think that’s one of the most flattering compliments I’ve ever gotten!
:-0
Let me be his husband, we’re in love we two
Let me hear him whisper a real “I Do”
Make our marriage legal in this state so blue
Let me be his husband, we’re in love we two.
Let me be her wife, we’re in love we two.
Let me hear her whisper a real “I Do”
Make our marriage legal in our state so blue
Let me be her wife, we’re in love we two.
perfect ba
You are my significant other, I want to marry you
I hope you think that I’m signicant to you too
I want to spend the rest of my life with you
Is this something the legislature will let us do?
YES!
Glad you like it, B-A. I like your’s.
i hate queers and faggots and i hate their love
they should live like i do proclaimed from above
god doesn’t love those people they are all dead wrong
ask the pope or archbishop why they don’t belong
rainbow people of the world you must unite
everyday is there for love we know its right
let me call my sweetheart from my heart so true
mine for me and if you’re lucky yours for you
let me call you sweetheart its my legal right
my life’s no more or less than yours in constitutional sight
to take rights away from blacks or women would be forbidden
but gays are open season for hatred no longer hidden
Can we dedicate this one to MB?
i don’t think you need to. she has already taken care of that.
Anyone see The Onion last week? One of those Highlights on the left of front page was “Minnesota Braces for Return of Machmann’s Full Attention”…
…Bachmann’s…
can we do one to short people?
i accidentally erased about 10 of these. maybe all for the best. sometimes i get a little carried away. but i sure do smile at what i come up with that would barely qualify as acerbic wit.
This is the Baboon Trail, tim. I’m sure that the loss of those 10 offerings is not for the best. Barely acerbic wit? Bring it on!
Fair play for the my wife and I:
Let me cook you pasta: I’ll use much basil.
If you say you like it, my hopes you raise’ll
I see sweet mystery in your eyes of hazel
O, to call you sweetheart, for all our days i’ll
If I call you sweetheart, will you drop that frown?
If you do, I promise, we will go to town.
Keep the passion smouldering in your eyes dark brown
Let me call you sweetheart, and I’ll drop my gown.
clyde you old romantic
well done. i’m guessing you wrote sandys part too
Clyde, The rhyme with hazel is inspired!
My intent was a uni-sex, or unidentified-sex point of view, but that was not at all clear was it. When I was a child I always noticed the blue eyes as opposed to my mostly brown-eyed family. I thought I would simply speak out for those of brown and hazel.
Have a great weekend, everyone. I’ll come back and try to write something this PM if Mr. Arthritis says I can.
Don’t type with your toes, Steve, use your hands. It’s much easier.
Hope he’s being lenient.
Thanks for the guest post and the topic, Beth-Ann.
I love writing parody lyrics, though it can be a time consuming and frustrating business, especially if you want the words to scan properly. My favorite efforts favor simplicity. Things can get unwieldy when you try to pack too much information into a few short lines. I know because I’ve tried it and failed – lots.
I like it that the first and fourth lines of the original song are the same and I hesitate to change that because it already starts with a great line that speaks to the issue. “Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you” raises the essential question of who is entitled to give permission.
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you
You’re the only one I’ll give permission to
say my love has meaning – that it’s real and true.
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you.
Another approach is to address the appropriateness of dealing with this specific political and cultural issue in the state’s constitution. In this case, “ballyhoo” feels like the right word because it rhymes easily, and it means “a clamorous and vigorous attempt to win customers or advance any cause; blatant advertising or publicity.”
Keep our Constitution free of ballyhoo!
Free of fears and phobias that are untrue.
No amendment can determine who loves who.
Keep our Constitution free of ballyhoo!
I’m sure to be mulling this one over throughout the weekend, baboons. No doubt changes and alternatives will surface. Let’s put together a packet of baboonish options to submit to the competition by the end of the month!
wordsmithing 101 thanks dale
Call us gay or lesbian, but we’re just like you
Want legal recognition, and acceptance too
Human hearts connected, shouldn’t feel so blue
Call us gay or lesbian, but we’re just like you
sweet!
Vote no in November, you’ll be glad you do
Ask your friends and family to vote no too
WE can make things better for me and you
Vote no in November you’ll be glad you do
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you
Here in North Dakota gay love is taboo
I though that Minnesotans had more sense. Not true.
Let me call you sweetheart, dreams will have to do.
i’m a human being and my love is true
you cant legislate my love though youd like to
keep the constitution free for me and you
i’m a human being and my love is true
feels like cheating dale. too easy
but I like the sentiment a lot, tim, cheating or not.
baboons like sex with baboons yes its true true true
steve may have arthritis but he likes it too
why would what i do in my life effect you
baboons like sex with baboons yes its true true true
sometimes it works better than others
Why would God make people who are not like you
If She did not intend that they could have love true?
Vote No in November and you won’t be blue,
Please, now, Minnesota, make me proud of you.
(I needed all four lines different on this one.)
It’s a free country, BiR!
let me call you sweetheart with your eyes so bright
fighting off fear mongers from the not so distant right
legislating love is crazy in god we trust with with all our might
let me call you sweetheart with yours eyes so bright
its starting to cramp me dale.
if jerks are on this earth with us tell them please shut the hell up
i am trying the best i can to live with my little buteercup
hes my little doggy woggie im his little puppy wup
if jerks are on this earth with us tell them please shut the hell up
with nazis in the congress and the senate here today
thank goodness for the goveror is all i have to say
without him here to save us all there would be hell to pay
with nazis in the congress and the senate here today
if crusty old redneck bastards want to raise some hell with me
they can rant and rave and wave their flag and sing to old glory
they forget this is in the land of the brave and the home of the free
its just too bad they try to pass their poison off on me.
I sing at as many Minnesota Sings as i can and I think this lyric contest and its anti-Amendment purpose are great. After reading all these contributions, I don’t know if I’m more inspired or less. What a creative crew. I will continue to mull over ideas.
Minnesota Sings just pointed to this Trail Baboon thread on FB (thanking Dale – should have thanked Beth-Ann).
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you.
We both will wear white tuxes when we say “I do.”
We’ll build a loving family in this State so blue.
Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you.
Nice.
Thanks. I don’t often get the chance to be an outside agitator.
This tune has become an earworm…I like the idea that I was radicalizing the folks in Costco with my humming
Let everybody marry ,it’s the right thing to do
You say marriage’s sacred, I agree with you
Adam and Eve or Adam and Steve no ballyhoo
Let everybody marry it’s the right thing to do
No need to call me sweetheart, just my name will do
I don’t seek no blessings or love from you
Just fair an equal justice, will see me through
No need to call me sweetheart, just my name will do
Where the heck is Ann Reed when we need her?
I think she might be in Michigan judging by her facebook page.
i like that one a lot pj
Thanks, tim.
Oh why does it so bother that I’m in love with you
You and I are soul mates who should say “I do”
People are just people so I wish that it were true
That we could met married ‘cuz I’m in love with you
*get married
I have heard that marriage ain’t so easy, see
If it were than Newt would have just one, not three
But I shall not find out ‘less you vote with me
For it should be easy, both for you and me
Anna, I am so impressed that you got the Newt-ster into song!
Nicely done, Anna.
dont you love that newt got cains endorsement. a couple of slut puppies that deserve teach other and the koch bros
you say you want to marry have you gone insane
you say that marriage calls to you to that ball and chain
take my advice on marriage you should just refrain
you can stay committed and save half a brain
glbt dadt
wtf is wrong with me
this marraige amendment wont let me be
what business is it of yours, wont you tell me
let me call you sweetheart, you can call me mommie
i love you my darling although i’m no commie
my desires are gay its true and my names tommy
let me call you sweetheart , you can call me mommie
Tim, How long before Hallmark calls you and asks that you write your sweet lyrics for them???????
I let you wed your sweetheart. Why can’t I wed mine?
Just treat me fairly and we’ll all be fine
We’ve got a constitution don’t change a line
I let you wed your sweetheart. Why can’t I wed mine?
bingo
You said it, B-A.
Let me call you sweetheart and share my rhinestones
Let me borrow wigs and shoes, you’ll be my own
I shall tailor for your frame each lamé gown
Let me call you sweetheart and share my rhinestones
Anna, From your keyboard to Miss Richfield’s lips!
Oh, wouldn’t that be fabulous!?!
or mr richfield
It’s a stupid amendment, it really sucks
Throw it in a lake, feed it to the ducks
Work to defeat it and donate your bucks
It’s a stupid amendment, it really sucks
bravo ba bravo
america america i love you
we all love our freedom it the best thing that you do
to crown thy good with brotherhood neath azure skys of blue
america america i love you
To win our votes we dig our moats around our castles deep
We manufacture gremlins that into our pychies creep
The division of our country at a cost is far to deep
To win our votes we dig our moats around our castles deep
So, are we responsible for submitting our own verses to the contest (if we want to) – or is someone submitting our verses en masse?…
Let us stand together, in sickness and in health
Let’s grow old together, let’s share our wealth
Make our marriage legal, live the life we’re dealt
Let us stand together, in sickness and in health
About submitting these verses, if they need to be submitted on the form, that would be an awful lot of work for one person. Don’t know if Dale has made some special deal with the organizers.
This is a work in progress. The folks at MN Sings are very lenient. They accept entries by email and allow multiple submissions. More later….
they are welcome to whatever they find here
OT – Beautiful day. We’re heading out to look at the Ice Shanties on Medicine Lake. Should be a fun afternoon. Here’s a link to more info if anyone is looking for something fun to do with the family:
http://www.artshantyprojects.org/
We’re back. What a blast! It’s really fun seeing all the wacky people who come out to participate in this celebration of art and winter. Lots of kids, people with goofy and colorful hats, and lots of things to see and participate in. Really recommend going and bringing the kiddos.
sure sounded fun
While we are OT on this T – any baboons interested in going to see the 1968 exhibit at the History Center? It’s free on Tuesdays from 5 to 8PM.
http://www.the1968exhibit.org/about-exhibit
Linda, I’d love to go. I have tickets to see the play at the History Theater on 2/7 and would love a preview.
wish i could
Hi Robin! Welcome.
Great job, Beth Ann! This has been fun reading and I’m stuck with an earworm that won’t go away!
Freedom isn’t freedom if it’s just for you.
Other people have the right to freedom too.
Change the Constitution; make it work for a few…
Freedom isn’t freedom if it’s just for you.
Krista, Even the Tea Party should catch on now!
Like it, Krista, very nice.
nice krista
I always liked to follow the bouncing ball. If you’re patient, you get to it about halfway through this clip:
Oh, almost forgot….MERMAN ALERT!
How the heck do find all these obscure (but wonderful) videos, Linda?
Oh, Linda so much better than Alfalfa!
nice . thanks linda. that was wonderful
Let me call you baboons when I blog with you
We meet here daily with Dale and crew
Goats and rhymes and typos are the things we do
Let me call you baboons when I blog with you
nice weekend ba thanks
let me see integrity a world so fair
america has shown the world a life so rare
we lead by example that’s beyond compare
people first is our motto extraordinaire
Let me call her Mrs., I’m in love with her.
I’ll make her a promise, and then she’ll concur.
Love a constitution should not deter;
Let me call her Mrs., I’m in love with her.
Let me call him husband, for we’ll take no wives,
Instead cleave to each other as we share our lives.
For a lawful license my heart still strives,
Let me call him husband, when that day arrives.
Let us join and marry those we love so true,
We’ll be harming no one when we say I do.
Give us your permission, so long overdue;
Let us join and marry those we love so true.
Very nice Linda – bonus points for getting “cleave” in there.
very nice linda
Love it, Linda. Great job.
Two baboon finalists in our lyric writing contest! Beth Ann and Linda. Linda, I need contact info for you so I can mail you your prize; can you email mnsings@gmail.com? thank you!
Lo-ove isn’t something you can legislate.
Trying to prevent it just increases hate.
Do not try to tell me who can’t be my mate.
Lo-ove isn’t something you can legislate.
OOOH more to sing on February 18th!
Like it, Lisa.
well done lisa
Betty Tisel from Minnesota Community Sings here. Great work people! I hope you will all enter the lyric writing contest! Here’s the entry form page: http://mnsings.com/lyric-contest-form.html
You can submit more than one entry; please use one entry form for each verse. Thanks! (p.s. hope you can come to the Feb. 18 event – we will sing through all the finalists’ entries)