The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54651 Message #848921
Posted By: GUEST,daylia
17-Dec-02 - 10:35 AM
Thread Name: Are rhymes necessary?
Subject: RE: Are rhymes necessary?
May I inflate
This great debate
With this small point
I'd like to make?
It just took me a few extra minutes to figure out a way to express my thought "Good discussion! I've something to add, if I may..." in poetic, rhyming and rhythmical form. But I had FUN doing it! :-)
And that's my point. It takes extra time and effort on the part of a song-writer or story-teller to express themselves in rhyme. But imo it's well worth it for the emotional/mental satisfaction it brings not only to the writer but to the listener.
And it helps EVERYONE remember the words, not just those with "weaker memories"!
That said, I do enjoy lots of songs written in 'open form'. But my favourite is songs which trick your mind into expecting a rhyme, and then give you a surprise, like this old Mitch Miller ditty I remember from my childhood ...
"There once was a farmer who took a young miss
In back of the barn where he gave her a - LECTURE
On horses and chickens and eggs,
And told her that she had such beautiful - MANNERS
That suited a girl of her charms,
A girl that he wanted to take in his - WASHING AND IRONING
And then if she did,
They could get married and raise lots of -
SWEET VIOLETS - sweeter than all the roses!
Covered all over from head to toe
Covered all over with Sweet Violets!
The girl told the farmer that he better stop,
And she called her father and he called a - TAXI
Which got there before very long,
Cause someone was doing his little girl - RIGHT
for a change and so that's why he said,
"If you marry her, son, you're better off - SINGLE
Cause it's always been my belief,
Marriage will bring a man nothing but - SWEET VIOLETS...(chorus)
The farmer decided to wed anyway,
And started preparing for his wedding - SUIT
Which he purchased for only one buck.
But then he found out he was just out of - MONEY
And so he was left in the lurch,
Standing and waiting in front of the - END OF THIS STORY
Which just goes to show,
All a girl wants from a man is his - SWEET VIOLETS ... (chorus)"
It's been many years since I've heard that song and I still remember it. IMO it's the clever playing with "rhyme" - and the humour that
results, that makes it memorable. Whether the words actually rhyme or not!
daylia