Lyr Req: The Impressionists Two-Step (Pop Wagner)

Subject: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From:
Date: 22 Jan 97 - 12:17 PM

Anyone got the words to the the French Impressionist Reel? Manet & Monet etc.

Subject: RE: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 10:40 PM

"The Impressionists Two-Step" was written by Pop Wagner and sung by him on a performance video called "The Impressionists Two-Step." I can't find any evidence that he recorded it on any other medium. However, his web site has a short sound sample you can listen to.

It is also performed by the David Nelson Band (sort of Grateful Dead-wannabes) on "Keeper of the Key." CDNOW has a sound sample of this. I listened to both samples and pieced together this much of the lyrics. It's done in a sort of Cajun style:

Monet and Manet
Were strollin' down the Elysee
Pickin' out pastels and other kinds o' paint.
Eddie said to Claude
"I got some rouge that is really odd
And some indigo from Cairo that I bet you ain't."
(or "that makes it hard to use restraint")

They continued this intellectual discussion
Over café latté and an English muffin…

Subject: RE: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From: Alice
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 10:44 PM

Wasn't this also performed on A Prairie Home Companion? Or was that the Impressionist Rag?

Subject: RE: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 10:52 PM

I think it probably was played on PHC. Pop Wagner is a Minnesotan, and has appeared on PHC several times. Also, there is a morning radio show on our local public station that sometimes plays excerpts from tapes of the PHC. I know I have heard the song on that show several times. But I also suspect Pop Wagner DID record it on an LP or CD which is now out of print and possibly that's why he doesn't mention it on his website.

I think if there were any other current recordings out there, Google would find them, but it didn't.

Subject: RE: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Feb 02 - 04:47 PM

The e-mail address of the guest who started this thread is no longer valid. Little wonder!

Subject: RE: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Aug 02 - 12:03 AM

"The Impressionists Two-Step" is included in the album "Disco On The Bayou" available as a cassette or LP, and can be purchased through Pop Wagner's web site. (And so can the video.)

Subject: Lyr Add: IMPRESSIONISTS TWO-STEP (Pop Wagner)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 11:05 PM

Pop Wagner has a new CD out which is a reissue of his 1988 LP "Disco on the Bayou." This version is an "enhanced" CD – in addition to the 14 original audio cuts, it contains a video performance of THE IMPRESSIONISTS TWO-STEP that you can play on your computer. (I believe it's the same video that he released in 1991 as a VHS cassette.)

I don't think he has updated his web site yet to contain a full description of it, but I'll bet you could order it from him. The web site gives a phone number and an e-mail address.

Being the proud owner of one of these CDs, I took the opportunity to transcribe the lyrics.

THE IMPRESSIONISTS TWO-STEP
(Pop Wagner and Jack Hansen © 1986)

Monet and Manet
Were strolling down the Elysées.
They were picking out pastels and other kinds of paint.
Eddie said to Claude,
"I got some rouge that's really odd,
And some indigo from Cairo, but I bet you ain't."

Well, they continued this discussion
Over coffee and an English muffin,
When André Derain joined them in their talk and beverage, you see.
André was on his way to London,
So Monet winked and he told him,
"If you get to Charing Cross, man, paint one of the bridge for me."

CHORUS: Monet concerned himself with atmosphere and light.
He worked on lots of canvases at the same time
And as it got darker, he just painted on down the line.
Manet did some stuff that's really out of sight.
Some other guys in that league were Rodin, Cézanne,
Lautrec, and don't forget Paul Gauguin.

Well now, Vinny Van Gogh was way ahead and far above.
He had an eye for perspective and an ear for love.
Camille Pissarro was older than the rest of the bunch.
He was scoping out a brand new style.
He was missing the point, so every once in a while
He'd go up to Montmartre and talk it over with the others over lunch. CHORUS

Subject: RE: lyrics: French Impressionist reel
From: GUEST,c'mon y'all, i'm trying to work this up for
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 05:42 PM

Monet and Manet were walking down the Elysses picking out pastels and other kinds of paint

Eddie said to Claude, "I've got some rouge that is really odd? hot?? and some indigo from Cairo, that I bet you ain't."

They continued this discussion over coffee and an English muffin, when Andre Derain joined 'em in their talk and beverage, you see

When you get to Charing Cross, man, paint one of the bridge for me.


Monet concerned himself with atmospherial light.
He worked on lots of canvasses at the same time and as it got darker he just painted on down the line.
Manet, he did some stuff that's really out of sight.
Some other cats in that league were Rodin, Cezanne, Lautrec and don't forget Paul Gaugin.

Vinny Van Gogh was way ahead and far above, he had an eye for perspective and an ear for love. Camille Pisarro was older than the rest of the bunch.
He was doping out a brand-new style. He was missing the point, so every once in a while, he'd head on out to Mont Martres and talk it over with the others over lunch.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French Impressionist reel
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 06:23 PM

Hi, Guest "c'mon" - anything else you're looking for? There are complete lyrics in the previous post, and a link to where you can get a recording.

I think that some search engines must not display entire threads, because we often get messages from newcomers who seem not to have read the thread where they posted.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French Impressionist reel
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 06:51 PM

And I even looked up all those names, to make sure I spelled them right!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Impressionists Two-Step (Pop Wagn
From: GUEST,Fl!p Breskin
Date: 25 May 09 - 02:33 PM

The Two-Step was written by Pop Wagner & Jack Hansen during a long distance phone call, back in 1986. I wonder if it ever paid the phone bill.... Jack Hansen just died. He'll be sorely missed in this corner of the country (Pacific Northwest).

Thanks for bringing back some excellent music!

love/Fl!p