Sunday, July 6, 2014

227 Quiz Answer


"Send in the Clowns" is a song written by Stephen Sondheim for the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night.

Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "Z" is for "Zero."

(I wrote the following, thinking it might suggest to you a well-known song.  Name the song.)

Dear Brenda:

It’s a joke.  A really funny joke.

Know what it reminds me of?  At the circus that eerie moment when they send in the little car to the center ring and twelve guys get out; everybody laughs.

To put it in more guarded and different terms, when I think of the hours I spent knocking on doors, opening doors, mostly getting nowhere.

Because all that time I never realized that the only door I wanted was yours.

But I finally made it.

Big dramatic entrance.  I had rehearsed; I knew my lines.  I was ready.

But that was when the whole thing turned into pure farce.  Your door finally opened - and there was no one there.  It added up to a big zero.

Isn’t it rich?  Imagine the little car riding into the center ring – and no one gets out.

But maybe I’m wrong thinking it’s a joke; in a way it’s more translucent, more of a tear-jerker, a story of sadness.  How was it possible that I was so wrong, to think you were going to want what I wanted?

How could we have been so different?

I was constantly tearing around; you were on solid ground.

You were firm, unyielding.

So what’s in the future, the future for the two of us?

When that little car drives into the center ring again…

Will anyone get out?

 

(The answer will be posted on Friday.)
 

32 comments:

Helen said...

Hoping it is "Send In The Clowns" ~ I had the pleasure of attending several Judy Collins concerts ....

Berowne said...

Helen is the first to provide us with the right answer.

naturgesetz said...

"Send in the Clowns"

Berowne said...

Another correct answer, this time from naturgesetz.

Stafford Ray said...

Send in the Clowns?

Theresa Milstein said...

Erg, I'm so bad at this!

The Blog of Bee said...

Send in the Clowns

Berowne said...

The Blog of Bee and Stafford Ray have checked in with the right answer.

Arushi Ahuja said...

urmmmm... really tough ... maybe circus!! not sure though!!

Eddie Bluelights said...

Send In The Clowns

Eddie

Eddie Bluelights said...

Send In The Clowns

Eddie

Roger Owen Green said...

I'll give it a try - Send In the Clowns.

Berowne said...

Eddie Bluelights and Roger Owen Green, also known as Roger Greenlights, both coughed up the right answer.

Anonymous said...

"Send in the Clowns"?

Tess Kincaid said...

Send In The Clowns

Berowne said...

Two more right answers, one from Magpie's own Tess Kincaid and one from benevolentvegan.

Leslie: said...

Send In the Clowns?

Unknown said...

I am ZAPPED !!


PhenoMenon, ABCW
http://phenomenal-cuisines.throodalookingglass.com/2014/07/zing-on-the-tongue/

Berowne said...

ABCW's Leslie has joined us with the correct answer.

Hildred said...

Good one, - Send in the Clowns.....

Berowne said...

Hildred, as usual, has the correct answer.

Brian Miller said...

they did much better than i...i am hung up on the clowns climbing out of the car..ha

Sheilagh Lee said...

Send in the clowns

Rallentanda said...

Send In The Clowns
Isn't it rich?
Without this clue I would never have got it.

Silent Otto said...

Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
By the way , i love the way you continually reinvent old archetypal artforms such as Shakespeare and breathe new life into them . I have often found the worship if the sixteenth century language of will Shakespeare somewhat idiolatrous , mistaking the map for the territory and thus sucking the life out of it until it is shrivelled cadaver . I think you are on the right tram , truly progressive , providing the gifts of Will for future generations . I note Chris Hedges over at Truthdig feels Shakespeare was prophesing the impending tecnological environmental and cultural disatsters of our present time ... Perhaps our collective worship of these myths has enacted them ?
Cheers Mate

Berowne said...

The right answer has just arrived from Rallentanda and Sheilagh Lee.

Helena said...

Send In The Clowns - Elkie Brooks

Berowne said...

Helena has provided us with the correct answer.

Sharp Little Pencil said...

Oh, babe, Sondheim's "Send In the Clowns." Most people don't know the origin of the phrase, so your blog did a great service in the first lines. Thanks, Amy

PS I sang it in Eb. A million times, ha ha.

Berowne said...

At almost the last minute, Sharp Little Pencil has joined us with the correct answer.

Anonymous said...

I loved the story you wrote for this - I hope it's not too autobiographical!

Unknown said...

Well, Friday has come and gone, and I guessed it was "Send in the Clowns" without peeking. Yay me!
I'm visiting from the Magpie Tales list. My entry is here.
http://dothedead.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/nuclear-holocaust-2179-the-looming-spectre/

 
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