Back to the Bar
Okay, I guess we might as well continue this thread to its logical conclusion. We started with a posting about a documentary on Frank Loesser. That brought about a video of a classic song that most people didn't know Frank Loesser wrote the lyrics for. And today?
Today, we have the song that Mel Brooks wrote for his 1974 film Blazing Saddles that parodied the Loesser number. Plus, a bonus.
The original song in question is "The Boys in the Backroom" which Marlene Dietrich sang in the movie Destry Rides Again, that had lyrics by Frank Loesser and music by Frederick Hollander. And Mel Brooks parodied it with his song, "I'm Tired," for which Madeline Kahn knocked down the room with her take-off on Marlene Dietrich.
And here's the bonus.
In 1986, Madeline Kahn recreated the number for Comic Relief. I have to believe that she watched and rewatched and then watched the movie again, because it's seriously impressive has spot-on she did the number a full dozen years later.
The video quality is lousy. But that's the only thing that isn't a hoot. And it's especially a joy watching her do the song with a theater audience because it means this time, she gets the very-deserved laughs.
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