... and fuck you Lennon and McCartney, fuck you Bob Dylan, fuck you Townes Van Zandt, fuck you Jay-Z (and BTW, extremely fuck you Jay-Z, and this is a subject for a future posting but Jeebus fuck, the idea that anybody takes that hack seriously as a writer or anything else is simply mind-boggling), fuck you Stephen Merritt, fuck you Leonard Cohen, fuck you Holland-Dozier-Holland, and basically fuck everybody else because the winner is...
Mel Brooks.
That's right, Mel fucking Brooks.
Exhibit A, from the soundtrack to The Twelve Chairs -- "Hope For the Best, Expect the Worst."
Hope for the best, expect the worstSome drink champagne, some die of thirst. No way of knowing which way it's going, Hope for the best, expect the worst.
Hope for the best, expect the worst, The world's a stage, we're unrehearsed. Some reach the top, friends, while others flop, friends, Hope for the best, expect the worst.
I knew a man who saved a fortune that was splendid Then he died the day he planned to go and spend it Shouting, Live while you're alive! No one will survive! Life is sorrow, here today and gone tomorrow Live while you're alive No one will survive There's no guarantee.
Hope for the best, expect the worst, You could be Tolstoy, or Fanny Hurst So take your chances, there are no answers, Hope for the best, expect the worst.
I knew a man who saved a fortune that was splendid Then he died the day he planned to go and spend it Shouting, Live while you're alive! No one will survive! Life is funny, drink your wine and spend your money Live while you're alive No one will survive There's no guarantee.
Hope for the best, expect the worst, The rich are blessed, the poor are cursed. That is a fact, friends. The deck is stacked, friends. Hope for the best, expect the...
Even with a good beginning It's not certain that you're winning Even with the best of chances Fate can kick you in the pantses
Look out for the... Watch out for the... WORST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wordplay, laughs, profundity -- it doesn't get any better than that. Seriously.
I should add that the above song can be found on the CD version of the fabulous late 70s elpee Elektra released of songs from Mel's movies through High Anxiety (which can be ordered over at Amazon HERE), and no finer anthology of popular music can be found anywhere at any price.
But I bring this up because of (and he's 95 years old) his new video "At the Automat"...
...and because you can now order his new literary memoir at Amazon HERE.
Buy both those artifacts and be changed. You're welcome very much.
Oh -- and have I mentioned he's working on History of the World Part II?
3 comments:
My favorite Brooks song will always be "Springtime foe Hitler" !
Captain Al
At this rate- and given that he IS the 2000-year-old man- we can be confident he will produce Parts III - X for us to enjoy over the next 300 years.
I only saw 'The Twelve Chairs' once back in the day, but I remember laughing my fool head off.
Like 'Top Secret,' a neglected gem.
Totally agree with the Jay-Z commentary...this "Hope For the Best" song is priceless, lyrics that resonate with today's troubled times. "I knew a man who saved a fortune..."? I've pretty much lived my life with that thought. Retired at 61 because I don't want to retire later and die the next day. "Then he died the day he planned to spend it" Yes sir, that's was one of my worst fears!
Thanks Mel and thank you Steve!
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