The parade was incessant. It marched, marched from city to city all around the globe. Wherever it approached it triggered mass actions to join. People ran frantically from closet to closet until locating the white clothes and the scarlet hat and bandana which must be worn. Snare drums, bass drums, kettle drums were hastily organized, any instrument of percussion. In larger towns you could chose from drums and uniforms piled high in front of city hall. A fortunate few were given cymbals. The beat of the drums solidified into a rhythmic wall of sound that sent out its hooks and dragged in young and old alike. Everyone must join. Everyone must march. Soon everyone did.
Story #48
3 comments:
Seventy-six trombones hit the counter point
While a hundred and ten cornets played the air
To the rhythm of 'Harch Harch Harch!'
All the kids began to march
And they're marching still, right today.
-- The Music Man [(c)1957 M. Willson]
Thanks for that memory. Haven't thought about "The Music Man" in ages. I enjoyed the play when my high school performed it. And I enjoyed the movie. Seeing that text, I can even remember the melody. As sort of a small-town Americana type of thing "Music Man" may not be known in Europe. Anyhow, can't recall bumping into it over here.
Look for the DVD (I'm presuming it's available for Region 2) of the 2003 remake featuring Matthew Broderick & Kristin Chenoweth; it's better than your average high school presentation and IMHO is more engaging than the 1962 Robert Preston/Shirley Jones rendition.
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