Monk Moment #4.........

As I've noted here before, I have a few Monk tendencies toward OCD. Nothing that carries over into housekeeping, but a few peculiarities that I won't go into here.

This song has prompted my latest Monk Moment.




I downloaded this version of "Over the Rainbow" because I love the rhythm and the ukelele. I only knew of the song's existence because it was Noel Couch's balance beam music last year. Full disclosure here. It was also sung (beautifully, I might add) at my niece's wedding two weeks ago.

I have a special fondness for "Over the Rainbow." It was the first song I ever sang in public, in the talent show at "Y" camp. It earned me a spot in "The Show" at the end of camp, a showcase to which parents and other family members were invited. In "The Show" I had to dress up in a boy's baseball uniform and sing something called "It's All Right to Cry" (I think).

Of course I also like the song because it's from one of my all-time favorite movies, The Wizard of Oz, the first movie I remember seeing. The Wicked Witch of the West frightened me half to death.

Here are the lyrics to the Judy Garland version, just in case you don't remember them.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

Note the beautiful rhyme scheme. "Fly" and "I." "High" and "lullaby." "Blue" and "true." 

In the Israel Whatever-the-heck-his-Hawai'ian-name-is version, he mixes up the lyrics to the point that they don't even rhyme.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh

What is up with THAT? The lyrics were FINE the way they were. I wish I had never paid attention to how he sings it, because every time it comes on my iPhone when I'm riding my bike now, it drives. me. crazy.


If that weren't bad enough, I'm pretty sure he says "above the CHIMLEY tops."

Yes, I realize you wish you had MY problems.

I'm kind of sorry I brought it up.