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| OldDeuteronomy |
"Can/dare you look at a king"any idea why this line is different between the British & American versions? |
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| Mungojerrie_rt |
Possibly they thought that the Americans are less familiar with the phrase, so they altered it to 'dare' to suit better. | ||||||
| Rumblepurr |
Semantics?I researched what I have, and the three CDs that have lyrics ALL have the line "DARE you look at a King..." This is the New London, the Broadway and the Australian version. The only thing I have that says "CAN you look at a King..." is the Music from CATS (Softbound piano music book) Faber Music Ltd., 1981). I am not sure you CAN find out about that unless you interview Trevor Nunn, or find a knowledgeable cast member, or get hold of Carbucketty here (if he is still around...).BTW, the Hamburg lyrics I have did not help. Translated, the line that corresponds to this one reads "Control you no King?" Good luck... Rumblepurr 
The Writer Cat |
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| Mungojerrie_rt |
Original London has Dare in the booklet, but they sing Can on the recording.
London Theatre orchestra and Cast also has Can. |
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| Lars |
Re: Semantics?
Do you have that line in German? |
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| chrissi2810 |
Re: Semantics?
The German line from Berlin is "Scheut dein Blick nie zurück?". The German line from Hamburg is "Beherrscht dich kein König?" |
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| Lars |
Re: Semantics?
Thank you! Hamburg: What Asparagus (I remember this as his line) means to say here means just about the same as in the English version. Retranslated it would be something like: "Are you ruled by a king?" Berlin: What Asparagus says here also means pretty much the same. I asked some in the audience in Berlin about the translation back in 2003, and he said that this is some kind of a play with a German saying or something, retranslated it's something along: "(When you look at a king are you) afraid you won't get your eyes back?" Of these two German translations I find the Hamburg easier to understand than the one used in Berlin '02/'03 and Vienna '83. Shoot me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't this line: Dare/Can you look at a king? refer to when common people weren't allowed to look their kings in the eye or something? I've always percieved this as, I (the cat) can look at a king as much as I want without getting punished, but you (the human) can't say the same for yourself!" The two German versions of this line basically say the same as the English one: "Cats can do whatever they want around the king, but humans can't!" |
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| Moongewl |
Re: Semantics?
Wiktionary says it means "Even a purported inferior has certain privileges in the presence of a purported superior", which is more in line with the usage I've heard: you may be [or at least think you are] better than me, but I don't have to be obsequious. |
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| Peritombry |
Doesn't the original poem say "dare"? | ||||||
| Heavylove |
From what I can see this part isnt a part of my copy of practical cats (was hoping for a swedish translation of it) so Id guess this section is added by Webber rather than found in the book. | ||||||
| Rumblepurr |
The Answer...I have been trying to track down the answer to this one, but it is not part of "Practical Cats". Jellicle Songs (Prologue) was created by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe much like MEMORY was, namely by Nunn and Stilgoe paraphrasing TS Eliot. I have been attempting to find a copy of an unpublished work "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" that Nunn indicates was the blueprint for the lyrics.If you can find that poem, you might have the answer... I am still trying. Rumblepurr The Writer Cat. |
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| Mungojerrie_rt |
Re: The Answer...
I have that song. It's Webber singing it. The tune is clearly Jellicle Songs. |
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| Moongewl |
Re: The Answer...Google sleuthing turns up a thread from the CCDB with these lyrics:I was lunching one day at the Princess Louise When I passed some remark to a man in white spats Who had ordered a plate of fried gammon and peas And we soon fell to talking of thises and thats Such as Pollicle dogs and Jellicle Cats Pollicle dogs and Jellicle Cats Pollicle dogs and Jellicle Cats Pollicle dogs and Jellicle Cats. He said I've been here confided a jack of all trades, A true rolling stone that has gathered no moss. I have seen most of life in its various shades And the fat and the lean and the profit and loss. I have done everything, and I've been everywhere. I'm at present an agent of small furnished flats. But the one thing that makes life worthwhile, I declare, Is Pollicle dogs and Jellicle Cats. Now my sister, for instance, who lives in the hills, That lie on the border of Shropshire and Wales In a comfortable house, where her husband fulfills His vocation of retail purveyor of ales. She says that for me, I've no reason to doubt Her opinion, repeated in dozens of chats. She says there is one thing she can't do without And that's Pollicle dogs, and Jellicle Cats. I'm pretty sure this is the poem ALW set to music and the song available on the "Now and Forever" box set. |
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| Heavylove |
This is what a script I said on a web page full with musical scripts (thanks for the link!) says:
SOLOS: Are you blind when you're born? Can you see in the dark? Can you look at a king? Would you sit on his throne? Can you say of your bite that it's worse than your bark? Are you cock of the walk when you're walking alone? But I dont know if there is other english versions or other sections in that song ^^ that you mean.
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| Peritombry |
I'm sure that somewhere I've seen a poem with the line but I can't think of where I saw it. 
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| mantarnia |
Re: The Answer...
From what I understand this poem was originally going to be the first poem in Elliot's book, and the man in white spats was supposed to be telling the other person about the cats. |