The Classic Song That I Can Not Stop Listening To Lately

 I love musicals and enjoy discussing them on this blog from time to time, as well as just talking about music and songs in general. Speaking of general, there is a song that was written in 1879 and has been performed, parodied, and covered to this day. "I Am Very The Model Of A Modern Major General" from the Pirates Of Penzance is a song that you have probably heard performed or parodied. The recent revival of the opera, sometimes adapted as a stage musical now titled "Pirates! The Penzance Musical," is an album I have been listening to a lot of recently, and it all started by hearing a parody of this song about the games series Mass Effect done by the 8 Bit Band. There are many iterations of this show, but I have been listening to the most recent recording, though I have listened to some classic recordings and, of course, some parodies. I just can not get enough of this song lately. 

This song is the introduction of the comedic general as he comes to rescue his daughters from pirates. I have read up on the plot of this show, which is a simple romp involving comedic pirates and love, though the modern iteration has made some changes while still being light and comedic, and even though there are some dated elements, there are still pieces that can be enjoyed to this day, such as this song. One of the reasons I have been listening to the most recent version is because the general is being played by David Hyde Pierce, whose work I love from Frasier, but also his work on the stage, such as the revival of "Hello Dolly" or even the Monty Python musical "Spamalot"  featuring him and Tim Curry. This song is just perfect for him, and I am glad there is now a recording of it. 

This classic song is not only incredibly catchy but also balances comedy and has a frantic pace that sticks with the listener. The song mainly consists of solo singing, while using the ensemble in a great way to emphasize the words being said. The lyrics add so many great rhymes, sneak in jokes, and work so well with the instrumentation in perfect harmony. The instrumentation keeps pace with the fast-paced lyrics, only slowing for a brief moment before going even faster than the already brisk speed, only pausing to add some great wordplay. This song is just plain fun; it is a classic for a reason.

After hearing multiple versions of this song, I do not have a favorite, but I do appreciate the sound mixing of some more modern recordings of this song, whether they be parodies or performances. The song is catchy, both with lyrics but also the instrumentals are just as memorable. The song is delightful even if some of the lyrics are dated to references that made more sense during the time they were written. Plenty of the song still holds up, but I do appreciate some of the modern interpretations changing a couple of lyrics to make jokes that land better.

The lyrics all rhyme and fit in perfect harmony, fitting in the meter by what I can only describe as a miracle. It baffles me how many words can fit in one line and yet sound so good, and make me want to memorize them. The use of the ensemble emphasizing certain words also adds another layer of being catchy, chiming in just enough that each time they echo the major words, but not after every declaration, thus making every time they do chime in stand out.

This song may be older than all of us, yet it still remains so classic and will continue to played, performed, and parodied just due to how brilliant it is. The instrumentals are as catchy as the lyrics, a great balance of solo and ensemble, and a song that does not run too long yet keeps building pace with incredible speed and energy, while not losing the listener.,  The song is just a fun listen, but it also still shows why it has lasted throughout the ages. The song must be heard at least once, but I guarantee you may have already heard it. I do recommend hearing it again. It puts a smile on my face with how silly it is, but it embraces how silly it is; the song itself is written to be fun. Cracking jokes, taking pauses to make lines that fit the meter, and ensemble to echo this triumphant yet silly song. Even the story behind this song is funny and also incredibly fascinating. I will not spoil it here, but I encourage you to look into it. 

This song may not be very modern anymore, but it is so well written, and when well performed, it is such a classic, we see why it gets so many modern iterations.