The Most Happy Fella

Oh boy, oh boy. It's time for everybody's favorite game: What's this musical i've never heard of about, then? It's the best thing since sliced bread according to the back blurb. It's practically an opera! More musicians and chorus members than any Fire Marshall would allow if we told him about it. The music never stops (except when it has to for those stupid spoken lines a play has for some reason). Meet you on the other side.

But first, a word from our sponsor, Glick's Hardware in Cold Spring, NY. Do you need a 29-cent thing? Well we've got it, just see if we don't! Skip says i should point out that my dad's side of the family lives in and around there. I have lots of vague childhood memories of the village, and if i ever travel again i just might go there for a visit. Now, on with the show.

It's closing time, turn all of the lights off over every boy and every girl. Except this girl. It's tough being a waitress and her feet hurt. I hear ya, sister. 

I want you to want me, i need you to need me. I mean yeah, sure, it's nice to know that somebody somewhere says swell stuff about you.

It's a me, Mario! The most happiest fellow. I shave a da face, i pulla da toot! (For my Sweeny Todd friends out there).

A song about bird watching. They are metaphorical cats, imaging catching and eating one of the girls walking by. Remember, you can't go to jail for what you're thinking....

The wind is like a perfumed woman, smelling like where she's been. That's certainly some kind of simile you got there, Joey. I agree, move it along. Go already. 

So they are penpals, but he's worried that she doesn't know he's an "older gentleman"?

Abundance! But it's like bon voyage, or have fun, or break a leg, or like a send off.

Maiwage! Maiwage is watt bwings us here...

Now Joey's singing to sad barnyard animals for some reason. 

Just like Lucy, Side B's got some a splainin' to do. 

Ok, they are meeting for the first time. Yuck, that accent gets real bad. What accident? 

Who knew "evening, ma'am," was such a smooth line? Oh thank goodness it's about them both being from Dallas. "Big D" is a troublesome title, but i have actually heard this song before. I don't know why, but i have.

You make me...Glad all over, i mean warm all over. Who the hell is she singing it to? Creepy sidewalk cat guy, i think?

Dear mother, who art in heaven, you'll like the girl who likes this dumb-looking boy.

Summer lovin', had me a blast.

Joey made a fist and punched somebody in the queequeg. Ok.

Party time, he married Rosabella somewhere in there, and they were fighting at some point. Game over. At least the princess wasn't in another castle. That's something, i suppose. 

Nope, no freakin' clue. Wiki time. Ok, so there's like 20 more songs that didn't make the record, and the plot is all over the place to begin with, but i did manage to get the gist of the penpal romance turned to happy wedding part right. That's something.

If nothing else, at least you see what i'm grappling with when i talk about trying to figure out the concept of an album. This one was a workout.