Tommy’s choreography for Our Favorite Son was lifted from a sequence in the movie King of Jazz. The sequence uses the dancers’ arms more than the legs.
In case you're wondering, here are Carol Hall's actual lyrics to the xylophone censored parts, which begin at around the 1:15 mark: "We're gonna play 'em out and lay 'em out tonight / They won’t have ever seen nobody quite like me / We're gonna wham, and bam and thank-you-ma'am tonight / I swear I don't know how they’ll stand such ecstasy / (Right between the goalposts!) / We've been deprived so long but no we’re getting some / I’ll bet the girls are counting up the minutes 'til we come / (They ain't the only ones!) / Seventy-five miles until we get to heaven / Seventy-five miles until our plans are laid / Seventy-five miles until we get to Chicken Ranch / Where history, and Aggie boys, get made!"-
As a former Houstonian, thank you for sending the words correctly. It’s unbelievable that they would be censored in a video that is still being shown in 2023. The words are heard now all the time in music. Shows how much times have changed since this video was made.
The last few minutes with the clogging & shit kicking is actually pretty fantastic. Not many people around anymore who can do this...that style of dancing has its roots in Irish Step Dancing and is culturally significant.
I was actually thinking it was more rooted in German clog dancing. Given that in Texas there are strong German immigrant roots. But o totally see what you mean. Very very similar.
I asked my brilliant jazz dance teacher, Betsy Haug, what she thought about country line dancing, and she said, it was too basic to be of any interest to her. No rhythmic complexity.
The bizarre lyrical censorship only highlights how dirty the song *actually* is... despite the complete and total lack of profanity. Idiotic TV censors, we don't miss you at all.
Rusty Phresh How true in so many more ways than one. A few more phresh and inventive stories capable of ringing loud and true through and through would do what entertainers are meant to do, too.
Tommy Tune may be a fine dancer, but as a choreographer, he is totally lame. No theatrical sensibility, just place it in front of the audience like a dead fish.
The play was SO much better than the movie. They totally changed it in order to give lots of camera time to Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds. In the play the characters that Dolly & Burt played were not the main characters.
Can't find where to post this so I'll just put it here! Thank you SO much for your wonderful channel! I am seeing Tony clips that I have never even thought of watching. It's brilliant to see clips of original productions, thank you!!
This is the most bizarre censorship I've ever seen. There's not a single curse word in this song, nor a single mention of a specific body part. Henry Fonda already said the word "Whorehouse" in the show's title. That's as dirty as anything about this gets. The xylophone is bleeping out words like "laid" and "made" and "come." Those are regular verbs in everyday usage. Seriously WHAT?!
And when it came time to make the movie, the producers and director said "this scene isn't gay enough. Let's add steroids, glitter, water, shake well, add more ascots and see what happens."
It's been 40 years, they were probably in their early twenties, so unless you're assuming the majority of them were hit by the AIDS epidemic (rather then simply a percentage, as was presumably the case), not sure why you say that. They'd mainly be in their early to mid sixties.
@@BernardProfitendieuyou're totally missing the historical subtext. Those of us who lived though that era know exactly what he meant. Your intervention is extremely unwelcome
I know what you mean and yes, the losses of the 80s and 90s were horrifying. Count me among the generation of young men who were left scarred by it all. I was scared to date until the early 2000s - a full decade after turning 18.
@@tejaswomanYoung men in the musicals business. The vast majority of them, especially back then, would have been gay men. Straight people largely ignored that back then. Now, musicals are a bit more mixed between straight / gay men and women. Given that the big musical productions happened in big cities which were struck the hardest by the AIDS epidemic, the reality was that, yes, if you were in a production like this, you'd have been seeing your colleagues and friends die all around you. All of this is well documented history. And those of us who lived through it can testify to it. I was a teenager then, but I knew people who experienced this and survived - plus a couple who died in the early 90s just as the first viable drug therapies were coming out. It's kinda polite - in a innocent way - that you wouldn't jump to these conclusions. I'm guessing a tejana like yourself wouldn't have many personal reasons to have direct knowledge of this, after all. But the OP's phrasing was VERY clear to those of us who do. The horror of those years is indescribable.
Remember this as an example when people start whining about how bad political correctness is today compared to the past, and how "you can't make jokes any more". It's not worse today, just different.
I can't decide which is more off-putting: the sound that happens when the network censors words, or the fact that these guys are so obviously not football players! 😘 Some of the songs from this musical are wonderful, though.
Totally. And just think ... Back then suburban housewives were dragging their full husbands to go see it - many of whom were entirely clueless that the performers were primarily gay guys (with maybe the occasional straight actor who liked getting all the attention backstage). And, if you happen to be young, I'm not even exaggerating, I swear. That's how it was.
This is an odd choice for the tonys given that this is the least memorable song from the show in fact its the worst song from the show. Who decided this was the best way to present a really fun and enjoyable musical?
Even in an expurgated/censored version like this, it's still a great number!
Tommy Tune's choreography is always splendid. Funny how he used the similar sitting choreography on the bench in Will Rogers Follies in the 90s show.
Tommy’s choreography for Our Favorite Son was lifted from a sequence in the movie King of Jazz. The sequence uses the dancers’ arms more than the legs.
I was thinking the same thing!!
In case you're wondering, here are Carol Hall's actual lyrics to the xylophone censored parts, which begin at around the 1:15 mark: "We're gonna play 'em out and lay 'em out tonight / They won’t have ever seen nobody quite like me / We're gonna wham, and bam and thank-you-ma'am tonight / I swear I don't know how they’ll stand such ecstasy / (Right between the goalposts!) / We've been deprived so long but no we’re getting some / I’ll bet the girls are counting up the minutes 'til we come / (They ain't the only ones!) / Seventy-five miles until we get to heaven / Seventy-five miles until our plans are laid / Seventy-five miles until we get to Chicken Ranch / Where history, and Aggie boys, get made!"-
Still terrible.
As a former Houstonian, thank you for sending the words correctly. It’s unbelievable that they would be censored in a video that is still being shown in 2023. The words are heard now all the time in music. Shows how much times have changed since this video was made.
This is unbelievably tame by today's standards lmao
@@gregbader3041do you know how youtube works? The person who uploaded this video does not own an uncensored version of the performance.
This was the same year as Sweeny Todd which means Stephan Sondheim was in the audience he was probably like wtf is this? 😂😂😂😂😂
Right!? Ya gotta wonder if he could wrap his brain around this!
He probably was aroused by it!
one of my favorite shows ever. saw it four times. off B'way opening night, on B'way, in Houston and in DC
Sweeney Todd is the greatest musical ever written. Best Little Whorehouse is a good time and has some great songs!
@@robcarpenter1225 I agree, Sweeney Todd is in a class by itself.
Love how they use the sound effect on words that aren't even rude!
I thought the same thing.
Gotta remember, this was 1970's Primetime television, so naturally back then they had to censor out any suggestive dialogue/lyrics.🙂
@@tonyscheinman3538 hell, I was surprised they were allowed to use the real name of the show 😉
The last few minutes with the clogging & shit kicking is actually pretty fantastic. Not many people around anymore who can do this...that style of dancing has its roots in Irish Step Dancing and is culturally significant.
I was actually thinking it was more rooted in German clog dancing. Given that in Texas there are strong German immigrant roots. But o totally see what you mean. Very very similar.
I asked my brilliant jazz dance teacher, Betsy Haug, what she thought about country line dancing, and she said, it was too basic to be of any interest to her. No rhythmic complexity.
One of the best musicals EVER!!!!!!
It was terrific. I saw it twice in Houston and enjoyed it enormously.
Well, if I wasn’t gay before, I sure as hell am now
DEAAAD!!!
LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL by the way....did I say LOL!!!!
Yup. I saw this Tony broadcast as a 14 year old. It haunted my dreams for years! 😈🤠
The number Reminds me of what one critic said about BOYS IN THE BAND: "Actors are doing on stage what they've
always done OFF stage!"
ughhhhh I can't get enough of this!!!!! literally my dream
Ha! Most of those dancers are looking the opposite, if you catch my drift. Ha!
Henry Fonda is such an awkward choice to have introduce this show.
He starred in "The Cheyenne Social Club", a movie about a man who unknowingly inherits a brothel.
@@GBBIII fun little tidbit! Thanks
Should have been John Waters
how can anyone NOT like this! true Broadway fun
flat, boring choreography, no harmonizing, dull melody, dull lyrics, rude material, creepy, that's how.
@@nonenoneonenonenone Sounds like you...dull
I noped out at 0:47, and still don't know what to tell you
The Ginger is a very special man in my life. ... miss you ...
The bizarre lyrical censorship only highlights how dirty the song *actually* is... despite the complete and total lack of profanity. Idiotic TV censors, we don't miss you at all.
@Gregory Smith The end of "plans are laid" and "Aggie boys get made"
True! how depressing how puritanical our sensitive ears are...
Tommy Tune's inventiveness is so compelling.
His inventiveness boggles the mind
Rusty Phresh How true in so many more ways than one. A few more phresh and inventive stories capable of ringing loud and true through and through would do what entertainers are meant to do, too.
Eric Vest I just noticed this response and I wholeheartedly agreed
Tommy Tune may be a fine dancer, but as a choreographer, he is totally lame. No theatrical sensibility, just place it in front of the audience like a dead fish.
The play was SO much better than the movie. They totally changed it in order to give lots of camera time to Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds. In the play the characters that Dolly & Burt played were not the main characters.
They also cut most of the song to use Dolly's Big mistake!
Can't find where to post this so I'll just put it here! Thank you SO much for your wonderful channel! I am seeing Tony clips that I have never even thought of watching. It's brilliant to see clips of original productions, thank you!!
This is the most bizarre censorship I've ever seen. There's not a single curse word in this song, nor a single mention of a specific body part. Henry Fonda already said the word "Whorehouse" in the show's title. That's as dirty as anything about this gets. The xylophone is bleeping out words like "laid" and "made" and "come." Those are regular verbs in everyday usage. Seriously WHAT?!
And when it came time to make the movie, the producers and director said "this scene isn't gay enough. Let's add steroids, glitter, water, shake well, add more ascots and see what happens."
Chippendale's on Broadway!
My initial thought is how tragic that it's quite possible that most (if not all) of these guys are no more.
jumping through several dimensions of presumption to get to that peculiar "initial thought," aren't you, dearie?
It's been 40 years, they were probably in their early twenties, so unless you're assuming the majority of them were hit by the AIDS epidemic (rather then simply a percentage, as was presumably the case), not sure why you say that. They'd mainly be in their early to mid sixties.
@@BernardProfitendieuyou're totally missing the historical subtext. Those of us who lived though that era know exactly what he meant. Your intervention is extremely unwelcome
I know what you mean and yes, the losses of the 80s and 90s were horrifying. Count me among the generation of young men who were left scarred by it all. I was scared to date until the early 2000s - a full decade after turning 18.
@@tejaswomanYoung men in the musicals business. The vast majority of them, especially back then, would have been gay men. Straight people largely ignored that back then. Now, musicals are a bit more mixed between straight / gay men and women. Given that the big musical productions happened in big cities which were struck the hardest by the AIDS epidemic, the reality was that, yes, if you were in a production like this, you'd have been seeing your colleagues and friends die all around you.
All of this is well documented history. And those of us who lived through it can testify to it. I was a teenager then, but I knew people who experienced this and survived - plus a couple who died in the early 90s just as the first viable drug therapies were coming out.
It's kinda polite - in a innocent way - that you wouldn't jump to these conclusions. I'm guessing a tejana like yourself wouldn't have many personal reasons to have direct knowledge of this, after all. But the OP's phrasing was VERY clear to those of us who do. The horror of those years is indescribable.
What's with the zany xylophone censorship? A lot of what they're censoring isn't even that bad.
Welcome to 1979 in America. They could not say "laid". Haha. Thank God. They saved all our souls.
Yeah what a big difference than today where most bad words are said on live shows
It was actually "when history and Aggie boys get made ", not laid. But, of course, how would you know with everything being censored !
@@53snuckplum Mel meant the line before that one, which was also censored, when they say "our plans are laid."
Remember this as an example when people start whining about how bad political correctness is today compared to the past, and how "you can't make jokes any more". It's not worse today, just different.
22 miles until our plans are *doodleydoodleydoodleydoodleydoop!*
This is the gayest tribute to heterosexuality since pegging.
The comedy censor xylophone noises just make it worse imo. and hilarious to boot! lol Reminds me of Benny Hill or something. he he he
AIDS was just around the corner 😔
They couldn’t even say the word "laid" on tv back then.
Henry Fonda couldn't even say Playboy magazine!
Didn’t you see Cheyenne Social Club? Henry Fonda play a man who knew just what to do in a Whorehouse.
@@Bethelaine1 No.
I can't decide which is more off-putting: the sound that happens when the network censors words, or the fact that these guys are so obviously not football players! 😘
Some of the songs from this musical are wonderful, though.
I haven't seen such fancy dancing since Oklahoma.
When I saw the movie version (which I loved), I said, “this is like a gay Oklahoma!”
Censoring the words only makes them all the more noticeable. What prudes. Oh, and I agree with Zaq Voir and Budcat101 below. :)
GIG'EM AGGIES !
I’m a gay dude and this is one of the gayest things I’ve seen on tv.
Totally. And just think ... Back then suburban housewives were dragging their full husbands to go see it - many of whom were entirely clueless that the performers were primarily gay guys (with maybe the occasional straight actor who liked getting all the attention backstage).
And, if you happen to be young, I'm not even exaggerating, I swear. That's how it was.
Why the hell are some of the words in the song censored?
I don't understand, they're going to have sex with WOMEN?!?!
Clint Beck Ugh. Disgusting!
That’s what helps make the show funny!
That's a lot of Frye boots...$110 a pair if I remember right.
Lot of needless censorship here. The lyrics aren't that scandalous.
Yep.VERY gay.....FAB U LOUS!!
Took way too long to get just a bit of good choreography. I had my hopes up too high.
This performance is very difficult
Oh, the irony.
This is an odd choice for the tonys given that this is the least memorable song from the show in fact its the worst song from the show. Who decided this was the best way to present a really fun and enjoyable musical?
I agree- even "Texas has a Whorehouse in it" is a better representation of the show
Bland...
This was absolute SHITE until 3:35 and most were late or off beat smh
The movie was sooooooo much better.
Only if you didn't see the Broadway Show.
I enjoyed BOTH. Does that make me bi?!
Awful!
I thought this was just a bad movie.
Sandra Seals bless your heart.
movie was awful. show great. long private story on why movie so bad
Oy. Bwy crapola.
seethevolcane Be gone, philistine.
Thank God I never wasted money going to see this junk.