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Song Parodies -> "Breaking Up Is Hard"
Original Song Title:
"#1)Light My Fire; #2)I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
Original Performer:
#1) Jose Feliciano; #2) The Proclaimers
Parody Song Title:
"Breaking Up Is Hard"
Parody Written by:
Giorgio Coniglio's Grandson
The Lyrics
A major way to have fun with songs is to insert lyrics from one into the musical backdrop of another. This pastime has been referred to as “mishmash”, “smoosh”, "pastiche" or “contrafactum”. In my view, a good analogy is that the lyrics act as an invader or parasite, taking over the music and pre-empting the theme of the “recipient” or “host” song. PARODYSITISM is a neologism mixing the concepts as well as the sounds of parasitism and parody. These examples under the heading "Breaking Up Is Hard" demonstrate how songs about the ardent phase of love-relationships can give way to a more difficult phase in their life-cycle.
#1 THE BURNING GRAPEVINE
(to the tune of "Light My Fire" – Feliciano version; lyrics modified from Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine")
I bet you’re wondering how I knew;
It took me by surprise, I’ll say
Your plans to cheat and make me blue -
I only found out yesterday.
Just about to lose my mind,
Not much longer you’ll be mine -
Heard it through that old grapevine.
A man is not supposed to cry -
You could have told me by yourself;
Tears I can’t hold back inside
They say you’ve found somebody else.
Just about to lose my mind
Not much longer you’ll be mine
Heard it through that old grapevine.
They say, of what you see, half’s true
You can’t believe the things you hear
I can’t help bein’ so confused
If I’m to go please tell me dear.
Just about to lose my mind
Not much longer you’ll be mine
Heard it through that old grapevine
Heard it through that old grapevine.
#2 I'M GONNA SURVIVE
(to the tune of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”; lyrics modified from Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive")
At first I was, afraid I was petrified,
Thought I’m never gonna manage without you.
I kept fearing, that if you weren’t by my side,
I could never learn to function without you.
Many nights spent, thinking how you did me wrong,
Feeling sorry for myself because of you.
I’d been chained up, didn’t know I could be strong
Just a little person still in love with you.
I should have changed the front door lock
Or made you leave your stupid key
I’d have never guessed - it’s quite a shock! that you’d,
Be back to bother me.
Here I find you - you’ve come back from outer space
But there’s gonna be no welcome here for you
You just dropped in, with that sad look on your face
You think I’ll lay down and crumble just for you.
I tried hard to, mend the pieces of my heart
And now you just expect me to be free
All my strength used, to avoid falling apart,
Now I’ll save my love for one who’s loving me.
Now you should go, walk out the door
You’d tried to hurt me with goodbye
I’ve got all my life to live and love to give,
I’ll hold my head up high.
Fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah); fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
Lay down and die? (lay down and die); oh no, no I (oh no, not I)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
[Repeat 2nd verse)
Go on now, go; walk far away
And never drop in at my door
Just leave me your key, and walk five hundred k
Then several thousand more.
Fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah); fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
Lay down and die? (lay down and die); oh no, no I (oh no, not I)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
(to the tune of "Light My Fire" – Feliciano version; lyrics modified from Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine")
I bet you’re wondering how I knew;
It took me by surprise, I’ll say
Your plans to cheat and make me blue -
I only found out yesterday.
Just about to lose my mind,
Not much longer you’ll be mine -
Heard it through that old grapevine.
A man is not supposed to cry -
You could have told me by yourself;
Tears I can’t hold back inside
They say you’ve found somebody else.
Just about to lose my mind
Not much longer you’ll be mine
Heard it through that old grapevine.
They say, of what you see, half’s true
You can’t believe the things you hear
I can’t help bein’ so confused
If I’m to go please tell me dear.
Just about to lose my mind
Not much longer you’ll be mine
Heard it through that old grapevine
Heard it through that old grapevine.
#2 I'M GONNA SURVIVE
(to the tune of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”; lyrics modified from Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive")
At first I was, afraid I was petrified,
Thought I’m never gonna manage without you.
I kept fearing, that if you weren’t by my side,
I could never learn to function without you.
Many nights spent, thinking how you did me wrong,
Feeling sorry for myself because of you.
I’d been chained up, didn’t know I could be strong
Just a little person still in love with you.
I should have changed the front door lock
Or made you leave your stupid key
I’d have never guessed - it’s quite a shock! that you’d,
Be back to bother me.
Here I find you - you’ve come back from outer space
But there’s gonna be no welcome here for you
You just dropped in, with that sad look on your face
You think I’ll lay down and crumble just for you.
I tried hard to, mend the pieces of my heart
And now you just expect me to be free
All my strength used, to avoid falling apart,
Now I’ll save my love for one who’s loving me.
Now you should go, walk out the door
You’d tried to hurt me with goodbye
I’ve got all my life to live and love to give,
I’ll hold my head up high.
Fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah); fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
Lay down and die? (lay down and die); oh no, no I (oh no, not I)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
[Repeat 2nd verse)
Go on now, go; walk far away
And never drop in at my door
Just leave me your key, and walk five hundred k
Then several thousand more.
Fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah); fa-da–la-dah (fa-da–la-dah)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
Lay down and die? (lay down and die); oh no, no I (oh no, not I)
I know I’ll stay alive, I will survive.
Other songs and nonsense available for perusal and comment at Giorgio's Ukable Parodies
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| 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
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This gets my 5s for the excellent execution and matching of parasite and host. Personally, I prefer completely new lyrics "in the style of..."
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