saturday 9

Farewell, Amanda

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) The record begins with a long instrumental interlude, and when the lyrics kick in at about the 1:00 mark, they bid Amanda "farewell, adios, addio, adieu." Of course you recognize "farewell" as English. Without looking it up, can you identify the other languages? Spanish, Italian, and French

 

2) Can you say "goodbye" in a language not represented in question #1? do widzenia (not sure of the spelling on that one), Auf Wiedersehen, and gubood-bubye

3) The lyrics reference a night full of stars. When did you last take a moment to check out the night sky? during the last full moon

 

4) This song was written for Adam's Rib, a comedy starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The movie is about husband-and-wife lawyers who square off against one another in court. Have you ever served on a jury? yes!

 

5) "Farewell, Amanda" was composed by Noel Coward. Though best known as a playwright, he also wrote more than a thousand songs and was a director and an actor. His epitaph reads, "A talent to amuse." How would you like to be remembered? a beloved teacher

 

6) There's even a book of Noel Coward paintings. It was published after his death, in part because Coward considered himself only an amateur painter. When did you last pick up a paintbrush? oh man, I can't even remember!

 

7) In 1949, when audiences first heard "Farewell, Amanda," Americans began playing Clue. What's the last board game you played? Really Loud Librarians

 

8) The best-selling novel of 1949 was Point of No Return by John P. Marquand. Tell us about the last book you finished. yesterday, I finished a novella called Foster by Claire Keegan that was absolutely magnificent

 

9) Random question: Growing up, did you share a bedroom? yes--I finally had the room to myself when my sister went to college, although we shared again when she was home on breaks