The things that niggle...

[dreamflower]

One of my most favorite gifts I got at Christmas last year was the cast recording of The Lord of the Rings musical.

And I absolutely adore "The Road Goes On"; it's one of my favorite arrangements.

But there's one verse that both amuses and exasperates me. Tell me what is wrong with this?

Sweet pink trout
Tickled from a stream
Milk a goat,
Churn it into cream.

My answer is behind the cut, after some spoiler space, so you can guess the answer if you want to, before you look at mine.

















Are they going to stuff the poor goat into a churn and try to make cream from her? Poor goat! 'Cause that's what it sounds like!

And you can't "churn cream". You put milk into a churn, to make BUTTER not cream! The cream's already in the milk if it hasn't been skimmed.


Why can't my silly brain just let it go and accept it as poetic license? *rolls eyes at self*

Comments

[frodobaggins252.livejournal.com]

That line has always amused me -- it's just so absurd!

[dreamflower]

That makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one who is bugged by little things like that! I mean, I LOVE the song, but just...that line!

[shirebound]

Are they going to stuff the poor goat into a churn and try to make cream from her?

That's exactly the type of thing my beta-mom loves to find and correct.

[dreamflower]

That verse certainly needs a beta! Though I'm not sure how it could be re-worded and still rhyme!

But...poor goat!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

It sounds as if the goat rather than the milk is being made into cream!

[dreamflower]

Exactly!

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

I thought the issue was going to be "How can a trout milk a goat?" (You know, with the direct address in the first line, and all!) :-)

[dreamflower]

Oh mercy! You're right, and that just makes it worse than ever!

Now I have this mental image of a cartoon fish (like something from Dr. Seuss) using its fins to pump the churn handle, while the goat is trying really hard to escape!

[sue-denimme.livejournal.com]

But cream rhymes with stream, and butter doesn't!

Hm, I guess they could have changed the verse to "Catch a fish, then I'll catch another. Milk a goat and churn the milk to butter." Naah, doesn't work, though it does make it more clear what is being churned.

I love that song too, BTW. Along with Now and For Always.

Oh, and I actually got to see the musical on stage in Toronto. A field trip to the theatre was part of a LOTR con that took place during its run. Amazing production.

[dreamflower]

I know. As I said, I should just let it go as poetic license, but my stoopid brain won't let me...

I think "Now and For Always" is probably my very favorite LotR inspired song, as it captures so perfectly the whole spirit of the story!

"Sing me a story of heroes of the Shire,
muddling through
brave and true..."

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

heh, I tend to get fixated on stuff like that, too! :D

[dreamflower]

Yep. "Fixated" is the perfect word. Why can't I just enjoy the song, which is delightful?

[mumstheword54.livejournal.com]

Maybe the poet figures the goat would rather be in a butter churn than in a cream separator?
Or maybe the cream separator would be too difficult for a trout to operate?

Or maybe -- maybe pink trout are too sweet to use separators and would rather work a butter churn!

On the other hand:
"Life is but a dream -- stream -- cream -- beam -- meme."

[dreamflower]

Well, if I was a goat, I'd prefer a churn to a cream separator, but I think I'd really prefer neither, LOL!

I believe either one would be too hard for a trout to operate; but I do love your list of alternate rhymes. Especially "meme".