From 1999 to 2004-ish, I was one of the contributing writers for Garrison Keillor's renowned radio show "A Prairie Home Companion." I learned a lot of things there, mostly how to spell 'prairie." It was a solid gig and I'm proud of my work there. But, like any other job, there were...things...
Man, it's only the second week in and I'm already submitting recycled material. I had this piece sitting in my pile for quite some time. I even attempted to re-work it as a Christmas sketch (which I also submitted). But the Three Tenors was big at this time and Barney was still huge. Both were Public Broadcasting properties, so, why not? But, it was probably too TV for GK. I'm he probably didn't even know who Barney was (and the quick aside to Our Gang comedies didn't help much). It's just a silly bit of musical fluff, and I'm not shocked it didn't make it. I had it really to go the week after the State Fair show, not realizing the season hadn't begun yet, so I had to sit on it until 9/25/04. So, enjoy:
3 Tenors Sing Barney
(GK, 1T: 1st Tenor, 2T: 2nd Tenor, 3T: 3rd Tenor, MN: Min)
GK: During our pledge drive two years ago, we were proud to present the musical special, "Three Tenors." During last years pledge drive we were proud and delighted to present the musical special, "Three Tenors' Encore!" And now for this pledge drive we are proud, delighted and contractually obligated to present "Three Tenors Sing Barney!"
1T: Barney is a dinosaur from our imagination---
2T: And when he's tall, he's what we call---
3T: A dinosaur sensation!
GK: Yes, it's the three biggest tenors in the world singing songs from Public broadcasting's biggest series!
1T: If all the raindrops were lollipops and gumdrops, oh what a rain that would be---
2T: Standing out side, with my mouth open wide---.
ALL:Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah
3T: If all the raindrops were lollipops and gumdrops, oh what a rain that would be---
GK: The songs your children love sung by performers with snob-appeal, it's the prefect night of public radio entertainment.
2T: I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas!
1T: I like to ite, ite, ite ipples and baninis!
3T: I like to oat, oat, oat opples and banonos!
ALL:We like to ut, ut, ut upples and banunus!
GK: And a special attraction, Barney's precocious friend Min sings a salute to opera!
MN: I'm the barber of Seville! Figaro! Figaro!
GK: Where else are you gonna find something like this? Not on commercial radio, that's for sure! So join your hosts Beverly Sills and Big Bird during this week's pledge drive for "3 Tenors Sing Barney," here on Public Radio. And we'll keep playing it until you donate something. So there.
ALL:...With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say you love me too!
MN: Figaro! Figaro!
THE END
GK: During our pledge drive two years ago, we were proud to present the musical special, "Three Tenors." During last years pledge drive we were proud and delighted to present the musical special, "Three Tenors' Encore!" And now for this pledge drive we are proud, delighted and contractually obligated to present "Three Tenors Sing Barney!"
1T: Barney is a dinosaur from our imagination---
2T: And when he's tall, he's what we call---
3T: A dinosaur sensation!
GK: Yes, it's the three biggest tenors in the world singing songs from Public broadcasting's biggest series!
1T: If all the raindrops were lollipops and gumdrops, oh what a rain that would be---
2T: Standing out side, with my mouth open wide---.
ALL:Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah
3T: If all the raindrops were lollipops and gumdrops, oh what a rain that would be---
GK: The songs your children love sung by performers with snob-appeal, it's the prefect night of public radio entertainment.
2T: I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas!
1T: I like to ite, ite, ite ipples and baninis!
3T: I like to oat, oat, oat opples and banonos!
ALL:We like to ut, ut, ut upples and banunus!
GK: And a special attraction, Barney's precocious friend Min sings a salute to opera!
MN: I'm the barber of Seville! Figaro! Figaro!
GK: Where else are you gonna find something like this? Not on commercial radio, that's for sure! So join your hosts Beverly Sills and Big Bird during this week's pledge drive for "3 Tenors Sing Barney," here on Public Radio. And we'll keep playing it until you donate something. So there.
ALL:...With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say you love me too!
MN: Figaro! Figaro!
THE END
