Monday, April 10, 2006

The Odd Couple

Most people think that the only comic book theme Neal Hefti ever wrote was the theme to the Batman television show (including its dadaeqsue lyric, 'nananana nananana'; so avant garde, even for the sixities). But he also wrote the lyrics to another well-known television theme

Those lyrics, which you've probably never heard (with good reason), are below, and I'm convinced that Hefti had another comic book pair in mind at the time he wrote them. For the record, I'm okay with the "youthful ward" thing; poor boy and rich man, helping each other out. It's okay, it's the way of the world. 

 But ... "boy pals"? No. No, that's just wrong... 

No matter where they go 
They are known as the couple.



They're never seen alone 
So they're known as the couple.




As I've indicated 
They are never quite separated, 




They are peas in a pod. 
Don't you think that it's odd. 



Their habits, I confess 
None can guess with the couple. 



If one says no it's yes 
more or less, with the couple.



But they're laugh-provoking; 
Yet they really don't know they're joking.



Don't you find 
When love is blind 
It's kind of odd.

14 comments:

Chris Griswold said...

Neal Hefti's music for the Batman series was really great. A few years back, I had a CD of the soundtrack, and I loved it. The Batusi, Evol Ecdol, the Eil Albanian, Holy Diploma, Batman!

Great songs.

Anonymous said...

ok, now I have to get my hands on this collection just to see about the context of that rope.

T said...

"On November 13, Kal-El was asked to remove himself from his planet of residence; that request came from his father. Deep down, he knew he was right, and he knew that there was no way he could return to him. With nowhere else to go, he appeared on Earth, at the home of his "pal" Jimmy Olsen. Several years earlier, Olsen's "pal" Lex Luthor had thrown HIM out, requesting that HE never return. Can a young man and a Superman share an apartment without driving the neighbors crazy at night?"

Scipio said...

Gokitalo,

ROTFL! Brilliant!

T said...

Many thanks, Scipio ;)

Anonymous said...

Is it weird that I find that last panel rather touching?

What happened to poor Jimmy?

Anonymous said...

"But they're laugh-provoking;"

I don't care how great "Nananananana" is, that lyric alone should end in a death sentance.

Anonymous said...

Last panel- I think Jimmy's been blinded? He's sort of courageously looking off in the distance, which the Lifetime Channel taught me blind people do pretty often. Although he and his pal are holding each other closely in a very hetero way. I'm confused. I had no idea that artists in the 50's and 60's defied the Comics Code like this!! Way to fight The Man, repressed gay comic book writers and artists!

Scipio said...

"Is it weird that I find that last panel rather touching?

What happened to poor Jimmy?"


Particularly since that isn't actually Superman; it's a crook in a rubber mask in a darkened cave.

Jimmy's dying of radiation poisoning.

But not really.

Harvey Jerkwater said...

A criminal in a rubber mask and tights, holding Jimmy close in a darkened cave?

That's both hot and wrong.

Mostly hot.

Man, I gotta get that "Showcase Presents" volume.

Scipio said...

You DO realized that Superman is forcing Jimmy to wear horse blinders in the penultimate panel, right?

Oh, and I completely skipped the panels where's he's got Jimmy strapped up in a guide dog harness. Yes, really.

Didn't want to scare the kids.

Scipio said...

Oh. And YES
those are REALLY the lyrics to the Odd Couple; I did NOT make them up.

Blame Neal Hefti.

Anonymous said...

The Odd Couple theme song sans lyrics is mankind's greatest achievement. With the lyrics - not so much.

Anonymous said...

If anyone has a copy of Metropole from the Soundtrack, please send it to me. I've been trying to get this song for a year now and I've run out of patience.

chuckgagjr@yahoo.com