I really like lots of Zippel's witty lyrics in ''City of Angels,'' but it's possible to be too clever by half.
In print, you can read: ''Your fertile lies don't fertilize.'' But if you're only hearing the lyric in the theater, it could be heard as ''your fertilize don't fertilize.'' Huh? ... Frankly, I find the whole chorus of metaphors, comparing a relationship to a garden, driven into the ground.
Is Gabby, who sings ''It Needs Work,'' that superliterate in wordplay? Or is a lyricist showing off how clever he can be?
How do lies ''fertilize''? ... I forget if Sondheim once said this: It's nice to be clever, but it's better to be clear. |
