Elaine Stritch's Show Tune Vocabulary

Elaine Stritch died on July 17, 2014 at the age of 89. A legendary Broadway and cabaret performer, Stritch was one of those actresses who simply commanded the stage and made the parts she played her own. Just like how a story a parent reads you will always be associated with that parent or the remake will never be as good as the original song if you experienced the original first, for fans of musical theater, these roles, these songs, will always be associated with Stritch. Any future performance of these songs will always be measured against her take on them. It is in this sense that great performers are like authors, as their interpretations of the words they say and sing can become as timeless and memorable as the words themselves.
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  1. accrue
    grow by addition
    It's the little things you do together,
    Do together,
    Do together,
    That make perfect relationships.
    The hobbies you pursue together,
    Savings you accrue together,
    Looks you misconstrue together,
    That make marriage a joy.
    —"The Little Things You Do Together," Company
    Company, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
  2. misconstrue
    interpret in the wrong way
    It's the little things you do together,
    Do together,
    Do together,
    That make perfect relationships.
    The hobbies you pursue together,
    Savings you accrue together,
    Looks you misconstrue together,
    That make marriage a joy.
    —"The Little Things You Do Together," Company
  3. passe
    out of fashion
    Zip! I consider Dali’s painting passe.
    Zip! Can they make the Metropolitan pay?
    —"Zip", Pal Joey
    Pal Joey, Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
  4. eclectic
    selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
    Zip! I am so eclectic.
    I don’t care for either Mickey-
    Mouse and Rooney make me sicky
    Zip! I'm a little hectic.
    —"Zip," Pal Joey
  5. platitude
    a trite or obvious remark
    Travel they say improves the mind,
    An irritating platitude, which frankly, entre nous,
    Is very far from true.
    —"Why Do the Wrong People Travel?", Sail Away
    Sail Away, Music and Lyrics by Noël Coward
  6. cavil
    raise trivial objections
    The Taj Mahal and the Grand Canal
    And the sunny French Rivera
    Would be less oppressed if the Middle West
    Would settle for somewhere rather nearer
    Please do not think that I criticize or cavil at a genuine urge to roam
    But why, oh why do the wrong people travel when the right people stay back home
    —"Why Do the Wrong People Travel?," Sail Away
  7. grim
    harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
    Here's to the ladies who lunch--
    Everybody laugh.
    Lounging in their caftans
    And planning a brunch
    On their own behalf.
    Off to the gym,
    Then to a fitting,
    Claiming they're fat.
    And looking grim,
    'Cause they've been sitting
    Choosing a hat.
    —"Ladies Who Lunch", Company
  8. invariably
    without change, in every case
    In the smallest street, where the gourmets meet,
    They invariably fetch up
    And it’s hard to make them accept a steak
    that isn’t served rare and smeared with ketchup
    —"Why Do the Wrong People Travel?," Sail Away
  9. cliche
    a trite or obvious remark
    The little ways you try together,
    Cry together,
    Lie together,
    That make perfect relationships.
    Becoming a cliche together,
    Growing old and grey together,
    Withering away together,
    That make marriage a joy.
    —"The Little Things You Do Together," Company
  10. jest
    activity characterized by good humor
    And here's to the girls who just watch
    Aren't they the best?
    When they get depressed,
    It's a bottle of Scotch,
    Plus a little jest.
    Another chance to disapprove,
    Another brilliant zinger,
    Another reason not to move,
    Another Vodka Stinger
    —"The Ladies Who Lunch," Company
Created on Thu Jul 17 16:15:57 EDT 2014 (updated Fri Jul 18 12:24:34 EDT 2014)

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