Honor To Us All
Marnie Nixon Lyrics
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Well, honey, I've seen worse
We're going to turn this sow's ear
Into a silk purse
We'll have you washed and dried
Primped and polished
Till you glow with pride
You'll bring honor to us all
Wait and see
When we're through
Boys will gladly go to war for you
With good fortune
And a great hairdo
You'll bring honor to us all
A girl can bring her family
Great honor in one way
By striking a good match
And this could be the day
Men want girls with good taste
Calm
Obedient
Who work fast-paced
With good breeding
And a tiny waist
You'll bring honor to us all
We all must serve our Emperor
Who guards us from the Huns
A man by bearing arms
A girl by bearing sons
When we're through
You can't fail
Like a lotus blossom
Soft and pale
How could any fellow
Say "no sale"
You'll bring honor to us all
There, you're ready
Not yet
An apple for serenity
A pendant for balance
Beads of jade for beauty
You must proudly show it
Now add a cricket just for luck
And even you can't blow it
Ancestors
Hear my plea
Help me not to make a
Fool of me
And to not uproot
My family tree
Keep my father standing tall
Scarier than the undertaker
We are meeting our matchmaker
Destiny
Guard our girls
And our future
As it fast unfurls
Please look kindly on
These cultured pearls
Each a perfect porcelain doll
Please bring honor to us
(Please bring honor to us)
Please bring honor to us
(Please bring honor to us)
Please bring honor to us all
The lyrics of Marnie Nixon's song "Honor To Us All" describe the process of preparing a woman for marriage in ancient China, focusing specifically on the cultural expectations and gender roles involved in this process. The song starts with the matchmaker assessing the young woman's appearance and potential as a bride, promising to transform her into a desirable and honorable wife. This is followed by a detailed list of qualities that men seek in a bride, including good taste, obedience, and a small waist. The song also makes references to the importance of family and societal expectations and encourages the woman to conform to these norms, suggesting that her main duty as a wife is to bear sons for the Emperor and to uphold her family's reputation.
Despite the song's emphasis on stereotype and outdated gender roles, it also showcases the resilience, strength, and determination of the woman who faces enormous pressure to conform to the strict societal norms, yet still has hopes and dreams for her future. By including elements of Chinese folk culture such as the cricket, jade beads, and lotus blossom, the song adds a poetic and nostalgic appeal, reflecting the beauty and complexity of Chinese traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
This is what you give me to work with
I know it's not the best, but I'll make do
Well, honey, I've seen worse
I'm not worried, I've handled tougher cases
We're going to turn this sow's ear
We'll make the best of what we have
Into a silk purse
We'll make you look beautiful and elegant
We'll have you washed and dried
You'll be cleaned up and presentable
Primped and polished
You'll be groomed to perfection
Till you glow with pride
You'll feel confident and proud of yourself
Trust me recipe for instant bride
I know the formula for making a bride look amazing
You'll bring honor to us all
Your beauty and grace will reflect well on our family
Wait and see
Just be patient
When we're through
After we're done with you
Boys will gladly go to war for you
Men will be attracted to you and want to win your affection
With good fortune
If we're lucky
And a great hairdo
And if your hair looks great
A girl can bring her family
A woman can bring honor to her family
Great honor in one way
By marrying well
By striking a good match
By marrying someone of good status and character
And this could be the day
This could be your lucky day to find a good husband
Men want girls with good taste
Men want women who are sophisticated and refined
Calm
Composed and collected
Obedient
Willing to follow orders and be submissive
Who work fast-paced
Who are good workers and efficient
With good breeding
From a respectable family
And a tiny waist
Having a slim figure
We all must serve our Emperor
We all have a duty to our ruler
Who guards us from the Huns
Who protects us from our enemies
A man by bearing arms
Men serve by fighting
A girl by bearing sons
Women serve by giving birth to sons
You can't fail
You'll have success
Like a lotus blossom
You'll be lovely and delicate
Soft and pale
Gentle and fair
How could any fellow
What man wouldn't
Say "no sale"
Want to be with you
Not yet
You're not quite ready
An apple for serenity
An apple for calmness
A pendant for balance
A necklace for stability
Beads of jade for beauty
Jade beads for attractiveness
You must proudly show it
You have to display these items with pride
Now add a cricket just for luck
And for good luck, add a cricket
Ancestors
Ancestors, please
Hear my plea
Listen to me
Help me not to make a
Assist me in avoiding a
Fool of me
Mistake
And to not uproot
And don't cause chaos in
My family tree
My family history
Keep my father standing tall
Protect my father's reputation
Scarier than the undertaker
More frightening than death
We are meeting our matchmaker
We are seeing the person who will help us find a husband
Destiny
Fate
Guard our girls
Protect our young women
And our future
And the future of our family
As it fast unfurls
As it quickly unfolds
Please look kindly on
Please be favorable to
These cultured pearls
These refined and elegant young women
Each a perfect porcelain doll
Each one is flawless and delicate
Please bring honor to us
Please make us proud
(Please bring honor to us)
Please bring honor to us all
Please bring honor to our entire family
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Matthew Wilder, David Joel Zippel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind