Among the many "facts" about the composer's life in Schickele's fictional biography of the composer,[1] we find the following:
P. D. Q. Bach was born in Leipzig on April 1, 1742 [2], the son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Anna Magdalena Bach. According to Schickele, Bach's parents did not bother to give their youngest son a real name, and settled on "P. D. Q." instead. (In vernacular English, "P. D. Q." stands for "pretty damn quick".) Johann Sebastian did not give any musical training to P. D. Q. After his death, the only earthly possession Johann Sebastian Bach willed to his son was a kazoo.
In 1755, P. D. Q. Bach was an apprentice of the inventor of the musical saw, Ludwig Zahnstocher (German for "toothpick"). In 1756, P. D. Q. Bach met Leopold Mozart and advised him to teach his son Wolfgang Amadeus how to play billiards. Later on P. D. Q. Bach went to St. Petersburg to visit his distant cousin Leonhard Sigismund Dietrich Bach, whose daughter Betty Sue bore P. D. Q. a child.
Finally, in 1770, P. D. Q. Bach started to write music, mostly by stealing melodies from other composers.
P. D. Q. Bach died on May 5, 1807; however, his grave was marked "1807-1742".
P. D. Q. Bach's Epitaph reads [as requested by his cousin Betty Sue Bach and written by the local doggerel catcher]:
In the "original" German:
Hier liegt ein Mann ganz ohnegleich;
Im Leibe dick, an Sünden reich.
Wir haben ihn ins Grab gesteckt,
Weil es uns dünkt, er sei verreckt.
Translated:
Here lies a man with sundry flaws
And numerous Sins upon his head;
We buried him today because
As far as we can tell, he's dead.
In his many preconcert lectures Peter Schickele has revealed other information about P. D. Q. Bach's life:
P. D. Q. Bach had a substantial influence on Beethoven's deafness. This is due to the latter's habit of stuffing coffee grounds into his ears whenever he saw P. D. Q. Bach coming.
P. D. Q. Bach is the INTERCAL (a parody of computer programming languages) of Baroque music.
Prof. Schickele describes P. D. Q. Bach as having "the originality of Johann Christian, the arrogance of Carl Philipp Emanuel, and the obscurity of Johann Christoph Friedrich." The most distinguishing feature of P. D. Q. Bach's music, in the words of Schickele, is "manic plagiarism". P. D. Q. Bach seldom wrote original tunes; for the most part he stole melodies from other composers and rearranged them in often funny ways. Also, P. D. Q. Bach's music uses instruments not often used in orchestras, such as the tromboon, slide whistle, hardart, lasso d'amore and kazoo, as well as items not normally used as musical instruments, such as balloons and bicycle. His music also calls for unusual methods of playing traditional instruments, such as the use of horns in various states of disassembly throughout Iphigenia in Brooklyn. His parts for vocalists, in addition to singing, also include coughing, snoring, sobbing, laughing and yelling.
In addition to making fun of Baroque and Classical music conventions, P. D. Q. Bach's music sometimes pokes fun at Romantic and modern music, and sometimes even country music (Oedipus Tex and Blaues Gras) and rap (Classical Rap). In Prelude to Einstein on the Fritz, a man is directed to make snoring noises while the music proceeds in a minimalist manner. The "Schickele" or "S." numbers whimsically assigned to P. D. Q. Bach's works parody musicologists' catalogues of famous composers, such as the Köchel catalogue of Mozart's works.
Schickele divides P. D. Q. Bach's musical output into three periods: the Initial Plunge, the Soused Period, and Contrition.
During the Initial Plunge, P. D. Q. Bach wrote Traumarei for solo piano, an Echo Sonata for "two unfriendly groups of instruments", and a Gross Concerto for Divers' Flutes, two Trumpets, and Strings.
During the Soused Period, P. D. Q. Bach wrote a Concerto for Horn & Hardart, a Sinfonia Concertante, a Pervertimento, a Serenude, a Perückenstück, a Suite from The Civilian Barber, a Schleptet in E-flat major, the half-act opera The Stoned Guest, a Concerto for Piano vs. Orchestra, Erotica Variations, Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice (an opera in one unnatural act), The Art of the Ground Round, a Concerto for Bassoon vs. Orchestra, and a Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion.
During the Contrition, P. D. Q. Bach wrote the cantata Iphigenia in Brooklyn, the oratorio The Seasonings, Diverse Ayres on Sundrie Notions, a Sonata for Viola for Four Hands, the chorale prelude Should, a Notebook for Betty Sue Bach, the Toot Suite, the Grossest Fugue, a Fanfare for the Common Cold, and the canine cantata Wachet Arf!
He also composed the religious work "Missa Hilarious" (Schickele no. N2O), which was found along with documents pertaining to his excommunication
Juliet
P.D.Q. Bach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We can't let nothing, no one get in our way
So it's fuck what they say
Probably a lie anyway
Girl
Don't believe the rumors
Serve no purpose like a tumor
I wish I can see you sooner
We can't let nothing, no one get in our way
So it's fuck what they say
Probably a lie anyway
Girl
Don't believe the rumors
Serve no purpose like a tumor
Bae I know I'm on the road
I wish I can see you sooner
I feel like Romeo and Juliet
But we ainn no Montague or no Capulets
Tell I love you so you don't forget
And den I write a song on my tablet
So I can feel closer
Wish I can touch, kiss, and hold you
Too far apart with a distance
Swear I can't wait til it's over
Having affairs with the Mary
Because I hate being sober
But you the one imma marry
You D1G and you know it
We can't let nothing, no one get in our way
So its fuck what they say
Probably a lie anyway
Girl
Don't believe the rumors
Serve no purpose like a tumor
Bae I know I'm on the road
I wish I can see you sooner
We can't let nothing, no one get in our way
So it's fuck what they say
Probably a lie anyway
Girl
Don't believe the rumors
Serve no purpose like a tumor
Bae I know I'm on the road
I wish I can see you sooner
I feel like Romeo and Juliet
It's like we fell in love at first sight
Come through with my armor that's my music yeah
Singing you a song in the moonlight
I'm Shakespeare with these hits
Bruce Lee with my kicks
Call you for all my clothes
Cause you know you throw a fit
I feel like 2pac when I spit
Notorious so B.I.G
You make me like the greatest
So it ain't hard to admit
I'll go above and beyond for you
If it came down to me or you
Girl you know I would die for you
I can't go without seeing you
We can climb through these obstacles
And the silly shit we go through
Take the silly shit we go through
Send it above and beyond
We can't let nothing, no one get in our way
So it's fuck what they say
Probably a lie anyway
Girl
Don't believe the rumors
Serve no purpose like a tumor
Bae I know I'm on the road
I wish I can see you sooner
The song "Juliet" by P.D.Q. Bach is about a couple who are facing challenges due to their long-distance relationship. The lyrics suggest that they are determined to overcome any obstacles and not let anyone or anything come between them. The singer compares himself and his partner to the famous fictional couple Romeo and Juliet, who were also separated by external forces. The lyrics suggest that the singer wishes he could be with his partner, but his work commitments are keeping him on the road. Despite this, he dedicates himself to his music and uses it as a way to express his love for his partner.
The lyrics are a mix of romantic and vulgar language, expressing the frustration and passion that the singer is feeling. The line "So it's fuck what they say, Probably a lie anyway" suggests that the singer is skeptical of rumors and gossip, and is focused on his relationship. The line "Having affairs with the Mary, Because I hate being sober" is a reference to marijuana, and shows that the singer uses it as a way to cope with the distance between him and his partner. Overall, the lyrics suggest that even though the couple is facing challenges, they are committed to each other and will do whatever it takes to make their relationship work.
Line by Line Meaning
We can't let nothing, no one get in our way
We can't allow anyone or anything to prevent us from being together.
So it's fuck what they say
Therefore, disregard any negative comments or rumors about us.
Probably a lie anyway
Most likely, these derogatory statements are untrue.
Girl
Referring to you as a symbol of affection.
Don't believe the rumors
Do not accept any false stories as factual.
Serve no purpose like a tumor
These untrue comments are insignificant and worthless.
Bae I know I'm on the road
My apologies for being away due to my job requirements.
I wish I can see you sooner
I desire to be in your presence again as soon as possible.
I feel like Romeo and Juliet
Our love is expressed as a modern-day adaptation of the classic tale.
But we ainn no Montague or no Capulets
However, unlike the original characters, we do not belong to opposing families.
Tell I love you so you don't forget
Reminding you of my adoration to avoid any doubting or forgetfulness.
And den I write a song on my tablet
Composing music dedicated to you to further express feelings of love.
So I can feel closer
The music allows me to bridge the physical distance between us.
Wish I can touch, kiss, and hold you
Expressing my yearning for the physical aspects of our relationship.
Too far apart with a distance
The geographical distance between us is a significant obstacle.
Swear I can't wait til it's over
Determined to endure this situation with the goal of eventually being closer.
Having affairs with the Mary
Referring to smoking marijuana as a coping mechanism in your absence.
Because I hate being sober
I find sobriety challenging when I'm not with you.
But you the one imma marry
Affirming that you are the partner I intend to spend the rest of my life with.
You D1G and you know it
Acknowledging that you are exceptional, as you are already aware.
It's like we fell in love at first sight
The first moment I met you felt like the beginning of our love story.
Come through with my armor that's my music yeah
Utilizing my music as a shield to protect my emotions while expressing my love for you.
Singing you a song in the moonlight
Serenading you with music in a romantic, nighttime setting.
I'm Shakespeare with these hits
Comparing my skill in making music to the talented playwright William Shakespeare.
Bruce Lee with my kicks
Drawing a comparison between my music and the martial arts prowess of Bruce Lee.
Call you for all my clothes
Expressing my emotional dependency on you.
Cause you know you throw a fit
You are often upset when I leave clothes at your place.
I feel like 2pac when I spit
Comparing my rap skills to those of famous rapper Tupac Shakur.
Notorious so B.I.G
Drawing a comparison between myself and famous rapper The Notorious B.I.G.
You make me like the greatest
Your love and support make me feel like the greatest musician alive.
So it ain't hard to admit
Confidently expressing these feelings to you because of your unwavering support.
I'll go above and beyond for you
I am willing to do anything to make you happy.
If it came down to me or you
If it is a matter of choosing between saving myself or saving you, it would be an easy choice.
Girl you know I would die for you
I would make the ultimate sacrifice for our love.
I can't go without seeing you
I cannot bear being away from you for too long.
We can climb through these obstacles
Together, we can overcome any difficulties that come our way.
And the silly shit we go through
Some of the challenges we face may seem trivial or absurd.
Take the silly shit we go through
Let us learn and grow from these challenges instead of allowing them to cause conflict.
Send it above and beyond
Let us not only overcome challenges, but use them to strengthen our relationship.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Samuel George
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GrandOldMovies
brilliant!
@BirchMonkey857
LYRICS (formatted based on which line the words come from):
Macbeth's Soliloquy (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5)
Mañana, mañana, mañana! (eng: tomorrow)
Creep on in this petty pace from day to day
Until the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesteryears have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out! Out! Out! Out! Out, out brief candle!
Life is but a poor player
Who struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: 'Tis tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Hamlet's Soliloquy (Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1)
To be or not to be: that is the question:
To die: to sleep:
No more!
'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep;
Perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub!
Three Witches (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3)
Hail Macbeth! Thane of Glamis!
Hail Macbeth! Thane of Cawdor!
Hail Macbeth! King hereafter!
Hail!
Hail!
Hail!
(from Act 1, Scene 1)
Fair, fair is foul, foul, foul is fair.
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
When shall we three meet again-
In thunder or in rain?
When the hurly-burly's done,
Drifting along on the blasted heath.
Juliet's Soliloquy (Romeo & Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2)
O, I wish I was a glove on that there hand, O, I wish I was a glove on that hand,
So that I could touch that pretty little cheek, cheek, cheek, so that I could touch that pretty little cheek.
Ah, me, (ah me) Ah me (ah me), Oh my love it is as boundless as the sea
O, I wish I was a glove on that there hand,
So that I could touch that pretty little cheek.
O Romeo, O Romeo, where is you at, O Romeo, where is you at?
Cause I loves you though you is a Montague, -gue, -gue, cause I loves you though you is a Montague.
What's in a name? (What's in a name?) What's in a name? (Yuh-ha!) O a rose if called a rat,
Would smell the same.
O Romeo, O Romeo, where is you at,
Cause I loves you though you is a Montague!
Mark Antony's Oration (Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2)
Friends, Romans, and Countrymen, why don't you lend me your ears? (YEAH)
I come to bury Caesar not to praise him.
(Brutus is an honorable man, Brutus is an honorable man)
I come to bury Caesar not to praise him.
(Brutus is an honorable man, Brutus is an honorable man)
A-Brutus is a Brutus is a Brutus is an honorable man!
Well he thrice refused the kingly crown, was this ambition I ask you now?
I come to bury Caesar not to praise him!
(Brutus is an honorable man, Brutus is an honorable man)
I come to bury Caesar not to praise him!
(Brutus is an honorable man, Brutus is an honorable man)
A-Brutus is a Brutus is a hon-or-a-ble Brutus is a Brutus is a Brutus is an honorable man!
EDIT: Fixed a typo probably no one noticed or cared about.
@sisfantasto7004
What is Henry the VIII doing there?!?