Evidence that Fran is quite happy to pour cold water on cheerfulness and romance given a spare 20 minutes

We were talking today in the department office at school about the suffix 'ish' and how some are beginning to use it on the end of any word, or even as a word in itself, as in ...

'How was your day?  Good?'
[Pause.]  'Ish.'

Then we started talking about the word 'meh' and how popular that is now as a way of saying, 'Well, so-so.   Not good.  Not bad.'

This kind of linguistic exploration is what English teachers do at the end of the day.  It's either that, or the apostrophe debate.  We know how to party.

You might have seen this going around.  It's my favourite cartoon \at the moment.


Anyway, then my colleagues and I moved on to musing on songs which use 'meh'.  And I want to suggest a few, perhaps to sing when you're feeling a bit oh-you-know-how-it-is or not-too-bad or things-can-only-get-better ...

Nina Simone - Feeling Meh
Stevie Wonder - I Just Called to Say 'Meh'
The Beach Boys - Meh Vibrations
Chuck Berry - Johnny Be Meh
James Brown - I Feel Meh
Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me ... Meh
Neil Diamond - Meh Caroline
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Meh
Lou Reed - Meh Day

And on the same theme of more realistic, down-to-earth songs which cut all the hyperbole ...

Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You is easy 'cos you're not bad-looking
Lionel Richie - I Just Called to Say I think you're okay
Savage Garden - Truly, Madly, Kind Of
Tina Turner - You're Simply the Best of a Bad Bunch
Rod Stewart - Have I Told You Lately that you're growing on me?
Chris DeBurgh - Lady in Beige
Peggy Lee - Mildly Raised Temperature
Queen - You're a Good Mate
Al Green - Let's Stay Facebook Friends

Can you think of any more, witty followers?!

About 90 seconds into this video, you can see me singing a few more 'adapted' love song titles as part of a comedy routine.  If you want to watch the whole thing, I start off talking about the idealism of the early relationship, then I sing some adapted song titles, then I perform a poem called 'Maureen and Jack'.  Enjoy.


Comments

  1. A(me)6/11/13 12:51

    As an aside about the apostrophes, here's one to keep the staffroom amused for a couple more minutes: my lovely publishers decided to print my book, 'Performing with Puppets', with a subtitle: "A Puppeteer's Guide". When I received the proof, I gave myself a headache trying to decide whether they thought that it was a guide written by one puppeteer, for several other puppeteers (in which case the apostrophe was correct) or a guide for lots of puppeteers (in which case they'd got it wrong). In the end, I decided I'd rather not know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill6/11/13 23:27

      To be honest, I would read that as 'A Guide for anyone who wants to be a Puppeteer' straight off, so I don't think it's ambiguous at all. But I can see why it gave you a headache!

      Delete
  2. Steve6/11/13 13:12

    "Ebeneezer Meh" by The Shamen.

    "Meh Meh yum yum" by The Goodies.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pam 6/11/13 15:21

    I did indeed enjoy.

    I don't know much about pop music. I can only think of:

    She Quite Likes You, Yeah, Maybe, Meh (by the Beatles)
    Love Is A Slightly Splendored (ish) Thing
    O My Love Is A Bit Like a Pale Pink Rose (by Robert Burns)
    You Are My Heart's Faint Enjoyment (and where you are, I don't mind the thought of being)
    All You Need Is Mild Interest (Beatles again)
    You're Just Too Mediocre To Be True (can take my eyes o-off you)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill6/11/13 23:29

      All you need is mild interest! Brilliant. I love all these, Isabelle, but please stop making your comments funnier than the post itself. I have a reputation to uphold.

      Delete
  4. A Mended Pencil6/11/13 15:31

    It was Stevie Wonder who sang 'I just called to say I think you're okay', unless there are two songs with the same title.

    MP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill6/11/13 23:31

      No, you're right. Have amended. Lionel Richie sang 'Hello'! There was an odd semantic link in my mind there.

      Delete
  5. stephen Hayes6/11/13 18:50

    A fun read, but I don't have anything to contribute. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill6/11/13 23:31

      You contributed a comment - that's still appreciated. And you thought it was fun. So, even better.

      Delete
  6. Frances Garrood7/11/13 02:07

    Your tiny hand is bloody perishing

    (Loved the clip. You look so YOUNG!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill7/11/13 09:06

      I love your idea! Er ... young? Compared to?.....

      Delete
    2. Pam 7/11/13 12:54

      Yes, I had the same thought. Young. Ok, compared to me (63) which possibly isn't a HUGE boost to the morale. Very very young for a granny, anyway!

      Delete
    3. Fran Hill7/11/13 13:42

      I will give you the name of my plastic surgeon for a small fee of £375.00.

      Delete
  7. broken biro7/11/13 02:16

    Every Little Thing She Does is Mildly Entertaining
    I'll Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That... or That... Definitely Not That)
    You're The One That I Meh
    You Are The Cloudy With Scattered Showers of My Life
    There's always the follow up to 'Darling You Look Wonderful Tonight', which is, of course: 'You Look Dog Rough This Morning, Love.'
    Everything I Do, I Do It For YouTube (cracking set, by the way, Fran - love your relaxed style and your mischievous comedy)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill7/11/13 09:08

      Those are very funny. Glad you liked the video! Thanks.

      Delete
  8. Wendy's Writing7/11/13 02:57

    Hyperbole... hm

    I've got the hippy hippy shiver
    Hey, did you happen to see that fit bird over there
    Bohemian song

    ReplyDelete
  9. Martin7/11/13 03:47

    Watched the video, now can't think straight. You're a 'natural', Fran.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Janie Junebug7/11/13 07:13

    "Every night, I'm lying in bed, thinking of murdering you. . . . Wooooe, sweet darlin', you won't feel the pillow on your face." The video made me laugh out loud, as did the post. You are brilliant.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill7/11/13 09:09

      You've cheered me up mightily after a bit of a meh day.

      Delete
    2. Janie Junebug8/11/13 18:14

      Feelin' me-eh (59th Street Bridge Song). Many deeds to do and promises to keep. But I don't care and I'm ready for sleep. Let the morning pass with me staying in bed. Feelin' me-eh.

      Delete
  11. River8/11/13 01:33

    I thought ish was cute and fun when I first heard it and used it, but I soon tired of hearing it everywhere. Now it shows up occasionally in my blog writing, but I don't think I say it anymore in real life. My daughter has a t-shirt that reads Meh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill8/11/13 07:35

      I'd love a teeshirt that says 'Meh'. I'm jealous.

      Delete
    2. Janie Junebug8/11/13 18:15

      I have a Cafe Press shop. Would you like me to make a t-shirt that says meh? It's no trouble.

      Delete
    3. River9/11/13 01:27

      I'm fairly sure she bought it from www.thinkgeek.com, check their site.

      Delete
    4. Fran Hill9/11/13 03:02

      Er ... maybe I should have said, 'I'd love to have the courage to wear a teeshirt that says 'meh' especially as I'm in my fifties now and as broad as the Mississippi ...' Thank you Janie and River for your suggestions - anyone who wants a Meh teeshirt now, you know where to go ...

      Delete
    5. Fran Hill9/11/13 03:03

      And here it is .. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/133e/?pfm=Search&t=meh%20-%20american%20apparel

      Delete
  12. BadPenny8/11/13 03:42

    It's a grey ish day here & that just brightened it up lots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill8/11/13 07:37

      That's good! It's grey-not-ish here. In fact, so grey, my town may actually be IN a cloud.

      Delete
  13. Midlife Roadtripper10/11/13 22:04

    Fran,

    Always a pleasure to visit you. And, now, to know you do standup. I'm so jealous. BTW, "ish" was a word my mother always used. In fact, almost everyone used it in Minnesota US. Substituted it for ick. For instance. "Oh, ish. There's a hair in my soup." or "Boy, the lake is ishy today."

    Not certain why I thought you needed to know that, but there you go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill18/11/13 10:55

      I'm glad you said! I really want to use the phrase, 'Oh, ish!' and see what people say.

      Delete
  14. Jenny Woolf18/11/13 04:24

    Liked this post and the cartoon too.

    Hmmm, so that's what english teachers talk about when they're not teaching....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill18/11/13 10:56

      You wouldn't BELIEVE what English teachers get up to ... in fact, I'm one of them and even I can't believe it.....

      Delete

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