Pigs singing the Happy Wanderer

[MartyMuppets]

Ah ha, that's very true, Marty. I do remember how he held up the rope to verify that it was firm and secure. I would certainly understand him being so apprehensive as he was singing, especially as he reached that part in the chorus, too. And then he was so ecstatic about not falling at the time. If I remember correctly, he started singing louder and having a good jolly ol' time! Until those darn boulders, of course!

Man, that evil goat sure is sneaky!

Yes Caroline. Your memory does serve you well. I especially love how he's singing the final line. "Beneath the clear blue..." and then when the boulders appear he turns his head aside as he sees them coming a split second before they hit him and he screams out the last word of the song, "skyyyyy" Coincidentally that happens to be your choice of username as well Caroline.

I just love the look on his face just before he's crushed. It's like his last living thought was "Aw, no."

BTW I think the goat just decided to give the Muppeteers a break.
After all it was pretty easy to puppeteer the first pig's fall but the second pig's fall was more challenging and must have taken several takes to make it look just right. So he used the boulders to save them having to trouble themselves filming the third pig's fall. Wasn't that considerate of him?

It just goes to show there's always some little measure of good in anybody. Even a wicked, evil, piggy-terminating goat

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

What's BTW stand for?

 

[MartyMuppets]

Some forum people use it as an abbreviation for By The Way

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

Okay, thanks!

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Well I can hope can't I?

Yeah, you can.

 

[Skye]

Yes Caroline. Your memory does serve you well. I especially love how he's singing the final line. "Beneath the clear blue..." and then when the boulders appear he turns his head aside as he sees them coming a split second before they hit him and he screams out the last word of the song, "skyyyyy" Coincidentally that happens to be your choice of username as well Caroline.

I just love the look on his face just before he's crushed. It's like his last living thought was "Aw, no."

BTW I think the goat just decided to give the Muppeteers a break.
After all it was pretty easy to puppeteer the first pig's fall but the second pig's fall was more challenging and must have taken several takes to make it look just right. So he used the boulders to save them having to trouble themselves filming the third pig's fall. Wasn't that considerate of him?

It just goes to show there's always some little measure of good in anybody. Even a wicked, evil, piggy-terminating goat

Hey, I guess I did an awesome job at picking a username, didn't I?

Ha, I'll bet that was his last thought. With a big ol' boulder comin' outta nowhere... can't blame him!

That's true, and an awesome way to look at it. It did look like it might've been pretty tough to puppeteer that... and it looks so awesome that way. Aww, so it's a sweet evil goat!

 

[Ilikemuppets]

He's a sweet goat with a sneekely mean edge.

 

[MartyMuppets]

Thanks Caroline and William.

I was recently thinking about how it's such a great sketch and while such tragedy could happen in real life it's really exaggerated in the way the pigs behave after the first one goes splat.

After all it could happen in real life that a trio of mountain climbers could sing the Happy Wanderer together or any cheerful song they liked as they went along. And it could happen unfortunately that the one on the end met with a terrible fate. And it's also logically feasible that "Uh-oh" and "Watch your step" would probably be the sort of things the other two would say to each other in reaction.

However, it's highly unlikely they would resume happily singing by themselves.
It just doesn't add up, does it?
Would you not rather suspect after the initial shock had worn off and the need to be very careful had set in the other pigs would be feeling rather sad and grieved about seeing their good friend die? And there was absolutely nothing they could do to save him?
Logically they should have been climbing up further with care in mournful silence, but of course if they had acted naturally it would have spoiled the enjoyment of the skit wouldn't it?

 

[MartyMuppets]

I can actually imagine that first pig turning in his grave and moaning "What! I thought you were my buddies and when I'm killed your response is to sing cheerily together? You traitors."

Then he thinks about what happened to him and sniggers "But you wouldn't feel quite so sing-songy if you only knew what I knew. So you'll get your come-uppance."

Isn't revenge sweet?

 

[Skye]

That's very true, Marty. And logically, you're right, they would've kept climbing in silence, or they may have decided to stop and just go back down to be and mourn by their friend. Hehe, I love how the Muppets could take normally sad things, and make them pretty funny... or pretty darn weird.

Haha, Marty... ahh, the revenge! That's a funny thought... I'll bet he was thinkin' that!

And, I recently got the Time Life video with this episode on it, and when I was watching it the other day and it got to this scene, all I could think about was this silly thread! Thanks, Marty!