MovieChat Forums > The Band Wagon (1953) Discussion > That's Entertainment Lyrics

That's Entertainment Lyrics

posted 10 years ago by chaz01
7 replies | jump to latest

While watching this on TCM this afternoon, I happened to have closed captioning on. At the end of the first singing of That's Entertainment, approximately 30 minutes in the show, it sounded to me like they were singing...

The gag may be waving the flag
That began with a mystical hand

But the closed captioning had the lines as

The gag may be waving the flag
That began with a Mr. Cohan.

I re-watched the scene a couple times, and it still sounds to me like "mystical hand", but the lines are so similar, I could be mistaken. I looked up the lyrics on several lyrics sites, and surprised that some sources list "mystical hand", while others list "Mister Cohan"

Were there two different versions of this song, perhaps? Both versions seem to fit -- I realize either way it's a reference to George M. Cohan, but I'm wondering if there were issues using his name and maybe it was changed for some reason? Or maybe I'm just too old to hear it correctly, but based on the lyrics site, I'm not the only one who hears "mystical hand".

Curious if anyone has any thoughts, opinions, or additional info. Thanks for any assistance.

[–] rdarin 10 years ago

I wanted to acknowledge your interesting post, although I don't have any definitive information. I always thought it was "mystical hand," too, but then I noticed that every other interior rhyme is a prefect rhyme "clown..down, dance..romance, ball..all," etc. So I don't think it's likely that Howard Dietz would have had a one near-rhyme at that point: "began...hand." Therefore, "Mr. Cohan" certainly seems the probable original lyric. As you say, maybe there were litigation problems.

And then again, what the heck does "mystical hand" mean??

[–] Rosabel 10 years ago

I've always thought it was "mystical hand" too, and it actually doesn't make much sense. I always get a mental image of the hand clothed in white samite, rising out of the lake carrying the sword Excalibur. But the song says "waving a flag", not "waving a sword" so I admit the whole thing defeats me. 'Mr. Cohan' actually makes a LOT more sense.

Flat, drab passion meanders across the screen!

[–] cleverestbunny-430-409659 10 years ago

Well, since George M. Cohan was a very entertaining guy who wrote "You're a Grand Old Flag", I'll go with the "Mr. Cohan" lyric as well.

[–] dmnemaine 8 years ago

I definitely hear,
"The gag may be waving the flag
That began with a Mister Cohan."
Also,"mystical hand" is senseless, so it's doubtful that's the correct lyric.

[–] puirt-a-beul 8 years ago

I've just recently seen this for the first time, and I definitely heard "Mister Cohan".

I assumed it was a reference to George M. Cohan, who made "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy" hits, and was famous for using US flag and Uncle Sam iconography in his shows.

In my experience with lyrics sites, they're full of people's "best guesses", which are the end result of people trying to guess what the lyrics were, when often (as in this case) they don't actually know the reference that's being made. Especially given that the name usually seems to be spelled "Cohen", and is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable, if someone listening to the song didn't know of George M., they would hardly be likely to guess the words are "Mister Cohan", with the emphasis on the last syllable.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] spencerc2217 7 years ago

I've seen this film about fifteen times and have always heard Mr Cohan

[–] marktayloruk (2378) 7 months ago

Why would his family have objected?