Changes: I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General

Revision as of 18:37, 11 March 2020

"I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" was a satirical song from the operetta The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan. It depicted a military leader, a major general who was well-educated in every field except the ones that a military leader ought to be knowledgeable about.

Una considered the song to be part of her "freaky" to be kept to herself, but in 2254 nonetheless sang part of the song when she was stuck in a turbolift with Spock. After a short pause, Spock continued with two slightly paraphrased lines of the responding chorus, before being interrupted by Lieutenant Amin's rescue. Una then ordered Spock to forget the incident. (ST: "Q&A")

In 2368, Beverly Crusher convinced a reluctant Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge to attempt the Major-General's song. However, La Forge called it "silly" and could only bring himself to sing the first two lines. (TNG: "Disaster")

Lyrics (excerpt)

I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

Chorus, as paraphrased by Spock:

In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
you are the very model of a modern Major-General.

Background

The actual line in the chorus is "In short, in matters vegetable, animal and mineral/ He is the very model of a modern Major-General."

The Major-General's song was included in "Q&A" because Rebecca Romijn, who plays Number One, enjoys singing Gilbert and Sullivan songs. (Inside Short Treks: How Rebecca Romijn Helped Sneak Gilbert and Sullivan into Star Trek at CBS All Access)

External link

"Major-General's Song" at Wikipedia

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-"'''I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General'''" is a satirical song from the operetta ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' by [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]. It depicts a military leader, a [[major general]] who is well-educated in every field except the ones that a military leader ought to be knowledgeable about.
+"'''I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General'''" was a satirical song from the operetta ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' by [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]. It depicted a [[military]] leader, a [[major general]] who was well-educated in every field except the ones that a military leader ought to be knowledgeable about.
+[[Una]] considered the song to be part of her "freaky" to be kept to herself, but in [[2254]] nonetheless sang part of the song when she was stuck in a [[turbolift]] with [[Spock]]. After a short pause, Spock continued with two slightly paraphrased lines of the responding chorus, before being interrupted by [[Lieutenant]] [[Amin]]'s rescue. Una then ordered Spock to forget the incident. ({{ST|Q&A}})
-In [[2368]], [[Beverly Crusher]] convinced [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Commander]] [[Geordi La Forge]] to attempt the Major-General's song. However, La Forge's rendition was interrupted when the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} collided with a [[quantum filament]]. ({{TNG|Disaster}})
+In [[2368]], [[Beverly Crusher]] convinced a reluctant [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Geordi La Forge]] to attempt the Major-General's song. However, La Forge called it "silly" and could only bring himself to sing the first two lines. ({{TNG|Disaster}})
-The first verse of the song began as follows:
+== Lyrics (excerpt)==
-''I am the very model of a modern Major-General,''<br />
+<poem>
-''I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,''<br />
+''I am the very model of a modern [[Major general|Major-General]],''
+''I've information [[vegetable]], [[animal]], and [[mineral]],''
+''I know the [[king]]s of [[England]], and I quote the fights historical''
+''From [[Battle of Marathon|Marathon]] to [[Waterloo]], in order categorical;''
+''I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters [[mathematics|mathematical]],''
+''I understand [[equation]]s, both the simple and [[Quadratic equation|quadratical]],''
+''About [[binomial theorem]] I'm teeming with a lot o' [[news]],''
+''With many cheerful facts about the [[Square root|square]] of the [[hypotenuse]].''
+''I'm very good at [[integral]] and [[differential calculus]];''
+''I know the [[scientific name]]s of beings [[animalcule|animalculous]]:''
+''In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,''
+''I am the very model of a modern Major-General.''
+</poem>
+Chorus, as paraphrased by Spock:
+<poem>
+''In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,''
+''you are the very model of a modern Major-General.''
+</poem>
+== Background ==
+The actual line in the chorus is "In short, in matters vegetable, animal and mineral/ '''He is''' the very model of a modern Major-General."
+The Major-General's song was included in {{e|Q&A}} because [[Rebecca Romijn]], who plays [[Una|Number One]], enjoys singing [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] songs. ({{el|www.cbs.com/shows/star-trek-short-treks/video/020B7845-C631-C0F1-89B5-93BD6D2F945A/inside-short-treks-how-rebecca-romijn-helped-sneak-gilbert-and-sullivan-into-star-trek/|Inside Short Treks: How Rebecca Romijn Helped Sneak Gilbert and Sullivan into Star Trek|www.cbs.com|CBS All Access}})
 == External link ==
 * {{wikipedia-quote|Major-General's Song}}
-[[Category:Earth music]]
 [[de:I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General]]
+[[Category:Earth musical compositions]]