'Round Springfield
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"'Round Springfield" is the 22nd episode of the sixth season, and the 125th episode of The Simpsons.
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[edit] Synopsis
On the day of a major history test, Bart gets a stomachache after accidentally eating a jagged metal Krusty-O. Lisa is the only one who believes him and he has to go to school anyway. He struggles through the test and after finally convincing Mrs. Krabappel that he is actually ill she lets him go and see the nurse, who turns out to just be Lunchlady Doris. Bart collapses in the medical room, and is taken to Springfield General Hospital and undergoes surgery from Dr. Julius Hibbert and Dr. Nick Riviera, as he has appendicitis. Later whilst visiting Bart in the hospital, Lisa meets her hero, jazzman Bleeding Gums Murphy, in a bed in another ward. They bond and jam to Carole King's song "Jazzman", then Bleeding Gums lends Lisa his saxophone for her school recital. It starts off badly as there are now only three members of the Springfield Elementary school orchestra, as the rest are having the appendix's removed, but with Bleeding Gums' sax, Lisa gets up and performs a solo routine becoming the star of the show. However, when she returns to the hospital, she is saddened to learn that her beloved mentor Bleeding Gums has died.
Lisa is the only person who attends Bleeding Gums' funeral and after Reverend Lovejoy gets his name wrong, calling him "Blood and Guts Murphy" and "Bloody Gums Murphy", as well as saying that he was a "sousaphone player", Lisa vows to make sure that everyone in Springfield knows the name of Bleeding Gums Murphy. Bart, meanwhile, sues Krusty the Clown for $100,000 and wins, however after Bart's attorney Lionel Hutz takes his "legal fees", he is left with only $500, although Bart is still pleased.
Still stricken with grief, Lisa decides that the best way to honour Bleeding Gums' memory is by having his album played at the local jazz station. Unfortunately, the station only has a range of 23 feet, actually making it the most powerful Jazz station in all of America, and doesn't have Bleeding Gums' album "Sax on the Beach". Lisa spots it in the Android's Dungeon store for $250, but after hearing that Bleeding Gums is dead, Comic Book Guy doubles the price to $500. As Lisa leaves, Bart walks in with his $500 and, after remembering that Lisa was the only one who believed him about his stomach ache, Bart decides to buy the album with his $500, ahead of the Steve Allen ultimate pog. When Lisa points out Bart may never see that kind of money again, he shows Lisa a new box of Krusty-O Cereal -- "With Flesh Eating Bacteria in Every Box!"
When the station plays one of Bleeding Gums' jazz tunes, Lisa is disappointed because the station's tiny range still prevents anyone from hearing it. Lightning then strikes the antenna, giving it extra power and projecting it into every radio in Springfield. Lisa is finally satisfied. Just then, Bleeding Gums Murphy appears from the heavens to tell Lisa that she made him happy by honoring him. After saying a final goodbye, Lisa and Bleeding Gums jam to "Jazzman" one last time.
[edit] Trivia
- Bleeding Gums dying is one of the few times The Simpsons went against its own status quo by permanently removing a character, in this case due to death.
- Bill Cosby mixes hip hop with bebop (see quotes).
- When Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to Lisa near the end, he is joined by Darth Vader, Mufasa, and James Earl Jones saying "This is CNN". Although these are the three most famous roles of James Earl Jones, Harry Shearer provided the voices.
- It is strongly hinted in this episode that Bleeding Gums Murphy and Dr. Hibbert are brothers. In the lines: "I don't really have a family, all I had was a little brother who grew up to become a doctor. He used to laugh at the most inappropriate times." to which and oblivious Dr. Hibbert replies, beginning with the laugh Bleeding Gums was referring to: "Hey I've got an older brother that I'll never see. He's a jazz musician or some such. Oh well, bye, bye."
- Groundskeeper Willie's description of the French as "cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!", has become widely used, particularly in the run-up to the war in Iraq.
[edit] Cultural References
- The title is both a play on the jazz standard 'Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk, and the similarly named film about an unappreciated jazz musician.
- When Mufasa appears he accidentally says "Kimba" and corrects himself after by saying "Simba". This is a reference to a long going, raging debate about whether or not The Lion King had ripped off the classic anime Kimba the White Lion.
[edit] Quotes
- Bart: Hey Lis, you still upset about that jazz guy? Well, I believe that when you die, you can come back as whatever you like. I'll be a butterfly.
Lisa: How come?
Bart: Cause... nobody ever suspects... the butterfly!
(The view changes to Springfield Elementary School burned to rubble)
Principal Skinner: I didn't burn down the school! It was the butterfly I tell you! The butterfly!
Chief Wiggum: He's crazy boys, get the taser.
(view changes to Bart, as a butterfly, holding a huge can of gas)
Bart: Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! - Krusty: Hey kids, it's story time! Hu, hu, hu, hu, ha, ha, ha! I'm gonna tell you the story of Krusty's expensive new suit. His sexual harassment suit! Aha, ha, ha.... oh boy. Anyway, as part of Krusty's plea bargain, he has a new court-ordered sidekick. Ms. No Means No! Whoa! You're hot! Let's get some dinner after the show! (Ms. No Means No blows her whistle and brandishes her 'No' sign at Krusty) But I have dinner with all my employees. Right, Sideshow Mel?
Mel: We've never spoken outside of work.
Krusty: Aha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... owwwww.
Bart: (Watching) I'm surprised he doesn't try to blame his problems on his Percodan addiction.
Krusty: (Back on the show) It wasn't my fault! It was the Percodan! If you ask me, that stuff rots your brain. And now a word from our new sponsor, (reads card) Percodan! Arghh crap! - Bart:Lunchlady Doris? What are you doing in the nurse's station?
Lunchlady Doris: Budget cuts. They've even got Groundskeeper Willie teaching French.
(cut to Groundskeeper Willie in French Class)
Groundskeeper Willie: Bonjourrrrr, you cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys! - (Flashback of how Bleeding Gums got his saxophone)
Blind Willie: I've been playing jazz for thirty years and I just can't make a go of it. I want you to have my saxophone.
Bleeding Gums: This isn't a saxophone! It's an umbrella. (Takes out the umbrella).
Blind Willie: So I've been playing an umbrella for thirty years. Why didn't anybody tell me!
Bleeding Gums: Heh! We all thought it was funny!
Blind Willie: That's not funny. - Cliff Huxtable: Hey kids! Meet Grampa Murphy!
Rudy: But we have three Grampas already!
Cliff: This one's a great jazz musician!
Rudy: Oh, they all are!
Cliff: Oh, oh! You see, the kids, they listen to the rap music, which gives them the brain damage, with their hippin' and the hoppin', and the bippin' and the boppin, so they don't know what the jazz is all about. You see, jazz is like a Jello Pudding Pop. No! Actually, it's more like Kodak film. No! Actually, jazz is like the New Coke, it'll be around forever. Heh, heh, heh. - (Characters appearing in clouds as they speak)
Bleeding Gums: You've made an old jazzman happy Lisa.
Mufasa: You must avenge my death Kimba- dah, I mean Simba.
Darth Vader: Luke, I am your father.
James Earl Jones: This is CNN.
Bleeding Gums: Will you guys pipe down?! I'm saying goodbye to Lisa!
All: (except Bleeding Gums and Lisa) We're sorry. - Homer: Lisa, honey, if you really want to preserve his memory, I recommend getting a tattoo. It preserves the things you love.
(Homer pulls up his shirt sleeve)
Homer: Starland Vocal Band? They suck!
[edit] External links
- "'Round Springfield" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
- The Simpsons clips with a clip from "'Round Springfield".
- The Simpsons clips with a clip from "'Round Springfield" at TV.com
