Talk:George M. Cohan

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I stumbled on this page by accident, but this a true example of "serendipity". I was looking for the lyrics of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" to be sung at a Veteran's gathering on December 7, 2003. To my delight, there was a whole world of material on George M Cohan, followed by material on show business, sample lyrics, biographies and histories of Musicals, Composers, Artists... everything a lover of Broadway musicals, European operettas, etc, etc, could ever want. I don't know who you are, but Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!! Shall obviously be back again! Frank H

Contents 1 Illustration 2 yes, that's the baby's name 3 Allan Sherman's "Barry" 4 Debate comment

[edit] Illustration

This article would benefit from a photo of Cohan's statue on Broadway. —Theo (Talk) 21:24, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] yes, that's the baby's name

I have reverted to remove the phrase "yes, that's the baby's name" (see diff). I don't understand why it is here, can anyone explain it? Thanks, --Hansnesse 01:34, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

• Cohan wrote the songs "Yankee Doodle Boy" and "Mary"; Allan Sherman did a parody of the latter called "Barry"; and Barry Bostwick sings "Yankee Doodle Boy" annually. So it's kind of a minor Kevin Bacon moment. Wahkeenah 05:02, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

• "Minor Kevin Bacon moments" don't belong on Wikipedia. I've reverted the latest edit. Let's keep the style and content here encyclopedic. | Klaw ¡digame! 19:17, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

You need to find something better to do with your time... like figuring out a way to keep a-nones from messing things up. Wahkeenah 19:30, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

Indeed; I appreciate that the material has meaning, although I don't think the five words does a good job of explaining the connection or meaning intended. Lets post suggested revisions here and try to work out something that is clearer --Hansnesse 19:32, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

There is no controversy except in the mind of that one user. Wahkeenah 19:37, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

There's absolutely no connection between Barry Bostwick and Allan Sherman, and Wahkeenah's attempts at humor don't belong in the Wikipedia mainspace. No user is going to assume that Barry Bostwick is the "Barry" of Allan Sherman's parody. Send it to BJAODN if you like, but let's not clutter a strong article with irrelevancies and jokes. | Klaw ¡digame! 19:41, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

It is not clear to me the reference is intended as a joke. If there is no controversy, then finding consensus here should be no trouble; Let's start fresh, see below. --Hansnesse 19:48, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Allan Sherman's "Barry"

Wahkeenah suggested the wording (not necessarily Allan Sherman's "Barry") be inserted into the article. To my mind, this does not explain the reference particularly well. (a) Should the fact that Allan Sherman sang a parody titled "Barry" be included and (b) if so, how should it be worded so that the meaning is clear? I suggest not inserting the material until we can come to some sort of agreement here. Thoughts? --Hansnesse 19:48, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

• I'd like to know if anyone on God's green earth other than this Law character actually cares about this. Wahkeenah 19:52, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

I do as well. Is there a clearer way of explaining it. What would you think of a footnote or something akin to it? --Hansnesse 19:56, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

• Should the fact that Allan Sherman sang a parody titled "Barry" be included Absolutely, but it's already mentioned in the Sherman bullet point. Wahkeenah's edits keep trying to create a connection between that song and the fact that the next bullet is about Barry Bostwick, but in fact, there is no connection at all. The existence of the song is adequately covered. | Klaw ¡digame! 19:59, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

• Thanks for the clarification. Perhaps then we could make the meaning clearer in the Sherman bullet point; Do you know if "Barry" from the song title refers to someone/something specifically? Perhaps by clarifying the meaning there, we can avoid the reference in the Bostwick point. Otherwise does the "coincidentally" bit seem ok by all? --Hansnesse 20:12, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

• A clarification of "Barry" in the Sherman bullet would be great - more info is always a good thing. Wahkeenah posted an explanation of "Barry" (and "Horowitz," come to think of it) on my talk page; maybe something like, "Sherman parodied several Cohan songs by adding a Jewish twist" or "by changing their ethnic focus from Irish to Jewish?" | Klaw ¡digame! 20:34, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

How does this wording sound, adding to the Sherman bullet point:

Sherman's parody songs often referenced names, although it is not generally thought to refer to any one person specifically.

Thoughts? --Hansnesse 20:30, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

I'd like it better if we incorporated Wahkeenah's info more specifically. But yes, that would be fine too. | Klaw ¡digame! 20:34, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Debate comment

I don't know if this helps on this debate or not - just as a reader who knows nothing of the subject or wanting really to get envolved. :: Kevinalewis : ^{(Talk Page)} 15:07, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

I do NOT understand any version of what was trying to be said by this editor Wahkeenah. (And no I'm not dense). I thinks if the user has a cogent comment it should be made as a footnote (referenced to the location of the original insert). Then he needs to make very clear what he is trying to convey, because so far it isn't. I thought I followed it to start with but then it got away from me. Sorry! :: Kevinalewis : ^{(Talk Page)} 15:07, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

• It was a big tempest in a very small teapot, and the others won the war, and dat's dat. Wahkeenah 18:17, 21 February 2006 (UTC)