Playful Humor

Sometimes, I think writers think that they must be serious in order to get their points across. There is no room for light hearted playful humor. We must be proper in order for being to respect and listened to. However, we find that many writers use some form of humor in their writing to stir their readers, from dry humor to playful and even sarcastic. There are so many different forms of humor out there that can help mold and shape our writing, without losing it's message. For this idea, I thought we would look at Superchick's song "Princes and Frogs", that takes on the task of getting their point across by redoing bits of a common fairytale story into this playful, and humorous song.



Princes and Frogs by Superchick

All princes start as frogs, and gentlemen as dogs
Just wait till it's plain to see
What we're growing up to be
Cause some frogs will still be frogs
And some dogs will still be dogs
Some boys could become men
Just don't kiss us till then

You hate men is what you say and I understand
How you feel that way
All girls dream of a fairy tale
But what you've got's like a used car salesman
Trying to conceal what's wrong behind a smile and the song
And I'm not saying that boys are not like that
But I think you should know (you should)
That some of us will grow
Because

All princes start as frogs
And all gentlemen as dogs
Just wait till it's plain to see
What we're growing up to be
Cause some frogs will still be frogs
And some dogs willl still be dogs
Some boys could become men
Just don't kiss us till then

You found him is what you say
And we all want you to feel that way
But the frog you've got seems cute enough to kiss
And Maybe frogs seem like that's all there is
But just because you haven't found your prince yet
Doesn't mean you're still not a princess
And what if your prince comes riding in
While you're kissing a frog
What's he gonna think then?
So look into his eyes
Are you a princess or a fly?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfYNi9WRJb8



We see in this song that Superchick, a band typically lead by female singer Tricia Brock, is taking the fairytale story that many of us have heard before, and weaves it into a song. A princess kisses a frog that turns into this handsome prince charming. However, they take this new approach into this fairytale story, and try to get the point across to girls, or princesses, that not all "frogs" are going to turn into a prince charming. It's interesting that the boys in the band are the ones singing this song, as we realize that it's not simply bashing males, but that even they agree that men may not always start out perfect, saying that "I'm not saying that boys are not like that" when describing how boys can act. They will just be boys, but they have the opportunity to grow into men suitable for "princesses". However, the band does this playfully, always returning to a lighthearteness that we get from fairytales.

We see throughout the verses as well, that the band touches on the fairytale story again, stating how every girl dreams of that perfect fairy tale, but that it's not realistic of all guys. Probably the funnier portion comes in at verse two, when the story shifts into the girl having found what she thinks is a suitable frog to kiss. As the verse states, girls should be able to find the one and be happy and treated like a princess, but we need to be careful of those "frogs" that we go after. The question they present is humourous as well. What would your prince charming say if he came and saw you kissing just another lousy frog? It would most likely ruin your chances with the prince, which is how the song is attempting us to really think before we jump into a situation like that. Are we a "princess or a fly?" Are the guys we are with treating us like we are something to be treasured or as just another possesion or meal? This leads the listener, typically a girl, into really thinking about her value, in a playful manner over being serious and preachy.

Of course this isn't the only way to get our points across in a humourous way, this is simply only one option that really depends on your audience and what you are trying to say. Being playful can help to ease the tension of a more serious issue, and as we see in this song, can still be effective in leading it's audience to the writer's point of view. So don't be afraid to experiment with different forms of humor. Try being sarcastic. Try being playful. There are so many different options, and you'll find that each has will create a different effect and tone to your piece. Experiment and find what works best for you for your piece. You'll find, being funny is just as effective as being serious.

-Adri