Simple Song Structure Hits Jackpot in Las Vegas

This performance is perfect. Jenny applies every trick in the book to improvise a funny song, and takes complete possession of the audience. She begins with “Won’t you be my koala ?” and here comes the romantic power ballad.

1. The song structure is solid as can be: verse/verse/bridge/verse. No meandering whatsoever.
2. “Won’t You Be My Koala?” (the thematic line) is placed at the top of each verse and left out of the bridge. This procedure is present in one of the games I teach students to play as they learn song structures.
3. This thematic line is explored and heightened throughout the song, never veered away from or abandoned.
4. Overall, the lyrics contain constant “relevant vocabulary” to the thematic line, which the audience finds clever and funny…nocturnal, tree, branches, pouch, marsupials…even “cuddle” qualifies. Koalas are cuddly!
5. The last line is tripled, with the final line slowing down to a finish – touchdown!

Finally, Jenny improvises a lovely melody from top to bottom – as if she weren’t busy thinking about anything else..if NONE of the preceding technical virtues of this improvised song were present, her absolute commitment and energy would have pleased the audience all by itself. (Conversely, take away the commitment and energy and we’d say, “hey that was pretty good.” But put it ALL together and it’s dynamite.)

Is Jenny a genius? Sure, but being an astute applicant of technigue didn’t hurt. In my book, “Musical Improv Comedy,” I quote one of my teachers, Dick Grove, who said “Craft liberates genius.” I love that.

WON’T YOU BE MY KOALA?
Based on the audience suggestion, “koala.”
Improvised by Jenny Wynters in the culminating performance of Michael Pollock‘s musical improv intensive at The Second City Las Vegas

VERSE 1
Won’t you be my koala?
Come close and hold me tight
And then, show me that you’re nocturnal
When you keep me up all through the night

VERSE 2
Won’t you be my koala?
Just climb me like a tree
Explore all of my branches, baby
Come close and cuddle me – oh yeah

BRIDGE
I look into your eyes, my love
And I think, “What should I do?”
But then I just crawl inside your hairy pouch
And there’s nothin’ wrong we can do, oh baby

VERSE 3
Won’t you be my koala? Oh yeah
Come on and hold me close
‘Cos I’m the kind that loves marsupials
And it’s that that no one needs to know – oh no baby, it’s our secret
Oh, nobody needs to know – don’t tell ‘em, they’ll think it’s sick
Nobody needs to know

Related posts:

1. The Concept of “Song as Covert Tactic”
2. Collaborative Comedy Songwriting: "Craigslist Rocks"
3. Great Use of a Chorus in an Improvised Song