Subject
April in Arizona and popular songs
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In order to understand Nabokov's relationship with America, we should look
again at his proud declaration that he was "as American as April in
Arizona." This remark was not merely rhetorical, despite the artfulness of
its alliteration and its apparent allusion to the popular song "April in
Paris."
Dear SES,
Hm - - I also "hear" a reference to another popular song here - - from South
Pacific's "A Wonderful Guy": I'm as corny as Kansas in August, high as the
flag on the Fourth of July....
But the "April in Paris" possibility is interesting too. Did VN perhaps know
that "Vernon Duke" who wrote the song* was really a Russian (Vladimir
Dukelsky) in American disguise?
Carolyn
*music by Vernon Duke, lyrics by Yip ("Over the Rainbow") Harburg
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again at his proud declaration that he was "as American as April in
Arizona." This remark was not merely rhetorical, despite the artfulness of
its alliteration and its apparent allusion to the popular song "April in
Paris."
Dear SES,
Hm - - I also "hear" a reference to another popular song here - - from South
Pacific's "A Wonderful Guy": I'm as corny as Kansas in August, high as the
flag on the Fourth of July....
But the "April in Paris" possibility is interesting too. Did VN perhaps know
that "Vernon Duke" who wrote the song* was really a Russian (Vladimir
Dukelsky) in American disguise?
Carolyn
*music by Vernon Duke, lyrics by Yip ("Over the Rainbow") Harburg
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm