Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to get married because it’s…


What’s it called?
Finale.

What’s it from?
‘Mongolian Death Worm: A Puppet Show Musical’, the show what I wrote, starred in, directed, produced, edited etc. with my regular collaborator Mister James Ure during the first national lockdown in 2020. It’s a full 68 minutes of silliness, centring around the search for a mysterious creature that has been pilfering steaks from a village community somewhere near the Gobi Desert.

What’s it all about?
Without wishing to give away too many spoilers, it’s a well-known fact that for a musical to be good it absolutely has to end with at least one wedding. Ours is no exception, and this song – which is actually several little songs rolled into one – self-indulgently takes us through the entire ceremony from “Dearly beloved” right through to “You may now kiss the worm”, before a grand song-and-dance finale brings the entire musical to a satisfying close.

Listen out for…
There are so many great details in this one, so here’s a bit of a list:
 

• The parody of Wagner’s ‘Here Comes the Bride’, but based on the melody of ‘Untitled Worm Song (Part I)’ (0:00-0:25).
• The parody of ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’, but with new worm-related lyrics (0:43-1:38).
• The homage to Tony Burrello’s classic comedy song ‘There’s A New Sound (The Sound Of Worms)’ (1:49-2:12).
• The parody of ‘Minnie the Moocher’, which descends into Shooby Taylor-esque scat singing (2:49-4:07).
• One of my favourite jokes in the whole show:
   
  ROY: Normally people buy each other metal rings, not fungal infections.
  WORM: But you said, “I want you to buy me a ring worm”!

 

• One of my favourite fills/transitions, which at 7:27 leads into the final section.

Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/mdw