Show Synopsis:
Teenage Fanny Brice starts her career in vaudeville by being funny instead of conventionally beautiful and talented, and meets Nicky Arnstein soon afterwards. Although her career flourishes and she becomes a star, Nicky convinces her to marry him if he wins a fortune gambling. After they marry, Fanny invests heavily in a casino, which fails and pushes Nicky to embezzlement. He goes to prison and when he gets out, he and Fanny decide to separate, and Fanny has to learn to start again.
Character:
Fanny Brice, a talented young Jewish woman who wants to be a star and learns to use her talent for comedy to succeed in show business; is not a typical beauty and struggles a bit with the fact she will not be a classic star.
Song Context:
Fanny and Nicky have professed their love for each other, and Fanny is determined to marry him and spend her life with him, no matter his history as a gambler.
Fun Facts:
1) While casting the original Broadway production of Funny Girl, the team considered Mary Martin to play Fanny Brice. Stephen Sondheim, who at the time had agreed to write the lyrics, told Jule Styne "You've got to have a Jewish girl, and if she's not Jewish she at least has to have a nose." Sondheim dropped the project, and Barbra Streisand was cast in the role.
2) Streisand reprised the role for the film adaptation and was honored with an Academy Award for Best Actress. 3) This song has been covered many times over by artists in many different genres, but was notably cut from the film adaptation of Funny Girl.
"Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter.
Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade.
Don't tell me not to fly, I've simply got to.
If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you.
Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade?
I'll march my band out, I'll beat my drum
And if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir,
At least I didn't fake it. Hat, sir
I guess, I didn't make it but whether
I'm the rose of sheer perfection
Or freckle on the nose of life's complexion
The cinder or the shiny apple of its eye
I gotta fly once, I gotta try once
Only can die once, right, sir?
Ooh, life is juicy, juicy and you'll see
I'm gonna have my bite, sir.
Get ready for me, love 'cause I'm a comer.
I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade.
I'm gonna live and live now
Get what I want, I know how.
One roll for the whole she-bang.
One throw, that bell will go clang.
Eye on the target and wham.
One shot, one gun shot, and bam!
Hey, Mister Arnstein, here I am!
I'll march my band out, I will beat my drum.
And if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir
At least I didn't fake it. Hat, sir,
Guess I didn't make it.
Get ready for me, love 'cause I'm a comer
I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer.
Nobody, no, nobody, is gonna rain on my parade"