Ghyll:Affable Young Gentlemen

An enduring and controversial ballad, Odgar IV's "Affable Young Gentlemen" is a subject of great debate. It has been variously interpreted as a commentary on the Extraordinarily Bloodless Revolution, an epiphany on Odgar's latent gentinality, and an ode to the great poet Arariax, one of Odgar's greatest influences.

Historical context

The time of the song's writing was a bleak period for Odgar IV. It marked the low point in an incredible run of misfortune. With the prevailing hostility of society towards gentinality, public suspension of gentinals was commonplace. One of his female housekeepers had imprudently begun nesting in his sleeping quarters. He had recently suffered the mysterious loss of his close friend Arariax. One of his detractors, Lord Glosfordshier had recently concocted and popularised a diabolical pronunciation of his name - "Ojjar". What is more, we glean from his journal that only the day before Odgar had tripped and fallen into a fefferberry bush.

Arrangements

Countless versions exist. Whilst the insipid -47 EC rendition by Whostley is most prevalent, aficionados consider that published in Songs of Odgar The Fourth to be most authentic. In various transcriptions, "Affable" is replaced by "Amiable", "Approachable", or even "Amicable". The instrument used to play the accompaniment is widely disputed. Some interpreters were even so bold as to modify what is unquestionably the most pervasive chorus in history ("Laaaa lalalalala .. LA LAAA!").

However one construes the lyrics, their fervent profundity is undeniable. To this day, it is not uncommon to see a young fellow from Threel weep openly at the mere mention of the title. Rater Goldfish's powerful Freege Horn rendition reduced the most hardened members of the Tarkherk Corps to tears at the Battle of Umbo Moor, after which it was banned under the Flarglehodd Treaty.

Citations: Gentinality, Odgar IV, Suspension.

--Larj Zyquon 21:43, 20 May 2005 (EDT)