'Round Springfield
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"'Round Springfield" is the 22nd episode of the sixth season, and the 125th episode of The Simpsons.
Synopsis
On the day of a major test, Bart gets a sore stomach after accidentally eating a jagged metal Krusty-O. Lisa is the only one to believe him, but after he collapses at school, he is sent to the hospital. Whilst visiting Bart in the hospital (for what turns out to be appendicitis), Lisa meets her hero, jazzman Bleeding Gums Murphy, in a bed in another ward. They bond and jam, then Bleeding Gums lends Lisa his saxophone for her school recital. With Bleeding Gums' sax, Lisa becomes the star of the show, but when she returns to the hospital, she learned that her beloved Bleeding Gums has died.At his funeral, Lisa is the only one to show up, and after Reverend Lovejoy gets Bleeding Gums' name wrong, Lisa vows to make sure that everyone in Springfield knows the name of Bleeding Gums Murphy. Bart, meanwhile, sues Krusty the Clown for $100,000 and wins, however after Bart's attorney Lionel Hutz takes his "legal fees", he is left with only $500.
Still stricken with grief, Lisa decides that the best way to honour Bleeding Gums' memory is by having his album played at the local jazz station. Unfortunately, the station only has a range of 23 feet, and doesn't have Bleeding Gums' album. Lisa spots it in the Android's Dungeon store for $250, but after hearing that Bleeding Gums is dead, Comic Book Guy doubles the price to $500. As Lisa leaves, Bart walks in with his $500 and, after remembering that Lisa was the only one who believed him about his stomach ache, Bart buys the album for her.
When the station plays one of BGM's jazz tunes, Lisa is disappointed because the station's tiny range still prevents anyone from hearing it. Lightning then strikes the antenna, giving it extra power and projecting it into every radio in Springfield. Lisa is finally satisfied. Just then, Bleeding Gums Murphy appears from the heavens to tell Lisa that she made him happy by honoring him. Lisa and Bleeding Gums then jam to "Jazzman". The head in the sky is a parody of Mufasa appearing in the sky in The Lion King.
Quotes
- Krusty: Hey kids its storytime! Hu, hu, hu, hu, ha, ha, ha! I'm gonna tell you the story of Krusty's expensive new suit. His sexual harassment suit! Aha, ha, ha.... oh boy. Anyway, as part of Krusty's plea bargain he has a new court ordered sidekick. Ms. No Means No! Woah! You're hot! Let's get some dinner after the show! (Ms. No Means No blows her whistle and brandishes her 'No' sign at Krusty) But I have dinner with all my employees. Right Sideshow Mel.
Mel: We've never spoken outside of work.
Krusty: Aha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... owwwww.
Bart: (Watching) I'm surprised he doesn't try to blame his problem's on his Percodan addiction.
Krusty: (Back on the show) It wasn't my fault! It was the Percodan! If you ask me, that stuff rots your brain. And now a word from our new sponsor, (reads card) Percodan! Arghh crap! - Bart: Lunchlady Doris? What are you doing in the nurse's station?
Lunchlady Doris: Budget cuts. They've even got Groundskeeper Willie teaching French.
(cut to Groundskeeper Willie in French Class)
Groundskeeper Willie: Bonjourrrrr, you cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys! - (Flashback of how Bleeding Gums got his saxaphone)
Blind Willie: I've been playing jazz for thirty years and I just can't make a go of it. I want you to have my saxaphone.
Bleeding Gums: This isn't a saxaphone! It's an umbrella. (Takes out the umbrella).
Blind Wille: So I've been playing an umbrella for thirty years. Why didn't anybody tell me!
Bleeding Gums: Heh! We all thought it was funny!
Blind Willie: That's not funny. - Bill Cosby: Hey kids! Meet Grampa Murphy!
Daughter: But we have three Grampas already!
Bill Cosby: This one's a great jazz musician!
Daughter: Oh, they all are!
Bill Cosby: Oh, oh! You see, the kids, they listen to the rap music, which gives them the brain damage, with their hippin' and the hoppin', and the bippin' and the boppin, so they don't know what the jazz is all about. You see, jazz is like a Jello Pudding Pop. No! Actually, it's more like Kodak film. No! Actually, jazz is like the New Coke, it'll be around forever. Heh, heh, heh. - (Characters appearing in clouds as they speak)
Bleeding Gums: You've made an old jazzman happy Lisa.
Mufasa: You must avenge my death Kimba- dah, I mean Simba.
Darth Vader: Luke, I am your father.
James Earl Jones: This is CNN.
Bleeding Gums: Will you guys pipe down?! I'm saying goodbye to Lisa!
All: (except Bleeding Gums and Lisa) We're sorry. - Homer: Lisa, honey, if you really want to preserve his memory, I recommend getting a tattoo. It preserves the things you love.
(Homer pulls up his shirt sleeve)
Homer: Starland Vocal Band? They suck!
Trivia
- The title is both a play on the jazz standard 'Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk, and the similarly named film about an unappreciated jazz musician.
- Bleeding Gums dying is one of the few times The Simpsons went against its own status quo by permanently removing a character, in this case due to death.
- When Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to Lisa near the end, he is joined by Darth Vader, Mufasa, and a booming voice parodying CNN. Although these are the three most famous roles of James Earl Jones, Harry Shearer provided the voices.
- When Mufasa appears he accidentally says "Kimba" and corrects himself after by saying "Simba". This is a reference to a long going, raging debate about whether or not The Lion King had ripped off the classic anime Kimba the White Lion.
External links
- [The Simpsons clips] with a clip from "'Round Springfield".
- [The Simpsons clips with a clip from "'Round Springfield"] at TV.com
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