It’s
a showstopper. That’s what “Seventy-Six Trombones” is for The
Music Man. A showstopper.
It’s
also a puzzler.
Seventy-six trombones
One hundred ten cornets
More than a thousand reeds
Why?
Or,
even more accurately, how? We never see bands of that size for
any purpose.
Actually,
it kind of makes sense. But you need to be familiar with the show,
as it builds on a memory. Harold Hill, a lead character, is supposedly
recalling a moment from his younger days when he saw several big
bands come together in a combined performance.
If
you don’t know about Harold Hill, then seventy-six trombones performing
all at once won’t make much sense.
Still…
how often do some numbers fail to make sense?
Five
rings on the Olympic flag? That’s for five continents.
Fifty
stars on the flag of the United States? One for each state.
Some
things we know quite easily. Some we don’t. That doesn’t change
the idea that the answers are, for some people, obvious.
Douglas
Adams made the number 42 famous. Not everyone knows how fast Marty
McFly needs to get the DeLorean moving. While James Bond likes
his martinis, I’d wager we all know his 007.
This
fascination with numbers may seem a bit goofy, but in many circles,
it actually matters.
Did
you know there are people that have tried to figure out if Doc’s
need for 88 miles per hour could have been reached by the DeLorean
in the mall parking lot? Well, of course there are. (Most seem
to claim it wouldn’t have, unless Doc tinkered with the engine.)
The point is, when you claim significance, and even many times
when you don’t, you have to assume someone is going to call you
on accuracy (or at least claim significance).
Often,
the answer isn’t difficult. It’s the context that provides the
real troubles.
“25
or 6 to 4” is the title of a hit song by Chicago. (Great song.)
If you don’t know what the title means, it becomes an amazing
headscratcher to figure out. In fact, over the decades, it has
been one of the great questions to use when stumping music lovers.
But the answer is really simple.
It’s
a time.
The
phrase is being expressed casually. Expand it out to be a bit
clearer and you have twenty-five or twenty-six minutes to four.
As in, 3:35 or 3:34. And when you listen to the lyrics, it’s easy
to place the song as taking place around 3:30am.
Trombones
in the big parade. The meaning doesn’t have to be deep, but most
people will assume there is a meaning.