"U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." is a popular song from the musical ''

Starlight Express ''Starlight Express'' is a 1984 British musical, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. It tells the story of a young but obsolete steam engine, Rusty, who races in a championship against modern engines in the hope o ...

'', with music by

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musica ...

and lyrics by

Richard Stilgoe Sir Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe (born 28 March 1943) is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician, and broadcaster who is best known for his humorous songs and frequent television appearances. His output includes collaborations with Andrew ...

. It is performed by

Dinah the Dining Car ''Starlight Express'' is a 1984 British musical, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. It tells the story of a young but obsolete steam engine, Rusty, who races in a championship against modern engines in the hope of ...

, after being dumped by her macho boyfriend,

Greaseball The following is a list of ethnic slurs or ethnophaulisms or ethnic epithets that are, or have been, used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or racial group or to refer to them in a derogatory, pejorative, or ot ...

. It is a pastiche of the

Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette (born Virginia Wynette Pugh; May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998) was an American country music artist, as well as an actress and author. She is considered among the genre's most influential and successful artists. Along with Loretta Ly ...

song, "

D-I-V-O-R-C-E "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" is a song written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman, and recorded by American country music artist Tammy Wynette. It was released in May 1968 as the first single and title track from the album '' D-I-V-O-R-C-E''. Wynette's vers ...

Lyrics

The lyrics are packed with humour. The song starts with Dinah describing to her friends that "I've been..." before confessing that she "can't say the word." So she spells it out for them instead. She then goes on to explain how she can't stop "C.R.Y.I.N.G." She announces that she will have her "R.E.V.E.N.G.E." on Greaseball, who she now sees as a complete "B.A.S.T.A.R.D."

Music

Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the song in the key of B flat major. It is played in a country and western style.

Thematic value

The song is reprised when Greaseball can't find the word to apologise to Dinah. She recommends he spell it instead, so (being a bit of a dunce) he tells her he is "S.O.R.R.R.Y."

History

Starlight Express has had many revisions made to the costumes, make-up, choreography, wigs, set, characters and musical numbers. Of all the notable musical numbers in Starlight Express, U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D (along with 'Right Place, Right Time') has had no revision made to the number at all.

Recordings

*Starlight Express: Original London Cast Recording -

Frances Ruffelle Frances Ruffelle (born 29 August 1965) is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She won a Tony Award in 1987, and represented the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest with the song " Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)", f ...

*The New Starlight Express - Caron Cardelle *Crimson Ensemble *

Stephanie Lawrence Stephanie Lawrence (16 December 1949 – 4 November 2000) was a British musical theatre actress. Background Stephanie Lawrence was born in 1949 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. She was the daughter of a Welsh singer, to whom sh ...

*The London Pops Orchestra *

Diane Langton Diane Langton (born 31 May 1947) is an English actress and singer, known for playing Marlena "Nana" McQueen in ''Hollyoaks'' from 2007 to 2009 and 2012 onwards. Career Langton has appeared in numerous television series. In the 1980s, she appear ...

References

Starlight Express
Songs from musicals Songs with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber 1984 songs