Townspeople Helping Townspeople Cease Feeling Like Idiots About Rock-Related Things They Should Know
On a recent episode of the best show on WFMU, The Best Show on WFMU, host Tom Scharpling made an aside about all the years he’s spent feeling like an idiot for not knowing how to pronounce the last word in The Clash song “White Man (in Hammersmith Palais).” I knew exactly where he was coming from. I’ve loved that song for 33 years, yet despite my pride in knowing just enough French to get myself in trouble by trying to use it when I’m over there, I’ve always resisted pronouncing it “pal-ay.” It’s an actual concert hall in London, I presume, so for all I know the Brits butcher the word, as they seem to do with most French words, and comfortably pronounce it “palace.”
To avoid sounding pretentious I’ve always referred to the song, when it comes up in conversation with friends, as “White Man in Hammersmith Palace—or whatever it’s called.” Folks, I’m tired of feeling like an idiot. Can someone assure me of the proper pronunciation?
If you’ve been hiding your ignorance of some rock-related thing you really should know by now, we’re offering a judgment-free window to pose your deep-seated point of ignorance and stop feeling like an idiot around your rock-nerd friends once and for all.
I’ve got a Clash bootleg, on which Strummer pronounces it ‘pal-ay.” But isn’t he really from more of an international background? Who knows how the real English pronounce it.
Just listen to the last verse: “…I’m the white man – in the Pal-Lay / Just go looking for fun…”
I say Pal-AY, but I’ve heard them on live tapes introduce it as “PAL-ay” with the emphasis on pal.
This is consistent with how Mick Jones pronounced Des Moines when I told him I’d traveled from Iowa to see the Clash in Chicago (DAY-moin).
It’s ‘pal-ay’, Mod. That’s the name, and spelling, of the venue, and I’ve never heard anyone from England mention it and pronounce it ‘palace’.
http://www.urban75.org/london/images/hammersmith-palais-02.jpg
Pal-AY is also how Ray Davies pronounces it in “Come Dancing,” I think.
But have you heard someone from England mention it and pronounce it “pal-ay?”
Man, now you’re really making me feel like an idiot. I often can’t make out what people are singing in songs, even songs I love. I compound this weakness by rarely reading lyric sheets. I was never sure what he was saying there, even though the title should have been a giveaway. Shameful!
This reminds me of the years I spent thinking Van Morrison sang “One Mormon dance with you” in the chorus of “Moondance.” What happened to the “judgment-free window” we were offering?
No judgments. I don’t read lyrics sheets often either and don’t usually even pay much attention to the words. But that band, along with one or two ohers, was an exception.
It rhymes with bowling alley, so I don’t think there’s a strong accent on the second syllable.
Based in BigSteve’s pronunciation guide below, when Ray Davies sings this name, it occurred to me that I’ve always thought Strummer was singing “…is nobody” at that point. Another Brit butchering French? (Not that this excuses me.)
Yeah, that’s the only way I’ve heard it pronounced by Brits.
If you want to get technical, The French would pronounce it closer to ‘pal-eh’: http://www.forvo.com/word/palais/
As RTH’s unofficial Minister of all things French, I would like to chime in on the actual pronunciation of “palais”.
Say the word “palette” as if the the “tte” is silent.
Have a nice day.
If it was, indeed, pronounced “PAL-ay” then this makes it the older friend to Radiohead’s “Kid-ay.”
There would also be regional and class differences in pronunciation…
I have heard numerous Britons pronounce it “PAL-ay.”
You are most welcome.
All right, I truly appreciate all the efforts you have made in relieving me of my long-held ignorance. I look forward to helping one of you with your blind spot whenever you’re ready to step forward. Judgment-free zone, my friends.
Ray Davies in “Come Dancing” was my ticket out of this confusion as well, which eventually allowed me to comprehend what Strummer was singing. Ad aspera per astra.