Where is this from????

I've tried Google, to no avail.

"blatt, blatt, blatt go the blattidae"

Is it from some demented novel or short story, or is it part of a comedy routine?

Where is this from????? (yes, it's an additional question mark urgent by now.)

(it came up at work tonight. Someone read an article from The Onion about the King of the Roaches concerned about the bedbug invasion, and this just leapt into my brain, worse that getting stuck on The Chicken Dance for hours and hours. Please, someone help me!)

The Trolley Song may well be the source of the rhythm of the line.

Musical: Meet Me In St. Louis
Song: Trolley Song

[ding ding ding]
[ding ding ding]

[ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding]

All:
clang, clang, clang
went the trolley
ding, ding, ding
went the bell
zing, zing, zing
went my heartstrings
as we started
for huntington dell

chug, chug, chug
went the motor
bump, bump, bump
went the brake
thump, thump, thump
went my heartstrings
as we glided
for huntington lake

the day was bright,
the air was sweet
the smell of honeysuckle
charmed me off my feet
i tried to sing
but couldn't squeak
in fact, i felt so good
i couldn't even speak

buzz, buzz, buzz
went the buzzer
time to all disembark
time to fall
went my heartstrings

as we got off
at huntington park
as we got off
at huntington park

some guy shouts:
hey! look who's coming!

Esther:
with my high-starched collar
and my high-topped shoes
and my hair piled high upon my head
i went to lose a jolly
hour on the trolley
and lost my heart instead

with his light brown derby
and his bright green tie
he was quite the handsomest of men

i started to yen
so i counted to 10
then i counted to 10 again

clang, clang, clang
went the trolley
ding, ding, ding
went the bell
zing, zing, zing
went my heartstrings
from the moment
i saw him, i fell

chug, chug, chug
went the motor
bump, bump, bump
went the brake
thump, thump, thump
went my heartstrings
when he smiled,
i could feel the car shake

All:
clang, clang,clang

Esther:
he tipped his hat
and took a seat
he said he hoped he hadn't
stepped upon my feet
he asked my name
i held my breath
i couldn't speak because
he scared me half to death

Guy:
hiya, johnny!

Esther:
chug, chug, chug
went the motor
plop, plop, plop
went the wheels
stop, stop, stop
went my heartstrings
as he started to go
then i started to know
how it feels
when the universe reels

All [except ester]:
the day was bright
the air was sweet
the smell of honeysuckle
charmed you off your feet
you tried to sing
but couldn't squeak
in fact, you loved him so
you couldn't even speak
ooohhh

Esther:
buzz, buzz, buzz
went the buzzer
plop, plop, plop
went the wheels
stop, stop, stop
went my heartstrings

as he started to leave
i took hold of his sleeve
with my hand
and as if it were planned
he stayed on with me
and it was grand
just to stand
with his hand holding mine
to the end of the line!

All:
zing, zing, zing
went my heart
heart!

If I could remember the context, I'd be able to get closer. I hesitate to contaminate my ask-the-audience, but I have three strong candidates in mind

[COLOR="LemonChiffon"]Some routine by Lenny Bruce, shortly before he became unfunny, a Harlan Ellison Short Story, or maybe something in one of Woody Allen's books ... didn't he do some demented take-off on Kafka's Metamorphosis? I'm sure it wasn't anything to do with Archy and Mehitabel.[/COLOR]

How about this one:

http://drhoz.livejournal.com/146477.html

Found that. Only actual hit when you google the quote. Reassured me that I do remember it correctly, but not from whence it came. The mindworm only bored in more deeply with that.

Let me get that for yo---OH LOOK! A PONY!!!!!

blattidae - scientific name for the cockroach family

blat (couldn't find blatt) - Blat \Blat\, v. t. To utter inconsiderately. [Low] If I have anything on my mind, I have to blat it right out.

blat, blat, blat go the cockroaches.

Yes, I know what it means. I know that blattidae is cockroach. But where's it from? What's the original reference? That's what's making me nuts.

Kafka, maybe?

Edit: oh, just noticed your highlightable section, you thought of that already...

I went and wandered through IMDB... no hits in the quotes section, but humorous movies that contained large roaches include Joe's Apartment and Men In Black...

Or maybe that X-Files episode, "War of the Coprophages."

It's not the final segment of Creepshow, either.

Maybe it was one of your patients?

Nope. I checked the Full Moon Manifestoes. Nada.

Not much help, but here's another mention:

Is it not time for you to become learned, instead of always blat blat blat like the blattidae?

halfway down the comments

http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/archives/2010/06/post_403.html

oh, and now I found your query on kindleboards. You're Cheating On Us!

monster;692714 wrote:

oh, and now I found your query on kindleboards. You're Cheating On Us!

Hello, Pot? Kettle? You unashamed two-timer.

I think you'll find I've abandoned my former internet home.......

*sniff* it was good while it lasted

and now on some weird russian google group forum thingy from 10 years ago (second comment).

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://groups.google.com/g/5287fefc/t/e92226c63ddabe76/d/3a927b9ef33570e0&ei=2O_STK-kBoqOjAehw-SFDg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dblat%2Bblattidae%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4HPIB_enUS326US326%26tbs%3Ddsc:1

here, look! i found it

http://www.calacademy.org/blogs/climate/?p=46

Universe 5, a collection of short science fiction stories edited by Terry Carr

Monster, for the win!

*grinning*

(of course I should be cleaning and packing for my trip up north tomorrow....why do I even procrastinate on the good stuff?)

How do I get a job as a bizare/obscure things on the internet finder?


ets: a paid job, I mean

The story is "Mysterious Doings in the Metropolitan Museum by Fritz Leiber.

http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?57303

Apologies for the anachronistic name-calling. Ex-whore.
Major congrats on the find. Major Procrastinator :)

Maybe now wolf will realise what she's risking and stop this flirtation with the kindle kind? or are we cool with polydwellamy?

COCK![COLOR="LemonChiffon"]ROACH[/COLOR]

monster;692731 wrote:

even procrastinate on the good stuff?

You work better under pressure?

I guess. i have one hour left now and still done sweet FA *sigh*

Holy shit, monster! Well done!

I thank you. I'm now home from my ladies night out and still haven't packed. Anyone else got a puzzle that needs solving? I'm not going until 9am..... :lol:

Have you made cold fusion work yet?

of course. cold beer with previous stomach contents

Monster, thank you! Now I can sleep. Well, after I find a copy of the story. I have no idea where my copy of Best of Fritz Lieber has gotten to (I don't think I ever read the Universe anthology). It also had a couple of Fafhrd and Grey Mouser (or however you spell them) tales. I had vague memories of a bug conflict! I shall give full credit when I excitedly reveal this to my cow orkers on Monday.

And yes, I've been seeing other forae. I am an asocial butterfly.

Fritz Leiber "Mysterious Doings in the Metropolitan Museum"

monster;692735 wrote:

The story is "Mysterious Doings in the Metropolitan Museum by Fritz Leiber.

http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?57303

johnh1968;793904 wrote:

Fritz Leiber "Mysterious Doings in the Metropolitan Museum"

Good call john1968, a little late on the big reveal though.

Welcome to the cellar! Cruise around, see what's going on this year. :)