Peter, Paul and Mary

Peter, Paul and Mary were a famous American folk group which formed in New York City in 1961, during the American folk music revival phenomenon.  The trio included songwriter Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers.  In 1969, they recorded “I Have a Song to Sing, O,” from The Yeomen of the Guard, on their album, “Peter, Paul and Mommy.”

The West Wing

Writer, Producer and Actor Aaron Sorkin is a well-known Gilbert and Sullivan fan.  In The West Wing, his series about the lives of President Bartlet’s White House staff, President Bartlet’s gave a CD of The Yeomen of the Guard to his aide Charlie Young, in the episode titled Stirred.

In addition, the West Wing included a number of other Gilbert and Sullivan references.  While attending college, Sam Seaborn, Deputy White House Communications Director, had been the Recording Secretary of the Princeton University Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

In the Lord John Marbury episode, White House Press Secretary C.J. Crege describes Lord John as “the Earl of Sherbourne, he is the great great grandson of a former Viceroy and for thirteen years served as the Queen’s minister to either India or Pakistan.  Lord Marbury is here to counsel the President, and if you think this is all starting to sound like a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, I don’t blame you a bit.”

The Simpsons

In The Simpsons, Season 29, Episode 9, “Gone Boy,” Sideshow Bob is, once again, seeking to murder his arch nemesis, Bart.  Bob finds Milhouse, who knows where Bart’s hiding.  Milhouse says that he’ll never tell Bob where he can find Bart.  Bob responds by threatening him with “light operetta.”  “How light?,” Milhouse asks fearfully.  Bob responds by breaking out into Gilbert and Sullivan’s, “I Have a Song to Sing, O,” from The Yeomen Of The Guard.  Milhouse screams “I give, I give!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d3IBlg3T_E