When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right

When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right is the song Norma Jeane Baker remembers as the one beautiful song in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. As Clive Pearce plays in a New York emporium, the title connects his music to her memory of the film and to Lorelei Lee, who sang it. The recollection turns an ordinary pause in the performance into a moment of personal recognition.

A song recalled through another performance

The pianist first plays Für Elise, then preludes by Chopin, and finally Stardust, which the narration identifies as a song by Hoagy Carmichael. Hearing it leads Norma Jeane to think that it cannot be a coincidence that the song she considers the beautiful one in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was also written by Carmichael. Her attention moves from the music in front of her to the film song and Lorelei Lee’s performance of it.

Recognition and response

Norma Jeane listens without moving, almost devoutly. The strength of her attention has practical consequences: she is about to miss several appointments, including an important meeting with the costume designer, and she had promised the Ex-Athlete she would be home at four to take his call. She is also thinking about Clive Pearce’s talent and how she might help him, even imagining a piano appearance for him in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. When the pianist pauses, she applauds enthusiastically, approaches him, and introduces herself. The recalled song thus belongs to a scene of renewed recognition: it helps turn listening into an impulse to reconnect with Clive Pearce and offer support.