"U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." is Dinah the Dining Car's big solo, in which she laments having been dumped by Greaseball for Pearl.
Context[]
So far, poor Dinah has had a miserable night. Although she and her partner Greaseball won their heat, it was at the expense of his cheating. When she complained, he left her. Then in "The Rap" the engines decided she would race with Electra, despite her protestations. Finally, she's seen her friend Pearl leave with her ex. It's all too much, and Dinah explains that she's been dumped. But with a flare for the dramatic, she can't even say the word, so she spells it out.
Dinah sings "U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." to the Coaches (except for Pearl, who has gone off with Greaseball) and – in the Original London and Broadway productions – Belle. Briefly, at the end of the song, Dinah channels her sadness into anger, but immediately she crumbles into a sobbing heap.
The 2004 UK Tour used small screens showing visuals through a lot of the show, and used sing-along lyrics for this number, which often led to the audience trying to join in.
The 2018 Bochum version. Dinah sings it talking to Belle and Carrie and gets a few drinks from Belle.
In the 2024 Wembley production, Control would come out to hand Dinah a box of tissues during her second verse.
Music[]
"U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." is country music song. Specifically, it is a pastiche of Tammy Wynette's D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
History[]
In the earliest version of Starlight Express, performed at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival, Dinah sung a song called "Stand By Your Engine", which fulfilled the same function in the story. Trevor Nunn did not like the song, however, and "U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." was composed in its place[1], recycling parts of the melody from another cut song, "Be a Pump"[2].
Since its composition, the music of "U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." has remained almost unaltered in all productions.
Lyrically, however, aside from one non-surviving verse from the original London workshop, the German production is the only production that has gone through 3 versions. It was originally translated as "G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T.". In 2013, the lyrics were retranslated. Then in 2018, as part of the 30th anniversary revisions, the lyrics were retranslated again and given a new title "A.B.G.E.H.Ä.N.G.T.", which translates as "disconnected", "lost" or "suspended".
Lyrics[]
Original London Lyrics[]
| ASHLEY: | Hey Dinah, what's wrong? |
| BUFFY: | C'mon girl, why are you crying? |
| ASHLEY: | You ain't got no reason |
| BUFFY: | Don't cry, tell me why |
| DINAH: | I've been...it's awful! |
| I know it's absurd... | |
| I've been...no...I can't say it. | |
| I can't say the word! | |
| I've been U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | |
| I can't bring myself to say it. No siree | |
| I'm a carriage with no marriage | |
| I'm a van without a man | |
| I've been U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | |
| Was I corroded or overloaded | |
| Maybe I shamed him | |
| Who could have blamed him | |
| If he thought me second-class | |
| Went in search for chrome and brass | |
| Went to find some other fool like me | |
| And I'm just U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | |
| I can't seem to stop C.R.Y.I.N.G | |
| People look at me and think, | |
| "There she goes the missing link" | |
| She's been U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | |
| And I'm just U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | |
| But I'll get my R.E.V.E.N.G.E | |
| He'll come crawling back one day | |
| And I'll turn to him and say | |
| Go away, you B.A.S.T.A.R.D |
1997 Mexico + Translation[]
| VIANDA (Spanish): | Turbo! | DINAH (English): | Greaseball! |
| BACHA: | Hay Vianda por Dios | ASHLEY: | Hey Dinah, for God's sakes |
| BOTANA: | Calma niña no llores | BUFFY: | Calm down girl, don't cry |
| BACHA: | No vale la pena | ASHLEY: | It's not worth it |
| BOTANA: | ¿Que te sucedió? | BUFFY: | What happened? |
| BACHA: | ¿Que cosa? | ASHLEY: | What is it? |
| VIANDA: | Hay! no puedo | DINAH: | Hey, I can't |
| Me cuesta hablar | It's hard to say | ||
| Me Co... no | I've been cu- no | ||
| Yo prefiero mejor Deletrear | I'd rather spell it | ||
| Simplemente me C.O.R.T.O | I've simply been C.U.T. O.F.F | ||
| Me resisto a pronunciarlo N.O. | I cannot say it, N. O. | ||
| No soy nada separada | I'm no one alone | ||
| Soy vagón sin ton ni son | I'm a wagon without rhyme or reason | ||
| Todo porque me C.O.R.T.O. | All because I've been C.U.T. O.F.F | ||
| Tal vez fue eso | Maybe it was that | ||
| Por sobre peso | I was heavy | ||
| Que tal si siente | What if he feels | ||
| Que soy corriente | That I'm ordinary | ||
| Y si quiere buen metal | And if he wants good metal | ||
| ¿Porqué vió el mío mal? | Why did he think mine was bad? | ||
| Siempre habrá otra tonta, como yo | There'll always be another fool, like me | ||
| Y simplemente me C.O.R.T.O. | And I've simply been C.U.T. O.F.F | ||
| La verdad sí me D.O.L.I.O | The truth is it H.U.R.T me | ||
| Se reirán al ver a quién | They will laugh to see who | ||
| Se le fue en serio el tren | Who remained single | ||
| Todo porque me C.O.R.T.O. | All because I've been C.U.T. O.F.F | ||
| Y simplemente me C.O.R.T.O. | And I've simply been C.U.T. O.F.F | ||
| Pero va a costarle C.A.R.O. | But it will cost him D.E.A.R.L.Y | ||
| De rodillas lo veré | I will see him on his knees | ||
| Y entonces le diré | And then I'll say to him | ||
| Más que burro | More then a donkey, | ||
| Eres un P.U.P.E.Y.E | He's a P.O.P.E.Y.E. (Muscle head) |
German Lyrics + Translation[]
| ASHLEY (German): | Hey Dinah, was ist? | ASHLEY (English): | Hey Dinah, what's up? |
| BUFFY: | Was ist los, warum weinst du? | BUFFY: | What's the matter, why are you crying? |
| ASHLEY: | Du musst doch nicht weinen! | ASHLEY: | You don't have to cry! |
| BUFFY: | Was ist? Sag doch was! | BUFFY: | What's up? Say something! |
| DINAH: | Bin nicht - oh wie schrecklich, | DINAH: | I'm not - oh how awful, |
| Es ist so absurd - bin nicht- | It's so absurd - I'm not - | ||
| Ich kann's nicht sagen - Das Wort sag' ich nicht. | I can't say it - I won't say the word. | ||
| Bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I'm not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Sowas kann ich doch nicht sagen, ihr versteht. | Such a thing I can't say, you understand. | ||
| Kann nicht reisen auf den Gleisen, | Can't travel on the tracks, | ||
| Diese Bahn hat keinen Mann. | This train has no man. | ||
| Bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I'm not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Hab ich 'nen Schaden? | Have I got damage? | ||
| Zuviel geladen? | Too much loaded? | ||
| Zuwenig Masse? | Too little weight? | ||
| Bin zweite Klasse. | I'm second class. | ||
| Vielleicht hat ihn das gestört, | Maybe that's what bothered him, | ||
| Weil er mehr auf Chrom abfährt | 'Cause he's more into chrome | ||
| Deshalb bin ich jetzt für ihn passé. | That is why I am now passé for him. | ||
| Ich bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I am not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Darum bin ich T.R.A.U.R.I.G. | That's why I'm S.A.D. | ||
| Jeder guckt mich an und denkt: | Everyone looks at me and thinks: | ||
| "Greaseball hat sie abgehängt, | "Greaseball has left her behind, | ||
| Sie's nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T." | She's not C.O.U.P.L.E.D." | ||
| Ich bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I am not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Und ich will R.E.V.A.N.C.H.E. | And I want R.E.V.E.N.G.E. | ||
| Wenn er angekrochen kommt, | When he comes crawling back, | ||
| Dann sage ich ihm prompt: | Then I'll tell him promptly: | ||
| Hau bloß ab, du B.A.S.T.A.R.D. | Just get lost, you B.A.S.T.A.R.D. |
2013 Revised German Lyrics + Translation[]
| ASHLEY: | Hey Dinah, was ist? | ASHLEY: | Hey Dinah, what's up? |
| BUFFY: | Was ist los, warum weinst du? | BUFFY: | What's the matter? Why are you crying? |
| ASHLEY: | Du musst doch nicht weinen. | ASHLEY: | You don't have to cry. |
| BUFFY: | Was ist? Sag doch was! | BUFFY: | What's up? Say something! |
| DINAH: | Bin nicht - oh, wie schrecklich | DINAH: | I'm not - oh, how awful |
| Es ist alles aus | It is all over | ||
| Bin nicht - ich kann's nicht sagen | I'm not - I can't say it | ||
| Ich krieg' es nicht raus. | I can't get it out. | ||
| Bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T., | I'm not C.O.U.P.L.E.D., | ||
| Sowas kann ich doch nicht sagen, ihr versteht. | Such a thing I can't say, you understand. | ||
| Kann nicht reisen auf den Gleisen, | Can't travel on the tracks, | ||
| Diese Bahn hat keinen Mann, | This train has no man, | ||
| Bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I'm not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Hab ich 'nen Schaden? | Have I got damage? | ||
| Zu viel geladen? | Too much loaded? | ||
| Hab zu viel Masse? | Got too much mass? | ||
| Bin zweite Klasse? | I'm second class? | ||
| Bin nicht mehr so schön poliert, | I'm not as beautifully polished, | ||
| Also werd' ich ausrangiert, | Therefore I am discarded, | ||
| Deshalb bin ich jetzt für ihn passé. | That is why I am now passé for him. | ||
| Ich bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I am not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Darum bin ich T.R.A.U.R.I.G. | That's why I'm S.A.D. | ||
| Gestern noch begehrt und heiß, | Yesterday still coveted and hot, | ||
| Heut' schon auf dem Abstellgleis. | Today already on the sidelines. | ||
| Bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I'm not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Ich bin nicht G.E.K.U.P.P.E.L.T. | I am not C.O.U.P.L.E.D. | ||
| Aber einmal kommt die R.A.C.H.E. | But one day comes the R.E.V.E.N.G.E. | ||
| Dann will er zu mir zurück, | After he wants to come back to me, | ||
| Doch ich sag mit kaltem Blick: | But I say with a cold look: | ||
| Hau bloß ab, du B.A.S.T.A.R.D.! | Just get lost, you B.A.S.T.A.R.D.! |
2018 German Lyrics + Translation[]
| BELLE: | Hey Dinah, was ist? | BELLE: | Hey Dinah, what's up? |
| CARRIE: | Aber kleine, du weinst ja! | CARRIE: | But little one, you're crying! |
| BELLE: | Was ist denn geschehen? | BELLE: | What is it that's happened? |
| CARRIE: | Komm sag, was ist los? | CARRIE: | Come on tell me, what's the matter? |
| DINAH: | Er hat mich - oh, wie schrecklich | DINAH: | He has - oh, how awful |
| Es ist alles aus | It is all over | ||
| Er hat mich - ich kann's nicht sagen | He has - I can't say it | ||
| Ich krieg' es nicht raus. | I can't get it out. | ||
| Er hat mich A.B.G.E.H.Ä.N.G.T | He's U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D me | ||
| Sowas auszusprechen tut mir viel zu weh. | It hurts me too much to say such things. | ||
| Bin ein Wagen zum beklagen | I'm a car to lament | ||
| Ein Waggon aus der Façon | A car out of fashion | ||
| Er hat mich A.B.G.E.H.Ä.N.G.T | He's U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D me | ||
| Ich möchte wissen | I would like to know | ||
| Bin ich verschlissen? | Am I worn-out? | ||
| Hab zu viel Masse, | Got too much mass, | ||
| Bin zweite Klasse? | I'm second class? | ||
| Bin nicht mehr so schön poliert, | I'm not as beautifully polished, | ||
| Also werd' ich ausrangiert, | Therefore I am discarded, | ||
| So, dass ich jetzt ganz allein da steh‘. | So, that I now am stood all on my own. | ||
| Er hat mich A.B.G.E.H.Ä.N.G.T | He's U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D me | ||
| Darum bin ich T.R.A.U.R.I.G. | That's why I'm S.A.D. | ||
| Gestern noch begehrt und heiß, | Yesterday still coveted and hot, | ||
| Heut' schon auf dem Abstellgleis. | Today already on the sidelines. | ||
| Einfach A.B.G.E.H.Ä.N.G.T | Simply U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | ||
| Jetzt bin ich A.B.G.E.H.Ä.N.G.T | Now I'm U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D | ||
| Aber einmal kommt die R.A.C.H.E. | But one day comes the R.E.V.E.N.G.E. | ||
| Dann will er zu mir zurück, | After he wants to come back to me, | ||
| Doch ich sag mit kaltem Blick: | But I say with a cold look: | ||
| Hau bloß ab, du B.A.S.T.A.R.D.! | Just get lost, you B.A.S.T.A.R.D.! |
In the 2024 Wembley production, "van without a man" was switched to "van without a plan" and where he/him pronouns were used, she/her pronouns are used (in reference to Greaseball) because Greaseball is portrayed as female in this production. Additionally, the lyrics of the 2nd chorus, “People look at me and think/ ‘There she goes, the missing link’” were replaced with the lyrics “I’m abandoned on the shelf/ Cause I can’t express myself” for seemingly unknown reasons.
Gallery[]
