Gal of Constant Sorrow/References

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Gags

Credits

Quotes

	Season 27 Episode References
← 587 "Love Is in the N2-O2-Ar-CO2-Ne-He-CH4"	588 "Gal of Constant Sorrow"	"Lisa the Veterinarian" 589 →

Cultural references

• The title of the episode is a parody of the title of the traditional American folk song "Man of Constant Sorrow".
  • "Man of Constant Sorrow" got public interest when the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? was released. Many of the songs covered in this episode appear in the film's soundtrack. The film is also set during the Great Depression, which is a topic referred to several times during the episode.
• Homer watches a tutorial on how to change a tile on MyTube, a parody of YouTube.
  • The video tutorial guy's shirt "It's Hammer Time!" is a reference to the rapper MC Hammer.
• Nelson says to Milhouse that "Latchkey kids rule". A Latchkey kid is a child who is often left at home with no supervision.
• Homer tries to feed Snowball II with lasagna. This is a reference to Garfield, the famous cat known for his love for this food.
  • Homer mentions Thomas Edison when he is dealing with the cat that was behind the electric outlet.

Bart parodying Drake's "Started from the Bottom" music video

• The song played during thug Bart sequence is "Started from the Bottom" by Drake.
• A person at Springfield Squidport shouts "Lose a Kewpie doll in front of your gal". A Kewpie dolls are figurines that date back to the 1910s.
• The store It's a Wonderful Knife is a reference to the film It's a Wonderful Life.
• Homeless Hettie sings a version of "The Wayfaring Stranger", a folk song dedicated to her lost cart at the docks.
  • She mentions PlayStation 3 and Safeway, an American grocery store from where she got the cart.
• Some pictures on the black and white montage are versions of real-life iconic pictures from the Great Depression:
  • Apu with two of his children is a parody of Migrant Mother by photographer Dorothea Lange. [5]
  • The photo of Nelson, Dolph and Jimbo on a truck is a reference to Children of migrant fruit worker, Berrien County, Michigan by John Vachon. [6].
  • Gil wearing a sandwich board has the style of the Wanted, a decent job photo by an unknown photographer. [7]
  • The children jumping to get into Springfield Elementary School buses parody Unemployed men hop train by William James. [8]

• 

  Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange [1]

• 

  Children of migrant fruit worker, Berrien County, Michigan by John Vachon [2].

• 

  Wanted, a decent job by unknown photographer [3]

• 

  Unemployed men hop train by William James [4]

• Lisa thinks the song has Appalachian roots. Hettie agrees with Lisa and also says that she is from Lickskillet, Kentucky, that is "just shy" of the Appalachian Trail as the Appalachian Trail does go near, but not through Kentucky. Lickskillet is often used in Kentucky to describe places of limited resources and there are at least a dozen communities within Kentucky known official or unofficially as Lickskillet.
• The second folk song Hettie plays is a parody of "Bonny Portmore".
  • She sings about how she misses staying for the nights at American bookseller Barnes & Noble,
• Absolut Krusty is a parody of Absolut Vodka.
• Lisa says she has a Ken that is transitioning to a Malibu Stacy.
• "Gross Air" with Terry Fresh" is a parody of "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross radio talk show.
• The radio program Left, Left, Left and Middle by the NPR is a reference to political program Left, Right & Center.
  • The poster for the program shows a see-saw with the left side on the ground with "LEFT LEFT LEFT" stacked vertically on that side and "MIDDLE" up in the air on the right side, in a depiction of NPR's strong liberal orientation.
• Hettie asks the radio host Bob Boilen for some OxyContin, a common drug of abuse.
• The song Hettie sings on the stage is "Down in the River to Pray".
  • She mentions Twix and Burger King.
• During the credits, Hettie sings a modified version of "Big Rock Candy Mountain".

Continuity

• A picture of Bleeding Gums Murphy is Lisa's desktop picture. ("Moaning Lisa")
• Mr. Sparkle's box appears in the title screen. ("In Marge We Trust")
• Homer watches a tutorial on changing tiles on MyTube. ("Elementary School Musical")

Trivia

• Hettie asks Lisa when they do their couch gags, Lisa saying around 11:00 in the morning and that she'll be fine, both breaking the fourth wall.
• The Making Bacon sneak peek never made it into the episode.
• Hettie is based on a real life story.
• During the credits song, Hettie mentions:
  • Selma, Patty, Grampa and Apu
  • The house next to Flanders'
  • Apu's Squishee (Squishy)
  • Blinky (the three-eyed fishie)

Goofs

• At the beginning of the sledge race, Ralph was alone on his sledge, but when he passes Bart and Milhouse, there's a snowman with him.
  • Also, neither Nelson nor Richard were seen at the start line, but they were participating on the race.

References

← Season 26 Season 27 References Season 28 →

Every Man's Dream • 'Cue Detective • Puffless • Halloween of Horror • Treehouse of Horror XXVI • Friend with Benefit • Lisa with an "S" • 'Paths of Glory • Barthood • The Girl Code • Teenage Mutant Milk-Caused Hurdles • Much Apu About Something • Love Is in the N2-O2-Ar-CO2-Ne-He-CH4 • Gal of Constant Sorrow • Lisa the Veterinarian • The Marge-ian Chronicles • The Burns Cage • How Lisa Got Her Marge Back • Fland Canyon • To Courier with Love • Simprovised • Orange Is the New Yellow