'A Little Less Conversation' gets a little change for Herriman High School play

HERRIMAN — When Herriman High School students and community members watch the school's production of "All Shook Up" next month, they may not be completely "satisfied."

Jordan School District officials confirmed on Monday that "A Little Less Conversation" was the offending song that nearly derailed the high school musical. After initially canceling the play, the district obtained permission from the play's publisher to perform the show with minor edits.

"A Little Less Conversation" will still be performed, district spokesman Steve Dunham said, but the chorus of "Satisfy me baby" will be changed to "Hold me baby."

"Instead of eliminating the song, the publisher has allowed us to change that," Dunham said.

In addition to the changed lyric, Dunham said the district has made about a dozen other one- or two-word changes throughout the script.

In December, a community member approached the district with concerns about sexually suggestive material in the play, which is a modern retelling of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" set to the music of Elvis Presley. After receiving the complaint, district officials reviewed the play's script and determined that it did not comply with the district's approval policy, which had been revised in August.

"A Little Less Conversation" was used extensively by the Mitt Romney campaign during the 2008 presidential election. When asked about the sexual undertones of the song's lyrics, a campaign spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that it was meant to reference the gridlock of Washington, D.C.

"The theme it conveys is that Washington needs a little less talk and a lot more action," Kevin Madden said.

Herriman High School will stage their edited version of "All Shook Up" Feb. 27-28, as well as March 1-2.

E-mail: benwood@desnews.com