Lady Godiva in popular culture
Encyclopedia
Lady Godiva was an Anglo-Saxon
noblewoman who, according to legend
, rode naked through the streets of Coventry
, in England
, in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants. Because of the growth of the legend, Lady Godiva has since entered popular culture in a number of countries.
The Godiva Procession, a commemoration of the legendary ride, was instituted on 31 May 1678, as part of Coventry fair, and was celebrated up to the 1960s. The part of Lady Godiva was usually played by a scantily clad actress or dancer and the occasion often attracted controversy. For instance, in 1854 the Bishop of Worcester protested against "a Birmingham whore being paraded through the streets as Lady Godiva." These annual processions were enlivened by constant rumours, beforehand, that the girl playing the part of Lady Godiva would actually appear nude, like the original. These hopes were eventually realised in a play staged in 1974, at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, entitled The only true story of Lady Godiva, in which Lady Godiva appeared naked, riding a motor bike. The celebration has been revived as part of the Godiva Festival
.
The wooden effigy of Peeping Tom which, from 1812 until World War II
, looked out on the world from a hotel at the northwest corner of Hertford Street, Coventry, can now be found in Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre. It represents a man in armour and was probably an image of Saint George
. Nearby, in the 1950s rebuilt Broadgate, an animated Peeping Tom watches over Lady Godiva as she makes her hourly ride around the Godiva Clock.
From the mid 1980s a Coventry resident, Pru Porretta, has adopted a Lady Godiva role to promote community events and good works in the city. In 1999 Coventry councillors considered eliminating Godiva from the city's public identity. As of 2005, Porretta retains the status of Coventry's unofficial ambassador. Each September Poretta marks the occasion of Lady Godiva's birthday by leading a local pageant focusing on world peace and unity known as The Godiva Sisters. In August 2007, the Godiva Sisters was performed in front of 900 delegates from 69 countries attending the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children Biennial Conference held at the University of Warwick. Porretta was appointed a Member of the British Empire in the 2010 New Years Honours list for services to the city of Coventry community and tourism services.
The image of Lady Godiva on horseback is also the corporate symbol of the Coventry Building Society
, appearing on letterheads, statements, passbooks and other documents.
In 2010 an arts project, "Godiva Awakes", involving a 10 metre tall puppet-version of Lady Godiva, powered by 50 bicycles, leading a procession from Coventry to London, was proposed by the independent company Imagineer productions (best known locally for reviving the Coventry Mystery Plays and reimagining the Coventry Carnival as the Godiva Festival). This proposal went on to become the regional winner and will be realised as part of the Arts Council
's 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
In some university
engineering
faculties, military engineering corps and other engineering organisations, Lady Godiva is regarded as a mascot and called the "Patron Saint of Engineers" or "Goddess of Engineering." The origin is unclear, although it probably developed in Britain
, where several early engineering schools were founded during the industrial revolution
. The practice migrated to North America through Canadian schools, such as the University of Toronto
and McMaster University
, which today hold an annual "Godiva Week" in January consisting of events intended to engender school spirit. By the mid-20th century, the practice of engineering organizations associating themselves with Lady Godiva was well established in the United States.
A particular tradition associated with this is that of drinking song
s, which make reference to Lady Godiva, particularly Godiva's Hymn
.
Historically, certain college organisations staged an annual "Godiva Ride" in which a naked female (or a costumed male) rode a horse across campus. This practice may have declined with the advent of modern feminist attitudes.
is based on the story of Lady Godiva.
Vitezslav Novak
composed an overture for a play based on the story of Lady Godiva in Prague in 1907.
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
noblewoman who, according to legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
, rode naked through the streets of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants. Because of the growth of the legend, Lady Godiva has since entered popular culture in a number of countries.
Coventry
Godiva Festival
The Godiva Festival is a free weekend long music festival held each year in the War Memorial Park, Coventry, England, named after the city's famous former inhabitant Lady Godiva. It first appeared as a day long event in 1997 and became a 3 day event the following year in 1998...
.
The wooden effigy of Peeping Tom which, from 1812 until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, looked out on the world from a hotel at the northwest corner of Hertford Street, Coventry, can now be found in Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre. It represents a man in armour and was probably an image of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
. Nearby, in the 1950s rebuilt Broadgate, an animated Peeping Tom watches over Lady Godiva as she makes her hourly ride around the Godiva Clock.
From the mid 1980s a Coventry resident, Pru Porretta, has adopted a Lady Godiva role to promote community events and good works in the city. In 1999 Coventry councillors considered eliminating Godiva from the city's public identity. As of 2005, Porretta retains the status of Coventry's unofficial ambassador. Each September Poretta marks the occasion of Lady Godiva's birthday by leading a local pageant focusing on world peace and unity known as The Godiva Sisters. In August 2007, the Godiva Sisters was performed in front of 900 delegates from 69 countries attending the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children Biennial Conference held at the University of Warwick. Porretta was appointed a Member of the British Empire in the 2010 New Years Honours list for services to the city of Coventry community and tourism services.
The image of Lady Godiva on horseback is also the corporate symbol of the Coventry Building Society
Coventry Building Society
The Coventry Building Society is a building society based in Coventry, England. It is the third largest in the United Kingdom with total assets of approximately £22.3 billion at 31 December 2010. It is a member of the Building Societies Association.-History:...
, appearing on letterheads, statements, passbooks and other documents.
In 2010 an arts project, "Godiva Awakes", involving a 10 metre tall puppet-version of Lady Godiva, powered by 50 bicycles, leading a procession from Coventry to London, was proposed by the independent company Imagineer productions (best known locally for reviving the Coventry Mystery Plays and reimagining the Coventry Carnival as the Godiva Festival). This proposal went on to become the regional winner and will be realised as part of the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
's 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
Engineering mascot
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
faculties, military engineering corps and other engineering organisations, Lady Godiva is regarded as a mascot and called the "Patron Saint of Engineers" or "Goddess of Engineering." The origin is unclear, although it probably developed in Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, where several early engineering schools were founded during the industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. The practice migrated to North America through Canadian schools, such as the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, which today hold an annual "Godiva Week" in January consisting of events intended to engender school spirit. By the mid-20th century, the practice of engineering organizations associating themselves with Lady Godiva was well established in the United States.
A particular tradition associated with this is that of drinking song
Drinking song
A drinking song is a song sung while drinking alcohol. Most drinking songs are folk songs, and may be varied from person to person and region to region, in both the lyrics and in the music...
s, which make reference to Lady Godiva, particularly Godiva's Hymn
Godiva's Hymn
Godiva's Hymn is a traditional drinking song for engineers. It was originally sung by students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; although students there still recognize it, disapproval from the administration has marginalized its presence...
.
Historically, certain college organisations staged an annual "Godiva Ride" in which a naked female (or a costumed male) rode a horse across campus. This practice may have declined with the advent of modern feminist attitudes.
Music
Several popular songs make contemporary usage of the Lady Godiva image. These include:- Eartha KittEartha KittEartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
's "Champagne Taste" from her 1961 live album, In Person At The Plaza, includes the lyrics "And it wouldn't surprise me if a lady like Godiva had someone like you to give her the stole/For with her champagne taste and your beer bottle pocket/when she couldn't get those dresses she just let down all her tresses and forgot she was a lady after all." - The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
's "Lady Godiva's OperationLady Godiva's Operation"Lady Godiva's Operation" is a song by American avant-garde rock band The Velvet Underground, appearing on their second album, White Light/White Heat . The lyrics to the first half of the song describe Lady Godiva...
" on their 1968 LP, White Light/White HeatWhite Light/White HeatThe album briefly appeared on the Billboard 200, although only peaking at number 199. Despite its poor sales, the distorted, feedback-driven, and roughly recorded sound on White Light/White Heat became a notable influence on punk and experimental rock...
, referring to a transwoman who dies at the hands of her surgeons during a sexual reassignment-turned-anesthetic deathAnesthesiaAnesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
. - Peter and Gordon's "Lady Godiva" (UK: single Columbia DB 8003 P.1966, best place in British Charts: # 16, 22.09.1966 ;US: LP "Lady Godiva" (S) T 2664 Capitol Records-EMI P. 1967; FRANCE: EP "Lady Godiva" Columbia ESRF 1824 P. 1967) sing this about a woman who becomes involved in a burlesqueBurlesqueBurlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
show. Like Coventry's Lady Godiva, the Lady Godiva of the song has long flowing hair that covers her body. However, the song has her hair cut, as she "doesn't need it long any more." - Grant Lee BuffaloGrant Lee BuffaloGrant Lee Buffalo is a rock band based in Los Angeles, California, consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips , Paul Kimble and Joey Peters . All three were previously members of another Los Angeles band, Shiva Burlesque.-Career:...
's song "Lady Godiva and Me" from their 1994 album, Mighty Joe MoonMighty Joe MoonMighty Joe Moon is the second album by alternative rock group Grant Lee Buffalo, released in 1994.- Track listing :# "Lone Star Song"# "Mockingbirds"# "It's The Life"# "Sing Along"# "Mighty Joe Moon"# "Demon Called Deception"...
, includes references to Peeping Tom. - Dr. Hook & The Medicine ShowDr. Hook & The Medicine ShowDr. Hook & the Medicine Show was an American pop, country and soft rock band, formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1967 as The Chocolate Papers. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit...
recorded the song "Hey, Lady Godiva." - Mother Love BoneMother Love BoneMother Love Bone was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988. The band was active from 1988 to 1990. Frontman Andrew Wood's personality and compositions helped to catapult the group to the top of the burgeoning late 1980s/early 1990s Seattle music scene...
recorded a song, "Lady Godiva Blues," on their 1992 self-titled album and on the reissue of AppleApple (album)- Personnel :Mother Love Bone* Jeff Ament – bass guitar, art direction and concept* Bruce Fairweather – lead guitar* Greg Gilmore – drums* Stone Gossard – rhythm guitar* Andrew Wood – vocals, pianoProduction...
, in each instance as a bonus track. - QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's "Don't Stop Me NowDon't Stop Me Now"Don't Stop Me Now" is a song by English rock group Queen, featured on their 1978 album Jazz. Written by vocalist Freddie Mercury, it was recorded in August/September 1978 at Super Bear Studios in Berre-les-Alpes , France, and is the twelfth track on the album.Musically, the song is based around...
" sees Freddie MercuryFreddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
"passing by like Lady Godiva." - Simply RedSimply RedSimply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...
recorded "Lady Godiva’s Room" on their 1992 EP MontreuxMontreuxMontreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :... - AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
's song "My Girl" from their album, PumpPump (album)*After the end of "What It Takes" there is a brief, untitled, instrumental hidden track composed and performed by Randy Raine-Reusch. This was not included on all the releases in all countries.-Bonus track :-Lawsuit:...
, contains the line, "My girl's a Lady Godiva." - In Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's song "Modern Love" from his self-titled 1977 album, he states "For Lady Godiva I came incognito." - Boney MBoney MBoney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...
's song "Lady Godiva" was released in 1993 on the album Boney M. More Gold. - Groucho MarxGroucho MarxJulius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
's song "Lydia the Tattooed LadyLydia the Tattooed Lady"Lydia the Tattooed Lady" is a 1939 song written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. It first appeared in the 1939 Marx Brothers movie At the Circus and became one of Groucho Marx's signature tunes...
" mentions one of the tattoos being "there's Godiva but with her pyjamas on" - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass had a 1967 hit, "Lady Godiva," an instrumental version of the Peter & Gordon record.
- Toots & the MaytalsToots & the MaytalsToots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...
recorded the song "Peeping Tom" in 1970 on the album Monkey Man - King Khan and the ShrinesKing Khan and the ShrinesKing Khan and the Shrines, sometimes referred to as King Khan and Sensational Shrines or The Supreme Genius of King Khan and His Sensational Shrines, are a Berlin-based garage rock and psychedelic soul band.-History:...
' song 'The Ballad of Lady Godiva' is the last track on their 2007 album 'What Is?!' - Sage FrancisSage FrancisPaul "Sage" Francis is a hip-hop artist from Providence, Rhode Island.-Biography:Born Paul Francis in Miami, Florida, Sage Francis is a rapper/writer/performer from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of the independent hip-hop record label Strange Famous Records...
' song 'Love the Lie' on the album Li(f)eLi(f)e-Charts:-References:-External links:*...
contains the line, "Lady Godiva might have been an exhibitionist, I'm not here to judge voyeuristic fetishes."
Classical music and opera
The plot of Mascagni's opera IsabeauIsabeau
Isabeau is a leggenda drammatica or opera in three parts by Pietro Mascagni, 1911, from an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. Mascagni conducted its first performance on June 2, 1911 at the Teatro Coliseo, Buenos Aires....
is based on the story of Lady Godiva.
Vitezslav Novak
Vítezslav Novák
Vítězslav Novák was one of the most well-respected Czech composers and pedagogues, almost singlehandedly founding a mid-century Czech school of composition...
composed an overture for a play based on the story of Lady Godiva in Prague in 1907.
Literature
- "Godiva"Godiva (poem)Godiva is a poem written in 1842 by the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson . It is based on the story of the Countess Godiva , an Anglo-Saxon lady who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry in England after her husband promised that he would remit oppressive taxes on his tenants...
(1842), a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. - Hereward the Wake (1866), a novel by Charles KingsleyCharles KingsleyCharles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, features Lady Godiva as a character. - "Women in Love" (1916), a novel by D. H. LawrenceD. H. LawrenceDavid Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
features a sculpture entitled Lady Godiva; a character refers the name to "the middle-aged wife of some Earl or other, who covered herself with her long hair," and is mocked. - Guli ("The Heart"), a poem by Galaktion TabidzeGalaktion TabidzeGalaktion Tabidze was a leading Georgian poet of the twentieth century whose writings profoundly influenced all subsequent generations of Georgian poets. He survived Stalin's Great Purge of the 1930s, which claimed lives of many of his fellow writers, friends and relatives, but came under heavy...
, includes a mention of Lady Godiva. - "Boston" (1928) a novel by Upton Sinclair, references Lady Godiva on page 652.
- The Seven Lady GodivasThe Seven Lady GodivasThe Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family is a picture book of the tale of Lady Godiva, written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. One of Seuss's few books written for adults, its original 1939 publication by Random House was a failure and was eventually remaindered...
: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family (1939), a short illustrated novel by Dr. SeussDr. SeussTheodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
. - Kaputt (1944), a novel by Curzio MalaparteCurzio MalaparteCurzio Malaparte , born Kurt Erich Suckert, was an Italian journalist, dramatist, short-story writer, novelist and diplomat...
, includes a mention of Lady Godiva. - "Ariel" (1965), a poem by Sylvia PlathSylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
includes a mention of Lady Godiva. - "Nicotine," a poem by Ezra PoundEzra PoundEzra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
mentions Lady Godiva. - King Hereafter (1982), a novel by Dorothy DunnettDorothy DunnettDorothy Dunnett OBE was a Scottish historical novelist. She is best known for her six-part series about Francis Crawford of Lymond, The Lymond Chronicles, which she followed with the eight-part prequel The House of Niccolò...
features Lady Godiva as a character. - InshallaInshallah (novel)Inshallah is a novel written by Oriana Fallaci chronicling the experiences of a fictional group of Italian soldiers on a 1983 peace keeping mission in Beirut...
(1992), a novel by Oriana FallaciOriana FallaciOriana Fallaci was an Italian journalist, author, and political interviewer. A former partisan during World War II, she had a long and successful journalistic career...
has a small subplot centred on the purchase of a sex dollSex dollA sex doll is a type of sex toy in the size and shape of a sexual partner for aid in masturbation....
called Lady Godiva. - "Godiva: The Viking Sagas" (2004), a novel by David RoseDavid RoseDavid Rose was a British-born American songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra leader. His most famous compositions were "The Stripper", "Holiday for Strings", and "Calypso Melody"...
. - "Superman/Batman #20" (2005) has a villain named Godiva whose nudity is covered only by her long hair.
- "Godiva" (2008), a historical novel by Nerys Jones, who died while the book was in press, relates the tumultuous events of 1042 culminating in the events of the legend and features Lady Godiva as the heroine.
- "Naked" (2008), a short story by Louise Hawes, part of her book of retold fairytales; "Black Pearls, A Faerie Strand."
- "No Lady Godiva", poem by Charles BukowskiCharles BukowskiHenry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
Television
- Dorothy Reynolds portrayed Lady Godiva in the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV series Hereward the Wake (1965). - In the CharmedCharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
episode "The Bare Witch Project," a student in Magic School accidentally conjures Lady Godiva and Lord Dyson out of a history book. Later, Phoebe, inspired by Lady Godiva, decides to ride naked through a crowded street in support of women's liberation. - In an episode "The Godiva AffairThe Godiva AffairThe Godiva Affair is the fourth episode of the seventh British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Friday 6 December 1974.-Synopsis:...
" of the British sitcomBritish sitcomA British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
Dad's ArmyDad's ArmyDad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, women in the town of Walmington-on-Sea compete for the part of Lady Godiva to head a carnival procession in the town, ultimately performed by Elizabeth, the wife of Captain Mainwaring, causing him to collapse in astonishment and shame. - The Gorgeous Ladies of WrestlingGorgeous Ladies of WrestlingGorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, also known as GLOW or G.L.O.W., was a professional wrestling promotion for women, begun in 1986 and continued in various forms after it left television. Colorful characters, beautiful women, and over-the-top comedy sketches were integral to the series' success...
featured a character named Godiva who rode to the ring on a horse and wore a sheer bodysuit. - The Histeria!Histeria!Histeria! is a 1998 American animated series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Unlike other animated series produced by Warner Bros. in the 1990s, Histeria! stood out as the most explicit edutainment program in order to meet FCC requirements for...
episode "Tribute to Tyrants" featured a sketch about the legend of Lady Godiva, portrayed by the World's Oldest Woman. - In one FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
episode, a costume party is held with the theme of characters from literature. Frasier (played by Kelsey GrammerKelsey GrammerAllen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
), dressed as the Bishop of Bath from The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at...
, sees a woman in a flesh-colored bodystocking (played by Grammer's then real-life wife, Camille DonatacciCamille DonatacciCamille Grammer is an American television personality, starring in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills...
), and guesses that she's Lady Godiva. She says she's EveEveEve is the first woman created by God in the Book of Genesis.Eve may also refer to:-People:*Eve , a common given name and surname*Eve , American recording artist and actress-Places:...
from the BibleBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, leading Frasier to say, "Now I know why it's called the Good Book!" - In another Frasier episode, the character of Maris was involved in an unfortunate chemical bonding incident while performing a Lady Godiva impression on a horse saddle her husband Niles CraneNiles CraneNiles Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American sitcom Frasier, a spin-off of the popular show Cheers. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Dr. Frasier Crane, the son of Det. Martin Crane and Dr. Hester Crane, husband of Daphne Moon,...
had bought her. - In the 'Twelve Hungry Men' episode of Hancock's Half HourHancock's Half HourHancock's Half Hour was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy, series of the 1950s and 60s written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sid James; the radio version also co-starred, at various times, Moira Lister, Andrée Melly, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr...
, a spoof of Twelve Angry Men, Hancock demonstrates his mangled view of the Godiva legend by comparing it to the case in hand: "Take the case of Doubting ThomasDoubting ThomasA Doubting Thomas is someone who will refuse to believe something without direct, physical, personal evidence; a skeptic.-Origin:The term is based on the Biblical account of Thomas the Apostle, a disciple of Jesus who doubted Jesus' resurrection and demanded to feel Jesus' wounds before being...
who was sent to Coventry for staring through a keyhole at Lady Godiva. Can anybody prove he was looking at her? Can anybody prove it was he who shouted 'Get your hair cut!'?" - In the Blackadder Goes ForthBlackadder Goes ForthBlackadder Goes Forth is the fourth and final series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One....
episode "Private Plane," Captain Blackadder (Rowan AtkinsonRowan AtkinsonRowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
) describes the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
as "the biggest show-offs since Lady Godiva entered the royal enclosure at Ascot claiming she had literally nothing to wear." - In the Round the TwistRound the TwistRound the Twist is a Logie Award-winning Australian children's television series about three children and their widowed father who live in a lighthouse and become involved in many magical adventures....
episode "Linda Godiva," Linda helps Pete win a cross-country horse race by being invisible, she is later turned visible and is seen riding the horse naked. - In the first episode of The Vicar of DibleyThe Vicar of DibleyThe Vicar of Dibley is a British sitcom created by Richard Curtis and written for its lead actress, Dawn French, by Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer, with contributions from Kit Hesketh-Harvey. It aired from 1994 to 2007...
, several characters reminisce about when Letitia Cropley rode through Dibley stark naked in a Lady Godiva reenactment. - In the SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
episode "The ApologyThe Apology (Seinfeld episode)"The Apology" is the 165th episode of the hit NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 9th and final season. It first aired on December 11, 1997. It is well known for the appearance of James Spader as Jason Hanky.-Jerry:...
," Jerry's girlfriend regularly walks around in his apartment naked, and at one point he refers to her as "Lady Godiva." - The title of Canadian comedy-drama series Godiva'sGodiva'sGodiva's is an hour long Canadian television comedy-drama series, which debuted on Bravo! and Citytv in 2005. It completed a successful two-season run in 2006, but though the show received rave reviews, it was cancelled by CHUM broadcasting...
is an allusion to Lady Godiva. - In an episode of Time SquadTime SquadTime Squad is an American animated television series created in 2001 by David Wasson, following the adventures of a trio of hapless "time cops", who travel back in time attempting to correct the course of history.-Plot:...
Larry showed Otto videos of previous missions and in one of these missions Lady Godiva was riding her horse naked while Tuddrussel ran after her, trying to persuade her to wear some clothes. - In an episode of Spin CitySpin CitySpin City is an American sitcom television series that aired from September 17, 1996 until April 30, 2002 on the ABC network. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike...
, the mayor's rebellious daughter rides naked though Central Park, New York City in protest. - In the 1970s TV series MaudeMaude (TV series)Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with...
, the opening song, sung by Donny Hathaway, includes the lyrics, "...Lady Godiva was a freedom rider, she didn't care if the whole world looked." - In the episode "Dead Uncles and Vegetables" from the second season of Gilmore GirlsGilmore GirlsGilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
, the grocer Taylor Doose refers to the rejected troubador running the farmer's market as Lady Godiva because of his long hair. - In the 3-hour pilot episode "Oil" from the first season of DynastyDynasty (TV series)Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
, Blake Carrington complains that his headstrong and flirtatious daughter FallonFallon Carrington ColbyFallon Carrington Colby is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty, and its spin-off The Colbys.The role was originated by Pamela Sue Martin in the show's first episode in 1981; Martin left in 1984. The role was recast with Emma Samms in 1985, and the character was spun off onto a...
"thinks she's some kind of Lady Godiva." - In the Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman episode "The Race" Hank, the saloon keeper, suggests that if Dr. Quinn rides like Lady Godiva in the race "folks might go for it". In other words, she would be allowed to compete in the males only horse race.
- In the episode of Suite Life on Deck, "Bermuda Triangle", Zack plans to have faces of famous European women in history on balloons including Lady Godiva.
- In an episode of Jeopardy!Jeopardy!Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
aired in October 2007, the clue for Final Jeopardy was 'Paul III roared at him, "I have waited 30 years for your services. Now I'm Pope, can't I satisfy my desire?"' a contestant answered 'Who is Lady Godiva?' - In a season two episode of Mad MenMad MenMad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
, the comedian Jimmy Barrett suggests that Betty Draper arrive at a party on her horse, "like Lady Godiva."
Advertising
- Kimberly-ClarkKimberly-ClarkKimberly-Clark Corporation is an American corporation that produces mostly paper-based consumer products. Kimberly-Clark brand name products include "Kleenex" facial tissue, "Kotex" feminine hygiene products, "Cottonelle", Scott and Andrex toilet paper, Wypall utility wipes, "KimWipes"...
's 2010 TV campaign for Poise adult underwear with Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
as Lady Godiva
Film
- Lady Godiva (19111911 in filmThe year 1911 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 23: D.W Griffith shows the first major close-up shot on film with the successful release of The Lonedale Operator proving his ever growing mastery of how to utilise film....
) the first film telling of the story starring Julia Swayne GordonJulia Swayne GordonJulia Swayne Gordon , was an American actress. She appeared in 228 films between 1908 to 1933.Born in Columbus, Ohio, she starred in the first film version of the Lady Godiva legend in 1911...
and produced by the Vitagraph company. - Lady Godiva (1928), a British silent short with Gladys JenningsGladys Jennings-Selected filmography:* The Lady Clare * The Face at the Window * The Shuttle of Life * Lamp in the Desert * Henry, King of Navarre * The Happy Ending -External links:...
in the title role. - The Ghost TalksThe Ghost Talks (1949 film)The Ghost Talks is the 113th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1949), a short film featuring the Three StoogesThree StoogesThe Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
in a slapstick send-up of the Lady Godiva legend. The film changes key elements of the legend, eliminating Tom's blindness as his penalty and inventing a relationship between the tailor and the Lady. After an encounter between the Stooges and a haunted, empty suit of armour occupied by the spirit of Peeping Tom, the Stooges act out the ghost's narrative of the events of the famous day in costumes based on the clothing of a period many years later than the life of the historic Godiva. - Lady Godiva of CoventryLady Godiva of CoventryLady Godiva of Coventry is an American historical film, directed by Arthur Lubin and released in 1955. It starred Maureen O'Hara in the title role.-Synopsis:...
(1955) starring IrishIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
actress Maureen O'HaraMaureen O'HaraMaureen O'Hara is an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne...
in the title role. - The MaskThe Mask (film)The Mask is a 1994 American superhero comedy film based on a series of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. This film was directed by Chuck Russell, and produced by Dark Horse Entertainment and New Line Cinema, and originally released to movie theatres on July 29, 1994 through New Line...
(1994) - When in the Bank talking to Stanley (Jim CarreyJim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
), Tina (Cameron DiazCameron DiazCameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
) starts talking about Stanley's tie:
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- TINA: "As I was saying about that tie. It's like one of those, what do you call them, ink blot tests."
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- STANLEY: "A Rorschach test."
-
- TINA: "That's it. It looks like... um. A young woman riding bareback. You know, like a Lady Godiva or something."
- Lady GodivaLady Godiva (film)Lady Godiva is a British romantic comedy film made in 2006 and released in 2008. It was directed by Vicky Jewson. It starred Phoebe Thomas, Matthew Chambers and Natalie Walter. Based on the historic tale of Lady Godiva, it was set in modern-day Oxford....
, a 2006 film - Lady Godiva: Back in the SaddleLady Godiva: Back in the SaddleLady Godiva: Back in the Saddle is a 2007 British comedy film directed by Baz Taylor and starring James Fleet, Caroline Harker and Phil Cornwell...
, a 2007 film
- Lady Godiva
- TINA: "That's it. It looks like... um. A young woman riding bareback. You know, like a Lady Godiva or something."
Video games
- The title "Lady Godiva" can be obtained in the game Warhammer OnlineWarhammer Online: Age of ReckoningWarhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting. It was developed by Mythic Entertainment and simultaneously released in North and South Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand on September 18, 2008...
when a player summons their mount in a capital city while not wearing any armor.
- In FIFA: Road to World Cup 98, commentator Andy Gray refers to a goalkeeper who is left exposed by his defenders: "Lady Godiva had more cover than he's had!"
See also
- Asteroid 3018 Godiva3018 Godiva3018 Godiva is a small main belt asteroid, which was discovered by Edward L. G. Bowell in 1982. It is named after Lady Godiva, the Saxon woman who, legend has it, rode naked through the city of Coventry....
- Nudity and protestNudity and protestPublic nudity has sometimes been used to attract more attention to a public protest, a tactic used by the Doukhobors in the early 20th century, and later used more widely...
- The Seven Lady GodivasThe Seven Lady GodivasThe Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family is a picture book of the tale of Lady Godiva, written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. One of Seuss's few books written for adults, its original 1939 publication by Random House was a failure and was eventually remaindered...
- Godiva deviceGodiva deviceThe Lady Godiva device was an unshielded, pulsed nuclear reactor originally situated at the Los Alamos National Laboratory , New Mexico, U.S. It was one of a number of criticality devices within Technical Area 18 . Specifically, it was used to produce bursts of neutrons and gamma rays for...