I Am the Very Model of an Ancient Roman Emperor
"I am the Very Model of an Ancient Roman Emperor" is the first song of the second season of the Animaniacs reboot , featured in the episode "Rome Sweet Rome ."
It is a parody of "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General ," and is the second Animaniacs song to parody this, following "I Am the Very Model of a Cartoon Individual ." This is pointed out following the song, when Wakko tells Yakko that he preferred the "original version" to Nero's.
Lyrics [ ] Nero :I am the very model of an ancient Roman Emperor I overspend and overtax and overthrow my treasurer, I marry family members from my cousin to my stepsister I’m always right, I’m never wrong, just ask this neutral senator Senator, under threat : Th-That is correct.Nero :Through sound investigation by Praetorian Inquisitors, My mother and my brother were revealed to be conspiratorsBut mother dear’s no longer here , this bust helps me remember herI am the very model of an ancient Roman Emperor Yakko Warner He fiddles while the city burns , he rules with fear tyrannicalDot Warner He’s lazy, brutish, and ill-willed, he thinks that he’s infallible Wakko Warner His hands are small, he steals from Gaul, his writing's ungrammatical Yakko, Wakko and Dot :He’s making Roma great again, dogmatic and fantastical He’s gormless and irascible, tragic and autocratical Maniacal and radical, positions problematical Takes endless golf sabbaticals, his tweets are unsyntactical Yakko : Um, we're still talking about Nero, right?Yakko, Wakko and Dot :He’s a narcissist, a petulant, unscrupulous embezzler He is a very model of an ancient Roman Emperor Trivia [ ] While made for comedy, much of the song's nods to Nero had omitted certain aspects of his reign.
At least according to Suetonius, Nero led a relief effort after the Great Fire of Rome (though his planned construction of luxury palace in burnt area and persecution of Christians didn't help with his allegation of negligence and even starting the fire itself).
His marriage to his cousin and stepsister was for political purpose, which they were promptly divorced after the elimination of his mother and married his mistress (Poppea) while exiling her husband Otho (who would become one of the successors in the "Year of Four Emperors" after end of Nero's reign).
His relationship with his teenager named Sporus was left unmentioned, possibly due to the explicit nature (especially his attempt to "make her his wife") of their relationship not being appropriate for show's intended audience.
While Nero's verses are historically accurate, several of the Warners' lines are obvious references to Donald Trump , who was President of the United States at the time the episode was written (though had been impeached by its airing). Definitive lines include:
Other lines may include references, such as:
Audio [ ]
Animaniacs
Yakko, Wakko, and Dot
Animaniacs Theme SongThe Monkey Song • Yakko's World • Support the Scouts • The Acme Song • Yes, Brothers Warner We • I am the Evil Pirate Captain Mel • We Should Run and We Should Flee • I Am the Very Model of a Cartoon Individual • Yakko's Universe • Come See Us • The Studio Shrink • The Etiquette Song • Flipper Parody • What Are We? • You Can't Catch Us • Piano Rag • The Warner's Lot Song • The Candyman's Swell • Llama Llama Llama • Let the Anvils Ring (Prologue) • Anvilania's National Anthem • Let the Anvils Ring • In Dear Old Anvilania • Musical Chairs • This Means War(ners) • My Old Anvilanian Home • War Report Finale • Frere Warner • The Hills are Quite Full • Three Little Maids • Falderal • Our First Day of School • Frizzy Cola • We'll Clean Your Flue for You • Writin' Hooey • Call Dr. Yakko • The Ending • Wakko's America • Lincoln's Introduction • Lanky and Cranky • Be Careful What You Eat • We Haven't Got a Clue • Camelot • Early in the Morning • You're in Hades Now • Whiny Protest Song from the 60s • Purgatory, Here We Come • O Silly Mio • Planets Song • You'll Never Laugh Alone • Nice and Chubby Baby • Animaniacs Stew • We've Been Mixing Up the Scripts • We Found This Old Computer • We're the Musketeers • The King's Lullaby • Sam 'N' Ella's • In the Mall • The Senses Song • Mary Tyler Dot Song • Video Revue • The Goodbye Song • Ravioli, Pepperoni • The Warner Waiter Two • We Were Sitting Here Before You • Lake Titicaca • Many Years Ago • Mean Old Man • Lots to See • Little Drummer Warners • Slippin' on the Ice • Branimaniacs • Old MacDonald Had a Farm • Camptown Races • Chopsticks • I'm Cute • The Crickets and the Froggies • Dot's Quiet Time • Schnitzelbank • On the Home Front We're Marching Along • Feelings • Baa Baa Black Sheep • John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt • Jimmy Crack Corn • Oh My Darling, Clementine • Old MacDonald Had a Farm (Slackmer) • London Bridge Is Falling Down • Pop Goes The Weasel • This Old Man • Baloney and Kids Theme • The Imagine Song • The Anvil Song • Baloney's Goodbye Song • Digg'd i' the Dark • Oh, Lady! • Introducing the Warners • Buddy's Song • Make a Gookie • Hurtin' Our Feet • Romp • The Hunk from Upumema • I'm Mad • Serendipity • Super Strong Warner Siblings • A Quake! A Quake! • Variety Speak • Twelve Days Of Christmas • U.N. Me • Running From Our Fans • They Want To Laugh • The Surprises in Life • All The Words in the English Language • The Presidents Song • Multiplication • Burbank • What Do You Do With Children Like Us Warners? • Poison Oak • When I Am Afraid • Grumpy Chicken • Eat All Your Oatmeal • The Cats of Phantom Boulevard • Dental Avenue • Take a Nap Instead • Snack Time • Dough, Some Cash • Don't Shout at Us, Mr. Webby • Hello Googi • Beware the Big Bad Wolf • Googily Goop • The Snugglers Theme • The Angry Song • Wakko's Two Note Song • Panama Canal • Hello Nurse • The Ballad of Magellan • At the Big Wrap Party Tonight • Cutie and the Beast • That's Dot • Be a Pest • Deck the Halls • Noel • Is Wakkoum a Warrior? • Just the Same Old Heroine • John Smith and Company • Ice Cream • Bars of Gold are Forever • When You're Traveling from Nantucket • You Can't Sing When I Sing • Obese Orson • Night Traveler • Bones in the Body • Macadamia Nut • We Won't Ever Leave • The Warner Bunch • Here Comes Attila • Magic Guys • We're On Our Way to Go See Mr. Plotz • You Gotta Do the Schmooze • There's Only One of You • Variety Speak (HFNH) • Jam-A-Lot • L.A. Dot • It's New Year's Eve • We're On Our Way to Go See Mr. Plotz (Version 2)
Pinky and the Brain
Pinky and the Brain ThemeI'm a Little Teapot • My Empty Hollow Head • Telephone Repairman • King of the World • Play Fish With Me • Pinky's Minstrel Songs • Johnny Badnote's Song
Slappy Squirrel
Slappy Squirrel ThemeThe Wonderful World of Walnuts • Bumbie the Dearest Deer • The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena) • The Slapper • Daniel Boone • Going up the Country • What Am I Singing For? • Crackers and Cheese • Would You Still Cheer? • Can You Hear Me? • Slappy's Polka • Star-Spangled Banner • It's Halloween • La donna è mobile • Food Song • Santa Lucia • Ride of the Valkyries • Slippin' on the Ice • Hall of Fame • Take Me Out to the Ball Game • Slappy Squirrel Theme (Three Tenors Version) • Rocket Rat
Goodfeathers
Goodfeathers ThemeGoodfeathers Song • Carloota • Scorsese's Head • I Feel Feathery • There's a Perch For You • Scorsese • Egg-hatcher, Egg-hatcher • If I Were the Godpigeon • Coo Coo Quack • Sasha, Squit • Do You Want Me? • Regis Philbin • Coo
Rita and Runt
Rita and Runt ThemeHumans Ain't What They Seem to Be • I, Camenbert • At The End Of My Fork • Look At Rita! • Flat in Gay Paree • I Am Definitely Runt • Rita and Runt • Do You Hear The Poodles Bark? • Dig Down • Bitten In The Butt • Runt and Camenbert • At the End of the Road • A Place Called Home • All Wrapped Up in Love • Let's Try For Two • Use Your Brain • A Hands On Kinda Gal • Let's Try For Three • Together • Milk Please Mama • I'm Nobody's Mama • Monterey • Happy Bob's Bunny Ranch • Stereotypical View • Bunny Bedtime • Miao • Florida • Cats Always Get the Short End of the Stick • I'll Go It Alone • Corn • Dizzy • Fraidy Cat • Is This My Destiny? • The Judge • There's Nothing Quite Like a Cat • Still There's Me and You
Chicken Boo
Chicken Boo ThemeDavy Omelette • Jingle Boo
Other
Hip Hippos Theme • La Behemoth • It's Not Pretty Being Me • Mr. Skullhead Show ThemeKatie Ka-Boom ThemeMindy and the Brain • Pinky and the Cat • Dottie the Squirrel • Sister Slappy • Animaniacs Theme Song (Three Tenors Version)Twelve Days Of Christmas (Blue Bird Edition) • Hello My Lady • Pinky and the Ralph • The Animaniacs Suite
Scrapped Songs
The Geologic Clock • Dear Mister Gingrich
