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"Lisa's Sax" is the third episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons, which explains how she got her saxophone.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler During a struggle between Bart and Lisa, Lisa's saxophone is destroyed. In a period of mourning, Lisa reveals she cannot remember ever not having that saxophone, so Homer recounts the instrument's origins. The story also involves Bart's first experiences at school, and how his initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher, eventually turning Bart into the troublemaker he is today. It was during discussions of Bart's future that the school psychologist realized the young Lisa is very gifted. With private school being too expensive, Homer instead considered buying Lisa a musical instrument to nurture her intelligence. In making this purchase, Homer sacrificed his own comfort, because he could no longer afford an air conditioner during a terrible heat wave. In the present, the saxophone is replaced.

In addition to revealing Bart's reasons for being a troublemaker and underachiever, this episode is also notable for fuelling suspicions of Milhouse's sexuality, after a school psychologist identifies the young Milhouse as having "flamboyantly homosexual tendencies." The episode is also notable for a rare glimpse at Snowball I.

Trivia

• This is the last episode in which Doris Grau has a speaking role as Lunchlady Doris (although this episode aired nearly two years after her death). It would also mark the final time the character would speak until Season 18's "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer" (voiced by Tress MacNeille).
• The white cat in the Simpsons' living room is the original Snowball.
• In the music store is a guitar based on Eddie Van Halen's Famous Frankenstrat.
• In this episode it is revealed that Principal Skinner had got a metal plate in his buttocks when he was in the Vietnam War.

Cultural references

• The song "Those Were the Days" parodies the opening credits of the classic television show All in the Family
• In the flashback, Dr. Hibbert fashioned his hair and attire like Mr. T in The A-Team.
• The song Lisa plays on her new saxophone near the end of the episode, is "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
• A flashback to 1990 shows Homer watching Twin Peaks as Dale Cooper remarks, "That's some damn fine coffee you got here in Twin Peaks... and damn good cherry pie." The Giant is then shown waltzing with a unicorn, under a tree with a traffic light hanging from a branch. Homer exclaims that the show is "Brilliant!" then admits "...I have absolutely no idea what's going on."
• When Lisa's saxophone gets run over, one of the people who runs over it is the old man in the raincoat on a tricycle (played by Arte Johnson), which is a running gag from the NBC variety show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.

Goofs

• Homer is shown with his current number of hairs (i.e. two) in the flashbacks although in other stories describing events before Maggie's birth he is seen with more hair.
• Milhouse is shown spraying milk from his nose, even though it is stated by him that he is allergic to milk, and his own tears.

Quotes

• Teacher: So you see, children, there is hope for anyone.
  Young Bart: Even me?
  Teacher: No.

• Krusty (played by Fyvush Finkel): Chan Ho, your mother Mia and I are getting a divorce.
  Chin Ho: Chan Ho is over there. I am Chin Ho.
  Krusty: Whoever you are, just pass it along, kid.

• Principal Skinner: Hello, I'm Principal Sinner- I mean, Principal Skinner. (Children laugh.) Great, now I've lost them forever.

• Homer: Whenever I felt down at school, I always remembered what my dad used to say. (goes to a flashback)
  Young Grandpa: Homer, you're as dumb as a mule and twice as ugly. If a strange man offers you a ride, I say take it!
  Homer: Lousy traumatic childhood.

• Homer: So, what do you like, Lisa? Vio-ma-lin? Tuba-ma-ba? Obo-mo-boe?
  (Lisa points to a saxophone)
  Homer: Ooh, saxo-ma-phone!

• Young Milhouse: The world needs a clown.

• Homer: Oh . . . but Marge, am I doomed to spend the rest of my life sweating like a pig?
  Bart: Yeah, not to mention looking like a pig, eating like a pig . . .
  Apu: Don't forget the smell.
  Homer: Will you get off my front lawn?
  Apu: Why don't you make me?
  Homer: Why! Oh, I give up.
• Grandpa: The year is nineteen-aught-six! The President is the divine Miss Sarah Bernhardt! And all over America, people were doin' a dance called the 'Funky Grandpa'! (sings) Why, I'm the..."(falls asleep standing up)

• Bart has made a horrible and very negative drawing
  Marge: Homer, I want you to look at this drawing Bart did!
  Homer: (faking excitement, watching TV) Oh, it's beautiful! Oh, oh, let's put Bart's beautiful drawing up on the fridge!
  Marge: Homer, stop. Will you please look at the drawing?
  Homer: Oh, all right. What...(looks at drawing)...aaah!! Burn it! Send it to hell!
  Marge: I think we're going to have to get Bart some help.
  Homer: (cringing) Get it away!

• With nowhere else to turn, as Marge narrates to us, the Simpsons go to see the school psychologist, Dr. Pryor
  Dr. Pryor: Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, there's nothing to be alarmed about. Public school can be intimidating to a young child, particularly one with as many flamboyantly homosexual tendencies as your son.
  Marge: Bart's gay?
  Dr. Pryor: Bart? Ah, whoo, wrong file.
  Dr. Pryor puts a file reading "MILHOUSE VANHOUTEN" back onto the rack.

• Marge: I cannot believe this! I'm trying to give our daughter a head start in life, and you aren't helping a bit!
  Homer: Marge, name one successful person in life who ever lived without air conditioning.
  Marge: Balzac!
  Homer: No need for potty mouth just because you can't think of one.
  Marge: But Balzac is the name...
  Homer: (interrupting) "If if's and but's were candy and nuts..." eh, how does the rest of that go?

• Homer: Well Moe, this is it. Today's the day I get my new air conditioner!
  Moe: Congratulations. Who's the little chick?
  Lisa: I'm Lisa!
  Homer: (proudly) She has a gift.
  Lisa: You have thirteen pickled eggs in this jar. And one cockroach!
  Moe: (laughs nervously) Who are you, sweetheart, the health inspector?
  Inspector: (seated at other end of bar) No, but I am.
  Moe: Ah, here, have a margarita!
  (The health inspector pulls a syringe out of the drink)
  Moe: Eh, that's a parasol.

• Bart: Wow, so that's how Lisa got her sax!
  Homer: Next, I'll tell you the origin of Maggie's pacifier!
  Marge: What origin? We got it for $1.95 down at the Safeway!

• Marge: Mmm, it doesn't matter. All these things cost money and we don't have it. Unless...
  Homer: Unless...what?
  Marge: Well, there is that two hundred dollars we've been saving for the new air conditioner.
  Homer: Oh, Marge, but...we've needed a new air conditioner for years! And our stop-gap solution is getting cranky!
  (That cranky "stop-gap solution" happens to be a white cat with a fan on its tail, blowing air onto a block of ice. It lets out an angry meow.)

• Homer: Our family was suffering through its worst crisis ever. Bart was miserable at school, and Lisa's gifts were going to waste.
  Bart: Uh, Homer? It's five years later, and I'm still miserable at school.
  Lisa: And my gifts are still going to waste!
  Marge: And sometimes I feel so smothered by this family I just want to scream until my lungs explode!!
  The rest of the family stares at Marge for a moment. She regains her composure after a deep breath
  Marge: I'll go start dinner now.
  Leaves for kitchen
  Homer: You do that.

"Those Were the Days" (The Simpsons Version)

• Homer: Boy, the way the Bee Gees played
  Marge: Movies John Travolta made
  Homer: Guessing how much Elvis weighed
  Both: Those were the days
  Marge: And you knew where you were then
  Homer: Watching shows like Gentle Ben
  Both: Mister, we could use a man like Sheriff Lobo again
  Homer: Disco Duck and Fleetwood Mac
  Marge: Coming out of my eight-track
  Both: Michael Jackson still was black!
  Those were the days.
  
  Later...
  Homer: Bart was feeling mighty blue
  Marge: It's a shame what school can do
  Apu: For no reason here's Apu
  All three: Those were the days.

External links

• "Lisa's Sax episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.

• The Simpsons episodes, season 9