Original artwork, not a still
Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-lagunga.
— Caddyshack · 1980
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Carl's answer is nonsense delivered with total confidence, which is why it works: the more solemn the delivery, the funnier the syllables. Fans chant it on golf courses, in bars and anywhere a wise man might be expected to say something wise. The joke is that there is no wisdom to be had, only a rhythm, and you can use it to answer any question at all.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for CaddyshackShow the scene
In the same Dalai Lama story, Carl Spackler recalls caddying for the twelfth son of the Lama on a Himalayan course. The Lama hits a big drive straight into a ten-thousand-foot crevice at the base of a glacier, and Carl asks Angie if she knows what the Lama says. She does not, so Carl delivers the supposed reply, a chant of nonsense syllables. They finish eighteen holes, the Lama will not pay, and promises total consciousness on his deathbed instead. In 2016 a Fox News interviewer asked the real Dalai Lama about the scene; he said he had not seen the film and had never played golf.
Sources (3)
- Wikiquote: CaddyshackCarl's Dalai Lama storyReference checked
- Caddyshack script (Springfield! Springfield!)Carl's storyReference checked
- Wikipedia: CaddyshackLegacy sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
