>I'm trying to get some research on this musician. Does anyone know of websites detailing lists of recordings and historical/biographical background. Does anyone on this forum have an opinion on Spike Jones? Do you find his recordings funny? At the moment I only have an LP of his 'Greatest Hits' with the cringingly unfunny 'Bubblegum Song'.
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My dads got a couple of his CDs, he being a bit of a fan of big band stuff. I think in it's time it was a bit anarchic, and he was loved by loads of people, so getting info on him *should* be quite easy. Just remember it was the war.
Cos I'm at my folks house I've dug out:
Radio Days Spike Jones & his City Slickers
It's a live thing from Radio City and seems to be made up from stuff recorded at Radio City What a surprise, it doesn't doesn't have that Bubblegum tune, just standards of the day, Minnie the Moocher.
The cd no is RMB 75017 on the Remember label.
My opinion? Knock about big band, well played, entertainment for the troops sort of thing.
I have had a 'Best Of' CD for a while, and recently obtained a 4 CD box set, but haven't had the chance to listen to that much yet.
The 'best of' mainly consists of cover versions: starting off 'straight', they speed up after the first verse or so and include lots of musical jokes and less conventional instruments. They are generally pretty funny. Of note are 'My Old Flame', rendered gruesome by a deranged Peter Lorre impersonation, and 'The Man on the Flying Trapeze', in which the singer struggles with the words and produces increasingly more ludicrous alternatives.
The 4 CDs seem to put more emphasis on jaunty, original comic songs, yer troop-pleasing type. Some good, some sort of okay-ish. The plaintive 'Never Hit Your Grandma With A Shovel' stands out.
'The Best Of Spike Jones And His City Slickers', BMG/RCA 74321 13576 2
'Spike Jones And His City Slickers - Strictly For Music Lovers', PROPERBOX 5
(www.proper-records.co.uk - contains full sleevenotes for the box set, and numerous links to Spike Jones fan sites)
>(www.proper-records.co.uk - contains full sleevenotes for the box set, and numerous links to Spike Jones fan sites)
Although, it transpires, only two of them work. It's a start, though.
Have got a video somewhere at home- not that that's much use to you. However, the "Where are ya, y'old bat?" in Chloe is a particularly funny bit.
A lot of it is top stuff, but as you say, much of it don't stand the test o' time.
Anyone who uses (amongst other things) a revolver and a live goat (and isn't in Einstuerzende Neubauten) has to have some potential. I think he also had a Lavaphonium (or similar), which he built out of a toilet seat.
One of the cds contains a version of "The Führer's Face" ("Ven der Führer says, ve is da master race, zen we 'Heil' *raspberry* 'Heil'*raspberry* Right in der Führer's face"), which was later made into a cartoon by Disney, and vexed old Adolf somewhat.
>One of the cds contains a version of "The Führer's Face" ("Ven der Führer says, ve is da master race, zen we 'Heil' *raspberry* 'Heil'*raspberry* Right in der Führer's face"), which was later made into a cartoon by Disney, and vexed old Adolf somewhat.
Shit, that's where this is from? It was sung by Hawkeye to Radar on an episode of MASH once (the one where Hawkeye has insomnia and sends a telegram to the president asking "Who's responsible"). Damn, thanks for that.
Good Lord, I must get myself some Spike Jones. My mother used to play it when I was little. Childish, yet great. I remember "The Fuhrer's face" and "You always Hurt the One You Love", with sound effects of people getting hurt.
You have a wife
and she has another husband
and I have a husband
and he has another wife
and she has another husband....
When historians talk about big band leaders during the war they only focus on people like Glen Miller or Benny Goodman. Poor old Spike gets ignored.
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>When historians talk about big band leaders during the war they only focus on people like Glen Miller or Benny Goodman. Poor old Spike gets ignored.
True, he was a respected session drummer, he worked with Bing, Hoagy Carmichael that sort of peeps.
Obviously the times a change, but as the music goes it is well played big band. Depends on whether you like big band.
I would say that he was a big influence on Stan Freberg, the same loony tunes style.