MetaChat - Please Mr. Sullivan

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07 January 2006

Please Mr. Sullivan - The Warner Bros. This song may set the record for most cultural references in a pop song. ever(musical as well as lyrical)*. and this was back in the mid 60's. These guys could the first post-modern rock band, I think.

*a prize for whoever can identify all of them

post by: jonmc at: 17:15 | 21 comments

i was trying hard today to convert and post a 45 I have because this reminded me of it. But by god, I cannot get my audio stuffs working...if/when i do, I'll send it on.

posted by Hellbient 07 January | 20:03

I've identified them all. What do I win?

posted by Cryptical Envelopment 07 January | 21:24

i can download nothing
curse you, jon
you mock me with your schpeil and schlitzing

posted by ethylene 07 January | 21:29

Is there anything really postmodern about making pop-culture references? 50s-early 60s novelty songs are full of this sort of stuff (thanks, Dr. Demento). Even some standards (like "You're the Tops"), do the same thing.

posted by Miko 07 January | 21:51

is it suppose to be post modern?
i thought it was just to speak to a specific audience because anything else is just usually so much masturbation.
which is not always what you wanna watch.
personally.

posted by ethylene 07 January | 22:04

Yes.

posted by go dog go 07 January | 22:37

Sheesh. I just thought it would be fun for you to find th ehidden clues. And the references are subtler and cleverer than in those Hit Parade type of tumes, and it's kind of a funny satire on the machinations of 60's pop stardom is all.

Sheesh.

posted by jonmc 07 January | 22:53

I loved it!

posted by go dog go 07 January | 22:58

OK, then. tell me the references.

posted by jonmc 07 January | 22:59

Well, a quick re-listen gave me Louie Louie, Beatles, Hang on Sloopy, no clue about who's from Peoria, Cap'n Kangaroo, Phyllis Diller, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Roger Miller. I'm sure there are more, but I couldn't understand some of the lyrics.

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:07

you missed one very obvious one. (besides ed sullivan)

posted by jonmc 07 January | 23:09

Oh well, duh, Ed Sullivan's like the whole point of the song, so I didn't think he counted. Don't make me listen to it again. I think I caught fenrique's funk.

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:16

Chubby Checker ("Do the Freddie") and Jackie Gleason. What were they singing about the "Parkmore 5"? Did I hear that wrong?

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:21

Freddie & The Dreamers did "Do The Freddie." The one I'm talking about is in the opening music and first lyrical verse.

posted by jonmc 07 January | 23:22

What is the opening? I can't place it!

(Chubby did the Freddie, too, you know.)

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:26

"Alley Oop" The Hollywood Argyles.

There's a man in the funnypapers we all now..

(these guys sing, there's a man on TV we all know...)

posted by jonmc 07 January | 23:28

Aaaagh! Yes, thank you. That would have bugged me all night.

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:30

Who is from Peoria, anyway?

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:32

I think the Warner Brothers actually are. or maybe it's a reference to "will it play in Peoria?"

posted by jonmc 07 January | 23:33

Heh.

posted by go dog go 07 January | 23:36

not that anyone's reading this anymore, but here's that crazy 1956 45 "The Answer to the Flying Saucer U.F.O. Men From Mars" by Syd Lawrence & Friends

posted by Hellbient 09 January | 02:15

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