On That Note - A Legend That Will Last A Lunchtime

MeanDean

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On That Note - A Legend That Will Last A Lunchtime

It was the lowest rated television show for the week of March 19, 1978. Finishing #65 out of 65 shows broadcast that week.

NBC showed it in the 8:30-10:00PM (Central) time slot on March 22. I watched it. And loved it. As did my two best friends at the time.

It was the first known Mock Documentary of a fake rock and roll group and inspired the later classic 'This is Spinal Tap.'

All You Need is Cash (Aka The Rutles) is the television special the above is referring to.

So how did such a low rated show become a cult classic?

First off, my history - I learned of it in the Fall TV Guide Preview special that covered upcoming new Television shows premiering that season, along with specials slated for the year. It also helped that my dorm floor buddy worked for WHO, the NBC affiliate in Des Moines on the weekends. So he had some inside track on their network programming.

The appearance of the Soundtrack in stores prior to the special was a definite eye catcher. A cover that simultaneously parodied 4 of the Beatles classic album covers was something any music fan would be hard pressed not to notice.

Rutles1.jpg


First my buddy picked up his copy, with an included booklet full of twisted Mad Magazine-like visual and verbal Beatles' historical tales - all slightly twisted to portray Rutles history, not Beatles. We were instantly drawn in.

Then there was the music on the album. The song parodies were so Beatles-like! Hold My Hand was some weird but perfect combination of Please Please Me, She Loves You and I Want to Hold Your Hand. Ouch! - That's a send up of Help! Piggy in the Middle = I am the Walrus. Etc. They were brilliantly on target. Not mean, no, more of a paean to the originals at least in spirit, and definitely in production.

Ooh, we wondered... What did the Beatles think? Well George Harrison was actually in the film, playing it extremely straight portraying an unnamed street interviewer as the Rutle Corps headquarters are hilariously being pillaged in the background - Banana logo in place of the Apple and all. Hmm, I guess it was okay with them.

The story was largely the work of Eric Idle of Monte Python fame while the music was all composed by Neil Innes. (Neil had been a member of the Bonzo Dog (Doo-Dah) Band whose novelty UK hit, I'm the Urban Spaceman was co-produced by Gus Dudgeon and Apollo C. Vermouth - which was the chosen alias for one James Paul McCartney. Not Neil's only exposure to the Beatles was that single however, as the Bonzos also appeared in the film 'Magical Mystery Tour' performing Death Cab for Cutie.)

Executive Produced by SNL's Lorne Michaels 'All You Need is Cash' included cameos by Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Dan Ackroyd, and even a bit including writer/performers Tom Davis and Al (former MN Senator) Franken.

Several interview bits with Mick Jagger reminiscing about the Rutles are interspersed throughout the film; Bianca Jagger plays Ron Nasty's (The Lennon character) wife, and Ron Wood also appears briefly as a Hell's Angel. Other Rutles-influence commentary is provided by Paul Simon.

I was impressed with the package artwork and attention to detail in parodying the original photos and sleeves. Somebody who knew what they were doing took a lot of time and effort to put this together. (Never mind the 70's vintage VW Rabbit in the background of the "A Hard Day's Rut" film clip.)

Yeah, some of the Eric Idle cheesy interview bits are... well cheesy. But there are some genuinely hilarious bits. Right near the beginning he tosses away, "The Rutles' first album was recorded in twenty minutes. The second took even longer."

In a way, at the time, it was almost like discovering a treasure trove of newly unearthed Beatles tunes, so spot on were the musical send ups. I'll pick 5 because that's all I can include in the post.

A brilliant combination of Please Please Me/She Loves You/I Want to Hold Your Hand lyrically, but still not the same as any of them.



Fitting in that "A Hard Day's Rut" mold is this - basically If I Fell



Next up, the Help! version by the Rutles, Ouch!



We have to include some George, no sorry, Stig O'Hara Indian music



And drummer Barrington Womble (aka Barry Wom) always got a chance to do a song per album. Obviously their take on Don't Pass Me By

 
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MeanDean

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Well there's no way I'm not going to post my favorite - from the animated film Yellow Submarine Sandwich, I give you Cheese and Onions. Do I have to spell it out? (I guess so...) You'd better think twice, at least once more! Make sure you listen to the end for the non-crescendo ending - hilarious.



And Piggy in the Middle "One man's civilization is another man's jungle, yeah. They say revolution's in the air, I'm dancing in my underwear and I don't care." (The backwards talk is: tekram ot tnew eiggip elttil siht)



This little exchange after learning their manager was gone always struck our little group as extra funny. One of those where your buddies quote back and forth at the appropriate time. Times when you're shocked, yeah shocked, and stunned, yeah stunned.



Unlike the Beatles, the Rutles did get back together. A followup album entitled "Archaeology" was released in 1996.

The wonderful take off of Tomorrow Never Knows is from that release, and evidently the original LP "Rutolver."



And amazingly enough the entire 1978 film is available on Youtube, so if you've never seen it set aside and hour and six minutes to view it sometime. Many other tunes not included on the LP are included in the movie, like Goose Step Mama, and Get Up and Go.

(The VW Rabbit is at approximately 24:52)

 

cyclones500

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The Rutles crafted a deft balance of satire, pastiche and parody. It manages to poke fun at The Beatles mystique while also celebrating it. The humor lies around the edges — it isn't the central joke.

On top of that, the "Rutlified" versions of Fab Four songs (sometimes several tunes merged into one) work well on their own terms.

Here's one I like that wasn't posted in @MeanDean initial examples. ...

 
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CyCloned

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Well there's no way I'm not going to post my favorite - from the animated film Yellow Submarine Sandwich, I give you Cheese and Onions. Do I have to spell it out? (I guess so...) You'd better think twice, at least once more! Make sure you listen to the end for the non-crescendo ending - hilarious.



And Piggy in the Middle "One man's civilization is another man's jungle, yeah. They say revolution's in the air, I'm dancing in my underwear and I don't care." (The backwards talk is: tekram ot tnew eiggip elttil siht)



This little exchange after learning their manager was gone always struck our little group as extra funny. One of those where your buddies quote back and forth at the appropriate time. Times when you're shocked, yeah shocked, and stunned, yeah stunned.



Unlike the Beatles, the Rutles did get back together. A followup album entitled "Archaeology" was released in 1996.

The wonderful take off of Tomorrow Never Knows is from that release, and evidently the original LP "Rutolver."



And amazingly enough the entire 1978 film is available on Youtube, so if you've never seen it set aside and hour and six minutes to view it sometime. Many other tunes not included on the LP are included in the movie, like Goose Step Mama, and Get Up and Go.

(The VW Rabbit is at approximately 24:52)




I remember when this came out I had great anticipation, being a big Python fan from my days at ISU. Remember it being funny in parts, but there was a lot if it that was like watching a documentary on the Beetles.
 

cyclones500

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Regarding "Cheese and Onions" and "Piggy in the Middle": The songs fit each Beatles creative period, and an other layer, the video clips capture the spirit of the respective movie.

That Cheese and Onions clip would fit seamlessly into "Yellow Submarine."
 

Go2Guy

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John Belushi as 'Ron Decline' (aka Allen Klein - Beatles <and Rolling Stones> Mgr brought into to clean up Apple Records) - walking around telling everybody, "You're Fired"...:)
 
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cyclones500

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Watched about half of All You Need is Cash earlier, I need to finish it next day or so.

It's pitch-perfect for Beatles-like documentary, and also has fringe elements that are Monty Python-esque.
 
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MeanDean

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Watched about half of All You Need is Cash earlier, I need to finish it next day or so.

It's pitch-perfect for Beatles-like documentary, and also has fringe elements that are Monty Python-esque.

Yes, I neglected to mention that a more than passing knowledge of the Beatles history makes it much easier to connect all the dots in the parody. If you're unfamiliar with some of the historical touchstones a viewer will miss some of the jokes, etc.

The 'trouser' reference/joke is in reference to their actual Manager, Brian Epstein. Who was gay in a time when such thing was not spoken of in polite company. There were rumors he was not so much attracted to the Beatles for their musical acumen as to how they looked in their tight trousers. Again, rumor. Again, part of the backstory...
 
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cyclones500

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@MeanDean made reference to Harrison's involvement in the film. The other Beatles had various reaction to it, these excerpts are from Wikipedia, which states "citations needed" for better sourcing, so take it with a grain of salt. (Much of it sounds believable to me, seems to fit what each might say/think.)

Harrison said, "The Rutles sort of liberated me from the Beatles in a way. It was the only thing I saw of those Beatles television shows they made. It was actually the best, funniest and most scathing. But at the same time, it was done with the most love."

  • Ringo Starr liked the happier scenes in the film, but felt the scenes that mimicked sadder times hit too close.
  • John Lennon loved the film and refused to return the videotape and soundtrack he was given for approval. He told Innes, however, that "Get Up and Go" was too close to the Beatles' "Get Back" and to be careful not to be sued by ATV Music, owners of the Beatles catalogue's copyright at the time. The song was consequently omitted from the 1978 vinyl LP soundtrack.
  • Paul McCartney, who had just released his own album, London Town, always answered, "No comment." According to Innes: "He had a dinner at some awards thing at the same table as Eric one night and Eric said it was a little frosty." Idle claimed McCartney changed his mind because his wife Linda thought it was funny.
 
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cyclones500

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Yes, I neglected to mention that a more than passing knowledge of the Beatles history makes it much easier to connect all the dots in the parody. If you're unfamiliar with some of the historical touchstones a viewer will miss some of the jokes, etc.

The 'trouser' reference/joke is in reference to their actual Manager, Brian Epstein. Who was gay in a time when such thing was not spoken of in polite company. There were rumors he was not so much attracted to the Beatles for their musical acumen as to how they looked in their tight trousers. Again, rumor. Again, part of the backstory...

Yes, Epstein's attraction (specifically to John) is something I've seen in many Beatles bios. Who knows if the rumor has any legs :))). ...

The scene in the Rutles film when he interviews the "Brian's mother" character (can't recall character's name without looking) had me laughing --- she keeps interrupting him to hammer home the innuendo about the trousers. ("It left nothing to the imagination.")
 

MeanDean

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Yes, Epstein's attraction (specifically to John) is something I've seen in many Beatles bios. Who knows if the rumor has any legs :))). ...

The scene in the Rutles film when he interviews the "Brian's mother" character (can't recall character's name without looking) had me laughing --- she keeps interrupting him to hammer home the innuendo about the trousers. ("It left nothing to the imagination.")

For the record, Leggy Mountbatten.
 
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cyclones500

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Yes, I neglected to mention that a more than passing knowledge of the Beatles history makes it much easier to connect all the dots in the parody. If you're unfamiliar with some of the historical touchstones a viewer will miss some of the jokes, etc.

Definitely helps to know the Beatles bio in some depth.

That makes me realize, if I had seen the film when it was released, much of the humor would've flown over my head. That was a couple years before I discovered/rediscovered The Beatles, and I didn't start reading much about the band's backstory until around '82.
 

cyhiphopp

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I was -1 when All You Need is Cash was released, so I definitely missed out on it and didn't know it existed until yesterday. Hilarious. I'm a late to the party fan of Monty Python as well so that draw is evident.

I am a fan of the Beatles music, but not as much a student of their history, so some of that humor was lost on me. I know enough to follow along though, so it was still quite good.