Team America is full of funny, memorable songs. You're right, and I forgot completely that a couple of them were performed by the puppets: "Everyone has AIDS & "I'm so ronery". Good call!
I'm sure this will generate a real, real, real short list! Although the Muppets could actually supply a lot...
Tip of a VAST iceberg, my friend...
EDIT: That last video seems to be sadly messed up towards the end. Tsk, tsk. The missing lyric is, "Let's all jump up and down and wave our arms ... and get off the stage!"
I'm sure this will generate a real, real, real short list!
My replies always guarantee the death of any thread so in order to ensure your assumption to be correct, I am here to kill the thread in its infancy with my contribution:
I'm sure this will generate a real, real, real short list!
My replies always guarantee the death of any thread so in order to ensure your assumption to be correct, I am here to kill the thread in its infancy with my contribution:
The reliability and well earned reputation of your guarantee is still intact Disco Stu. This thread was moving along rather nicely until...well you know.
Disco Stu - thats a good call. Isnt that episode where they changed the notes of the performance for a code or something?
The songs in Muppet Christmas Carol were good, but I think my fave would have to be the Muppets sketch from the original series where zoot (the saxophone player) has to do that Mancini piece where he only plays one short note about every minute at the end of the orchestra's music.
The sketch preceding it has Zoot saying to the bandleader, "About this piece, give me match and I'll put it out of its misery!!" and the bandleader says "well, I could always find another sax player...." so Zoot says, paraphrasing, something like, "Well, man, let me take a look at this wonderful piece of music, baby...!" Its on the original LP.
add a rather silly and dubious edit: I'd also add probably nearly ALL of Brian Cants songs to Camblewick Green, Chigley and Trumpton. (which altho he is singing them, are supposed to be the plasticine puppet/models okay?! - where's your imagination??!)
eg: "Riding along in an army truck...in a humpity, bumpity army truck..." "Time flies by when youre the driver of a train.." "...Here is a box, a musical box....wound up, and ready to play...." etc
My favourite musical performance by a puppet is unfortunately not available on youtube. It's from Norway's most successful film of all time, FLÅKLYPA GRAND PRIX (PINCHCLIFFE GRAND PRIX) from 1975, and occurs when the inventor plays his soulful theme on a harmonica while he gazes out on the starlit sky. However, the song can be heard (with images of Norwegian scenery) here:
I also found an excerpt of the film itself - dubbed to English - that can be viewed here:
I really recommend people to take a look at that clip, especially if you're at all interested in groundbreaking puppeteering work.
BABES IN TOYLAND, a live TV version of the perennial Sigmund Romberg operetta, originally broadcast, as I recall, in 1954. It had Dave Garroway as a department store Santa, telling the story to some little girl who'd gotten lost. The wall behind him opens, and Dennis Day sings the title song. It also had Wally Cox as the Toymaker.
And, the Bill Baird Marionettes as the the talking toys. These marionettes were very popular in that period, appearing on variety shows and specials. There were even specials created for them, like "Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf" with the Marionettes, and I think also a "Sorceror's Apprentice" special as well, though I'm not so sure about this.
The most famous appearance of theirs is in the "Lonely Goatherd" sequence in the movie SOUND OF MUSIC.
At one point, BABES IN TOYLAND was scheduled for DVD release, but apparently it didn't happen. I can't imagine it was very sophisticated. I loved it, but then I was 5 years old at the time...
Peter Jackson's MEET THE FEEBLES. Definitely not for children, families, the sensitive etc...
So....is there a singing puppet in it?
I can't really remember much puppet-performing-music-scenes in THE DARK CRYSTAL either, but I've only seen the film once, and that was a few years ago.
I can't really remember much puppet-performing-music-scenes in THE DARK CRYSTAL either, but I've only seen the film once, and that was a few years ago.
Ha! I'd completely overlooked the "musical" reference in the thread title, but fortunately am redeemed by the podling party scene:
Ha! I'd completely overlooked the "musical" reference in the thread title, but fortunately am redeemed by the podling party scene:
Well, it's a stretch, but I'll accept it.
I'll put it in the same category as the cantina band in STAR WARS, although - strictly speaking - they are REAL people in costumes, not really PUPPETS! Same goes for the SPITTING IMAGE clips above.
