Song "Camp Granada"

[fltcoils]

Listening to it now

I was just listening to it "hello mudder"

Part of
The Very Best of Dr. Demento
collection

Amazon has "listen to sample" of this.

But I'm partial to some other cuts on this one.

 

[fltcoils]

Winters,

Jonathan Winters also plays a spy on "The Glass Bottom Boat". Another classic in so many ways.

 

[rp2813]

Rich, I think maybe Camp Granada is the classic case of a stereotypical Jewish boy not being cut out for roughing it. Just a wild guess.

I liked Sherman's spoof on "The 12 Days of Xmas" which highlighted the ridiculous consumer frenzy that the holidays had become. And that was nearly 50 years ago when holiday shopping wasn't the battleground it is today.

All together now: "... and a Japanese transistor Ra-di-OOOOOOO!"

 

[danemodsandy]

Another Sherman Classic:

This one to the tune of "Tit Willow," from the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, The Mikado. Please note that the word "tit" and its variations in this context have nothing to do with anyone's poitrine:

The Bronx Bird Watcher

On a branch of a tree sat a little tomtit,
Singing willow, tit willow, tit willow.
An uncomfortable place for a boidie to sit,
Singing willow, tit willow, tit willow.
So I said to him, "Boidie, why don't you go way?"
He said, "Thenks very much, but I'm planning to stay.
I'm gone sit on that branch for the rest of the day,
Singing willow, tit willow, tit willow."
So I said to him, "Boidie, you look so distraught.
Singing willow, tit willow, tit willow.
You gonna be glad when you'll see what I brought.
A pillow, a pillow, a pillow."
I said, "Boidie, your pardon I humbly would beg.
Put this comfortable pillow right under your leg."
He said, "Leave me alone while I'm laying an egg.
Uh willow, tit willow, tit willow."
That night by the light of a matzoh ball moon,
Singing willow, tit willow, tit willow.
That boidie was singing the same catchy tune:
Willow, tit willow, tit willow.
And I came, and I took him right down from his branch,
And I brought him back home to mine split-level ranch,
And I said to my wife, "Here's a gift for you, Blanche.
He sings 'willow, tit willow, tit willow.'"
Next morning I got up and went to the shop,
Singing willow, tit willow, tit willow.
That tune was so catchy, it just wouldn't stop.
Willow willow, titty willow willow, titty willow willow willow wil-LOW.
That night I said, "Blanche, how's the bird?" She said, "Well,
The boid was delicious, it tasted just swell.
But as I fricaseed him, he gave out a yell:
'Oy willow, tit willow - willow.'

 

[danemodsandy]

And Then There's...

...This one, sung to the tune of "Alouette." If you were around in the early '60s, the TV shows mentioned here will bring back some fond memories:

Al n' Yetta

Al 'n' Yetta always sit togedda,
Watching TV every single night.
Munching popcorn from a dish,
While observing Dorothy Gish.
(Dorothy Gish) Dorothy Gish,
(What a dish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
Al 'n' Yetta couldn't have it betta,
Their TV set has remote control.
So they both can stay in bed,
With Frankenstein and Mister Ed.
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
Al 'n' Yetta, fans of Art Linkletta,
And they love to sing along with Mitch.
They just found in TV Guide,
Reruns of December Bride.
(December Bride) TV Guide,
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
They're big fans uh Gunsmoke and Bonanza,
And Ben Casey and Doctor Jim Kildare,
And third reruns of Millionaire,
And fourth reruns of Yogi Bear.
(Millionaire) Yogi Bear,
(December Bride) TV Guide,
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
Al 'n' Yetta love to watch Loretta
When she enters through her fancy door.
They just love The Real McCoys,
Walter Cronkite and The Bowery Boys.
(Bowery Boys) Real McCoys,
(Millionaire) Yogi Bear,
(December Bride) TV Guide,
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
Al got wrinkly, watching Huntley-Brinkley,
And College Bowl on Sunday afternoons.
While they both watch Meet The Press,
Yetta yearns for Elliott Ness.
(Elliott Ness) Meet The Press,
(Bowery Boys) Real McCoys,
(Millionaire) Yogi Bear,
(December Bride) TV Guide,
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
Al 'n' Yetta watched an operetta.
Leonard Bernstein told them what they saw.
They both shouted, "Hail Bernstein!"
Then they switched to What's My Line.
(Hail Bernstein) What's My Line,
(Elliott Ness) Meet The Press,
(Bowery Boys) Real McCoys,
(Millionaire) Yogi Bear,
(December Bride) TV Guide,
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish.
Ohhhh,
Al told Yetta something that upsetta.
He said, "Dear, our picture tube has blown."
Yetta answered, "Woe is me,
For tonight we shall not see:
(Hail Bernstein) What's My Line,
(Elliott Ness) Meet The Press,
(Bowery Boys) Real McCoys,
(Millionaire) Yogi Bear,
(December Bride) TV Guide,
(Mister Ed) Stay in bed,
(Dorothy Gish) What a dish."
Ohhhh,
Al 'n' Yetta's television set!

 

[danemodsandy]

And Lastly, There's...

...This one, in which Sherman took on Hava Nagila - and won:

Harvey and Sheila

Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Oh, the day they met.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
No one will forget.
Harvey's a CPA.
He works for IBM.
He went to MIT and got his PhD.
Sheila's a girl I know,
At B.B.D.& O.
She works the PBX,
And makes out the checks.
Then came one great day when
Harvey took the elevator,
Sheila got in two floors later,
Soon they both felt they were falling,
Everyone heard Sheila calling,
"Ring the bell,"
But they fell.
Harv and Sheila fell in love.

Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Chose a wedding ring.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Married in the spring.
She shopped at A & P.
He bought a used MG.
They sat and watched TV
On their RCA.
Borrowed from HFC,
Bought some AT&T,
And on election day, worked for JFK.
Then they went and got a
Charge-A-Plate from R.H. Macy,
Bought a layette, pink and lacy,
Then they had twin baby girls,
Both with dimples, both with curls,
One named Bea,
One named Kay,
Soon they joined the PTA.

Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Moved to West LA.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Flew TWA.
They bought a house one day,
Financed by FHA.
It had a swimming pool, full of H2O.
Traded their used MG
For a new XKE.
Switched to the GOP,
That's the way things go.
Oh that Harvey he was
Really smart, he used his noodle.
Sheila bought a white French poodle,
Went to Europe with a visa,
Harvey's rich, they say that he's a VIP!
This could be,
Only in the USA!

 

[danemodsandy]

Wait, Wait!

Ooh - I found it. I found it! Allan Sherman's best ever. This one is set to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," and it contains the biggest laugh Sherman ever got. I've italicised the phrase that made everyone roll on the floor:

The Ballad Of Harry Lewis

I'm singing you the ballad
Of a great man of the cloth
His name was Harry Lewis
And he worked for Irving Roth

He died while cutting velvet
On a hot July the 4th
But his cloth goes shining on

Glory, glory Harry Lewis
Glory, glory Harry Lewis
Glory, glory Harry Lewis
His cloth goes shining on

Oh Harry Lewis perished
In the service of his Lord
He was trampling through the warehouse
Where the drapes of Roth are stored

He had the finest funeral
The union could afford
And his cloth goes shining on

Glory, glory Harry Lewis
Glory, glory Harry Lewis
Glory, glory Harry Lewis
His cloth goes shining on

Although a fire was raging
Harry stood by his machine
And when the firemen broke in
They discovered him between

A pile of roasted Dacron
And some french fried gabardine
His cloth goes shining on

Glory, glory Harry Lewis
Glory, glory Harry Lewis
Glory, glory Harry Lewis
His cloth goes shining on!