(Far From Complete) . Many Of The Videos You ''KNOW'' and ''LOVE,'' can, now, be found being shown at ''KNUCKLEHEAD THEATER.'' . Tickets - http://knlhd.blogspot.com, (click) - FREE!
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NEW SHOW -
WALLABOUIES - Bobby Darling Song, Video by MrStrokeGuy, Inspiration by POODLES Jr. - A great song by BD, from his ''CURE of FOLLY'' CD. POODLES Jr., makes her presence felt and, frankly, I can use the help. She has brought structure to the topsy-turvy world of living in a hospital, for me. Guess What?? Another MUST SEE!
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OLDER + WISER? - Bobby Darling Duo.
POODLES Jr., the Generation X offspring of POODLES D., has joined the crew. She CONGRATULATES the Duo on reaching 1000 YouTube views on the video, ''OLD CAPE COD.'' A Must See, only because it is so different.
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''APPRECIATION, ETC. - BOBBY DARLING, ETC.,''
Another Birthday Wish for Bobby D. Going strong at, what is it, 32 years or so? Good Luck and Many More!! A MUST'NT WATCH...Unless you like Groucho, Bud and Lou, Dinsdale, a Chipmunk clip from, ''A Touch of GRAY,'' etc. Oh, Yeah! And Pretty Girls. SCROLL, and avoid, below.
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''TABLE TALK'' - Contains a clip of Bobby D. + The Doctor.
Not on YouTube for obvious reasons.
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''QUOTES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE-MAYBE'' - Great Bobby Darling Song, from the CD.
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TWO SHOWS - MUST SEE!
''SUNDAY MORNING'' - Franconia Notch Band - (The Band BEFORE The BDS.) 1973
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DIXIE HOLIDAY and LEROY BROWN - BDS Duo
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''NEW'' TURKEY BOXING - Bobby Darling
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The ''EGGPLANT'' that ate ''CHICAGO'' - Bobby Darling Duo. (Made DUO Household Name - 1974.) A MUST SEE!
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The GLAATU SHOW - GLAATU's Latest, Latest
(Surprise Franconia Notch Song to those who haven't heard it)
---Whenever I would visit Bobby's house, I was never greeted by Bobby or any human member of his family. I was greeted by Tammy and Sebastian. They were the two Collie dogs owned by Bobby's Mom and Sister. ---The story goes, if I'm rememberring correctly, Bobby's Mom got Tammy and Bobby's sister, Cheryl, won Sebastian, somehow. I don't remember the exact way they were acquired, but Sebastian would be deemed a ''winner,'' by anyones standard. Tammy had had part of her nose bitten off, as a pup. Nobody quite knew the reason, or they just weren't talking about it. ---Tammy was quite normal, other than the nose thing, but Sebastian, on the other hand, was another story. He wasn't vicious or hard to get along with or anything like that, BUT, he had a telling way about him that proved time-and-time again, that he just didn't quite ''get'' it. He never seemed to know what was going on. He just didn't quite get the concept. ---He would walk into a room and you would know, instantly, that he didn't know why he came into the room. Then he would never know what to do, when he was in there. Many of us may feel the same way, but it is not public knowledge, when we do this. Sebastian would highlight this fact, in his own unique way. ---Bobby's mother had a vision that the two dogs would mate and they could create a business of sorts, by selling the pups. But, it became very clear that, mating, was NOT part of Sebastian's repertoire. Everything else that he did was outside the box, why should anything as instinctual as mating, be any different. ---I always thought that they should have a TV show with Sebastian as the lead - like Lassie. (He did resemble her a bit.) You could have the opening with Sebastion by the pond and the fence. Someone calls Sebastian and then it goes into Lassies theme song using Sebastian's name, instead of Lassie. You could see immediately, that the fence may present a problem to Sebastion. ---Where we find Lassie always doing the right thing and bringing the episode to a close through her intelligence and awareness, we could have Sebastion stumbling into situations, with the episode working out with his ineptness and total lack of cunning and shrewdness. His following of a different drum would be apparent, because it was so natural for him...and everyone was better off, somehow, by him being present. If Sebastian ever ''got'' it, not only would it have amazed many people, but it may have destroyed his ''particular,'' charm.
. ---Many people have asked, ''what is the story behind the chipmunks? Was it part of the original show, etc.?'' Many have asked ''other-type things,'' also. All I can say is, ''hold it down and I'll get to you.'' ---The chipmunk evolved quite as many of us did. It happened over billions and billions of years...but, hold-on, you are referring to the talking, singing, cartoon, ''Chipmunks,'' that were part of the BDS repertoire. You are asking how the BDS became involved with such mega-stars. You want to know more along the lines of how we hooked-up with Alvin, Simon and Theodore. That evolvution was - BDS style. I think that Charles Darwin, himself, has distanced himself from that. ---I want to say that the ''Chipmunks,'' came to hear us play one night, and were very impressed. They came back stage, and after some negotiations, loud-at-times, we came to terms. But, you know as well as I, that it didn't happen like that. That's too ''Cartoon-y.'' ---It was like this. We were playing at a place in Cambridge, MA. I think the name was, ''Studley's.'' The year was about 1976. We would ask for requests, and week-after-week, some guy would yell, ''The Chipmunks.'' He was planting the seed. ---As time went on, I half-heartedly asked my friend, Joanne, if she knew of any place I could get ahold of a Chipmunks Record. The Chipmunk Record was just one of many odd things I asked poor Joanne...but, anyway. ---The next day, I had TWO albums in my possession, by David Seville. One was, the ''Chipmunks'' and one was an exact copy of D. Seville speeding-up the tape technique, with the same voices, called - The ''Beavers.'' It was on the Beavers album where, ''Whistle While You Work,'' was found. ---Recording it straight from the record would be ''cute,'' and all, but it definitely needed something. It needed to be Bobby Darling Show - atized, to make it work. I began to bump the needle, so you wouldn't know which part of the song you were on. I did this several-upon-several, times. ---Bobby and Dinsdale, were NOT aware of any of this. I had made a-pair-of-teeth, out of cardboard, for each of us. They resembled Chipmunk teeth. I had the cassette tape of the Beaver/Chipmunks, with the teeth, in my shirt-pocket. All I needed now was the guy to request the ''Chipmunks.'' And like clockwork, near the end of the first set, he called out, ''the Chipmunks.'' ---I stopped everything and handed-out the teeth. I gave Bobby, the cassette tape. Remember, nobody knew about this, so even the putting in of the teeth, got laughs. Bobby and Dinsdale still didn't know that this was even about, ''The Chipmunks.'' ---Bobby played the tape and both caught on very quickly. Everyone was getting into it. The CUTENESS was beyond-the-beyond. We were ALL dancing, mouthing-the-words and whistling on cue. Everything was this way for awhile, until we reached the part of the tape where I began bumping the needle. Suddenly, NO one knew what part of the song they were on. As I said, I did this lots of times. They were trying to adjust to each section, but, eventually, realized that it was futile. ---The last I saw them do The Chipmunks, was on, ''Touch Of Gray.'' There was Bobby, Don and a ''bass playing female,'' I believe to be, Laurie Dearest. It was a real fun time seeing it on the DVD. ''Touch Of Gray,'' is worth it just for the BDS file footage, alone. The BDS-Chipmunk Bit has evolved and been enhanced, since the beginning. But, we knew we had a ''keeper.'' Alvin, would be proud.
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[More On How Special DON GRAY Made A, ''Touch Of Gray,'' At Another Time. Look For Don Gray Story.]
The Picture Above Was In The ''Bobby Darling Show'' Newsletter - Feb., 2009. I Told You The CHIPMUNK Bit Was A Keeper. I Have Seen Bobby D. and DR. DIVINE Perform ''The CHIPMUNKS,'' Since I Wrote The Above Story. It Is As, ''Good As Ever,'' To See. (Pictured Above - left-Dr. Divine, middle-The Dinsdale and right-Bobby Darling). The latest is...see APPRECIATION, ETC., - Bobby Darling, etc. It contains a portion of the clip I mentioned, from, ''Touch of GRAY.'' It is PLAYING at ''KNUCKLEHEAD'' THEATER. Oh, that's right. Also, below.
---''Dirty,'' Dan and Dave, was what the bit was really known as. It was the ventriloquist act we used to do in the BDS, to end the second set. To this day, I can't throw my voice, but, luckily this wasn't required, to do ventriloquism in the BDS. ---To tell this story, correctly, I do NOT need a ventriloquist dummy. This ''bit'' was done in true BDS - style. On stage, doing ventriloquism, without knowing how to do ventiloquism. ---At the finish of Franconia Notch, I would watch for possible material on television. Bobby and I had our ears open for anything we could adapt for the BDS. Danny and Dave came by way of the Dean Martin Show, with guest performer Albert Brooks. I had seen Albert perform many times, and he usually was good for a few laughs. ---This night he did Danny and Dave. I was alone in the room, and laughing out loud, at the TV. This is NOT something that happened often. ---I did not know what to expect, but here is what I remember. Albert came out and was holding an inexpensive Danny O'Day puppet. The ventriloquist dummy that sold for about $17.00 at most dept. stores in the 70's. ---Danny and Dave, had the exact same voice. Daves mouth would move when he did his own voice, and when he did the dummy's voice. The only distinction was that Dannys mouth would move, also, when he was speaking.
. ---They were done with the talking part, and moved into the cigarette part. Albert dropped the dummy, to a crash landing, on the floor. He reached into his own pocket, and took out a cigarette. He very carefully put it between his lips, lit it and began smoking it. He had seemingly forgotten about Danny, who was in a pile on the floor. ---He saw that he had forgotten about Danny and tried to continue the act. Next, was the water. He was going to drink the water, while Danny sang the song. Dave sang the first part and now was Dannys turn. Dave drank the water and it all came out when Danny sang. He repeated this. I was really laughing at this point because it was just so stupid. ---For the finale, he said he was going to try something that most ventriloquists don't do. Danny was going to drink the water while he sang the song. He was singing and pouring water into the Dummys mouth. I couldn't believe at how much I was laughing at this. The whole thing was so clever and stupid, that I didn't see how it could miss. We did Danny and Dave, and after a few different adaptations, we knew, also, we had a keeper. ---In the final adaptation, we had three parts. Bobby would set the premise, by introducing, ''The Worst Ventriloquism Act - IN THE WORLD.'' (In True BDS - Style, He Was Making It Easy To Live-Up-To.) We had, 1] banter with the dummy, 2] singing with water, and 3] the third part that made it all work.
. ---On the third part, the music and the dummy's voice were on tape. I would waltz with the dummy, while the music played. Bobby had done the chords for the song, ''Yesterday,'' on the tape. ---I sang the first verse of the song, straight, as it is on the record. When I was done, I would set my mouth (and NOT move it) - while the dummy's voice would come out of the speakers. It was easy for me as his voice was pre - recorded. It, actually, looked like I was throwing my voice. The Dummy, however, was singing different words than what were written by Paul McCartney. They were quite ''dirty.'' Hence the name, Dirty Dan. ---As Dave, I would be a little surprised, and shake the dummy to get ''him'' to sing the correct words. He would continue the ''different,'' words. I would shake him all the more, when he did. Eventually, his head would FALL off. I loosened it, so this would happen. I expected this, but the audience didn't. ---I would try to make things as ''slapstick and chaotic,'' as possible. I would sit in the water, from earlier, and try to put his head back on. I'd be on the floor, screwing on Danny's head, while he was still singing on the tape. The audience would finally realize, once and for all, that the Dummy was on tape. This was NOT obvious at first, but soon ALL caught on. (If you listened carefully, you could hear the audience catching-on.) As I said, I would try to make things as chaotic as possible. I would even try to put my own head on the Dummy's body. ---To end all this, I would resign myself to the futility of trying to make things right. The song was ending, and I was getting ready to leave. Bobby would be on stage, now, saying, ''let's have a big hand for Dirty Dan and Dave. Weren't They TERRIBLE?'' People were applauding and laughing, as I took my leave. We would take, a much-needed, break, at this point.
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''RESPECT YOUR DUMMY'' - Has been removed. YouTube wiped the audio track and it no longer made any sense, (NOT that it ever did.)
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(Their Is NO Truth To The Rumor, That Anything ''Vicarious,'' Was Happening Between Danny and a BDS Member)
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Check Out - The Bobby Darling Comment
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An Albert Brooks' video is, also, now, playing at KNUCKLEHEAD THEATER
---It has been over a year, now, since the passing of Don Gray. In one of my jaunts around the hospital, a memory of Don and his mother, hit me. (The dates of posting on blog are sometimes Not chronological. They are changed for placement purposes.) ---Bobby and I were in the band, Franconia Notch, and Don Gray was hired as the drummer. His obvious talents aside, and with his vehicle that would hold ALL the equipment in the background...Don, also, had a third reason why we should hire him - up his sleeve. It was the fact that he had a place for us to play on New Years Eve (1973-74). ---To set the stage a bit...Bobby had written a song, a few years before, called, ''Mrs. A.'' It was about an older woman in his neighborhood who had -
''A piano in the middle of the room - That played our songs a little out of tune''
it was one of the slower songs that we seemed to need in our repertoire. It was, especially, good for a crowd that did more slow dancing or an older crowd that, also, did more slow dancing. ''These young kids, nowadays, with their long hair and hippie music...I digress.'' I don't doubt that Bobby remembers the song, but, probably, hasn't played it in many years. ---On that particular New Years, we were presented with a golden opportunity...to make the night right. What I mean, here, is that we weren't really the ''best'' band for that night. If you ever saw the Blues Brothers movie, you will know what I'm talking about. I, myself, played the, ''Alley Cat,'' on Kazoo, after being taught how it goes from an audience member. I played it...twice during the evening, as an example. ---We had the song, ''Mrs. A.'' We were hired to play this gig by Don's Mother, ''Mrs. Gray.'' You do the math. We changed the song to Mrs. Gray and introduced it as a song for Dons Mom. With Jeff T. singing the lead, every song we had sounded better. We had a danceable, very personally dedicated song and suddenly something that we all could relate to. Talk about your win-win-win, situation. They were even talking about having us back. In a sense, the song, ''Mrs. A,'' pulled another night out of the dumper, and made it work.
(Hear Jeff sing lead on, ''SUNDAY MORNING,'' by Franconia Notch, below.)
---These songs were recorded at a Nightclub called, The ''Rocking Horse,'' in Hartford, CT. We recorded soon after we started, so the time is around - late 1974. As I said, we had a goodtime. The performance was a ''fun'' time for us. Bobby is going strong in 2009, thirty-five years after we started. He must be doing something right.
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A Song About A Guy Trying To, ''Get Away From His Girlfriend,'' Called, ''How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?'' -
---There were a few songs here, whose title, alone, made me want to hear what BD did with that song. Black Magic Marker, Andy Was The Sheriff, What Bobby Had Done With The Cast From Gilligan's Island, etc. I must admit, I laughed out loud at different times. I could imagine doing these songs to unsuspecting people, and watching their reaction. ---Then, I realized, Bobby could always play the Dickens' out of the guitar, and he had a ''Pip'' of a stage presence. He was a lot of fun to watch. The Bobby Darling Show, Strikes Again, for me, anyway. ---I have to qualify a bit. I received two Bobby Darling CD's, simultaneously - The Best Of The BDS and The Cure Of Folly. The ''Best Of,'' has the parodies that he has been doing. The ''Cure,'' has original material. ---I remember both sides of Bobby D. Both CD's are very good and very clever. On stage we were more successful doing the parodies. It was priceless seeing someone experience the ''punch line,'' for the first time. The response was real good and so honest, that you couldn't compare it to anything. For that moment, the crowd reaction was untouchable. ---I can understand BD writing, other-type material. And, I know that listening to both CD's, one after another - can be the best of times, and/or, can be the worst of times, but that would be because moods can change. Maybe, you just had a mood swing. I don't know. Ask the Doctor.
---I want to share something that I DID notice - for those of you who haven't been in the BDS, which is some of you, maybe. Bobby's original material is every bit as good as the parodies. The tunes aren't as recognizable, (I hope,) but the Bobby Darling trademark is all over it. ---His enjoyment and point of view, is unmistakeable. If you don't find yourself humming, ''Let's Not Talk About Love,'' or ''Wallabouies,'' or ''It's Just A Car,'' your BDS license should be revoked. Or, maybe, you should do some community service. I'm just kidding. ---I'll be the second to admit it. Bobby, himself, might be the first, but...it is difficult for me to be completely objective about what BD does. Even, though, I was the first to call him Bobby Darling. (The name idea was his.) His tunes, sophistication and videoes, astound me, sometimes.
---It wasn't him that did it, but he was in a band where their road manager had to unplug one end of the microphone cord from the other. Now, with some of the things he does, I, myself, may be the one doing that, figuratively. For a Geezer, he does pretty well for himself. I'm kidding. (One of his songs is - GEEZER BLUES.) ---Hearing on CD and seeing him on YouTube, where you should ALL be heading when we're done, makes me semi-smile. (I had a stroke. It's about the best I can do.) I really enjoy his work. Bobby is as vibrant and vital as ever. I look forward to his next. With someone as prolific as he has been, lately, that could be any day. The two CD's total 34 new songs. Whoa!!
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[Just As An Aside - Someday, I May Tell You About The MAGIC ''GUILLOTINE,'' Bobby Bought, And Had ''Dinsdale,'' Build. They Used It On ''Little'' Ricky's, (Don Gray's,) First Night. I Am Glad I Was Home...Eating Cake, At That Time. It Was A DISASTER.] Victor Hugo.
