@@punkoid76 Part of the joke within the film is exemplifying that a bunch of popular bands then(and now) get fame based on making incredibly simple songs with 3 chords
@@fidgetdietz8802 it’s a fact that over complicating music only makes it less catchy. Take jazz compared to basic rock and pop, it’s almost unlistenable. Even within rock ultra virtuoso guitarists just don’t make the instantly catchy stuff more basic musicians with a good ear for a tune do.
Both my grandparents were born on the Isle of Lucy in the 30s just before World War 2 and they said it was a very crowded country when they were growing up. Mysteriously tho after the war ended in 45 only 10 people were left out of a population of 11 in the summer of 39. Very odd 😕
The lyrics are ridiculous (on purpose), but the compositions, melodies, harmonies and production of the music is top notch. This is why the film did so well, managing to even convince many that Spinal Tap was a real band.
Define "real band" and consider that Spinal Tap (the 3 main actors): 1) wrote their own songs 2) played actual acoustic instruments 3) sang vocals (without auto-tune) and 4) performed their songs live on multiple occasions without lip sync or backup musicians. Spinal Tap is more "real" than most pop musicians today.
This is a fantastic spoof of the whole genre of 60s hippie music, right down to the sitar accompaniment and the pseudo-psychedelic camera work. I lose it every time I see Schearer mouth the words "we love you."
Does anyone know the exact details of Stumpys passing? I read years ago that it was in fact an infected wound inflicted by a particularly ferocious Venus fly trap. But then I've also heard that he sat on a large prickly cactus which caused heavy bleeding from his scrotum bag which led to a fainting spell and inevitable passing away after weeks of "feeling a bit giddy". RIP stumpy, we love and remember you.
The melody and arrangement of this song is something to behold. Thats what makes this film so special. It is indeed a mockumentary but it wouldn't be remembered if it bled too much into gag/spoof territory. Such a fine line between clever and stupid. You have to remember Christopher Guest , Harry Shearer and Michael McKean wrote these songs, performed them legit, and constructed every beat and improvisation along with Reiner. If there was any justice all of these men would have an honorary Oscar.
I love how they were always known as Spinal Tap - an ode to heavy metal band names - even when they had started off as a 60s pop/rock and then hippie band.
Well they started as the Originals, then the Thamesmen, the Love Biskwits, and the Tufnel-St. Hubbins Group (among others) according to the (real) album's liner notes. Spinal Tap is just a psychedelic name like Pink Floyd and only became metal when they did around the third (fictional) album.
The dancers in the background kill me! If you watch old episodes of Hullabaloo or Shindig the dancers are equally as lame. Just a perfect detail to a perfect song and performance. And kudos to making your guitar sound like a sitar. Groovy baby!
Anyone who came of age in the late '60s know that this is exactly the kind of stuff you'd see on Sunday's on Ed Sullivan, Shindig, and others. The fact that they can perform this without laughing is testament to their talent. When Harry Shearer mouths "We Love You" I bust up. The cheesy "effects" to look psychedelic were spot on.
@@scottlarson1548 In the sixties, a guitar/sitar was first produced, an electric guitar with 'sympathy' strings that made it sound like a sitar when played, as you hear on this vid.
The “shhh” at 1:12 makes me laugh every time. Totally reminds me of “Get Together” by The Youngbloods, except in that song you’re told to “listen” as opposed to “shhhh”. This is a great spoof on the pretensions of wisdom some of these hippy dippy bands had. There were some great psychedelic hippy songs made at the time, but there were many bad ones. These guys totally nailed the bad ones.
@@chasbodaniels1744 This is true. You made me realize I don’t know any of their other songs. Since I think it’s fun to discover music, off I go to see what else that I can find from them.
@@BGNOLA I actually kinda like “Hung Up On a Dream”. Anyway, never knew that bit of trivia and I love when people drop interesting stuff like that in the comments 👍
Wanna read something that might be even crazier? St. Anger came out in 2003. St. Anger is now as old as Master of Puppets was when St. Anger was released.
Man, I remember catching them down at this little club in Greenwich Village called The Electric Banana. It was around 1966, the “Flower People” era. And wow, was I knocked out by their exuberance, their raw power. And especially...their punctuality.
As Elvis used to say "being on time is THE most important thing" in show business. Apart from one memorable time in Cleveland, Tap have never, ever, ever been late on stage. And you can take that to the bank. Or up to 11, take your pick.
Ah the banana as we used to call it, I remember it well. It was THE place to be back in '66. Well not ALL of '66, maybe the late summer. Well August. Well the last week of August. Well the 27th/28th of August really, the rest of the time not so much. Good days, good days.
What's great about Spinal Tap is that much of what occurs is based in reality. For example, beginning as a skiffle band, the Thamesmen, before going hard rock (Jimmy Page is that you?). The titles of the songs and lyrics are so dead-on hilarious because they directly satirize music of the 60s and 70s. And the songs are delivered with such sincerity. Everyone needs to experience the genius that is Spinal Tap.
The solo began well enough, but near the end the player stumbles a bit (deliberately, I’m sure) as if he’s running out of gas. Listen again and you’ll probably notice it.
That’s half the joke Tap are actually pretty talented musicians who can produce great music - Stonehenge is a damn fine song and wouldn’t sound out of place on a good Prog album - it’s just they’re always a bit late to the party and the lyrics are, as the review says “treading water in a sea of retarded sexuality and bad poetry!”😂
@@chasbodaniels1744 that’s what I love about Nigel/Chris…he’s obviously a brilliant musician and can play (check out a Mighty Wind for some gold shredding)…but in Tap he’s always trying to ape the latest licks without practicing enough
For anyone who digs 60's music this is absolutely hilarious. They referenced so much in that one song, Beatles, Stones, Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, and even Donovan !!
The tragic death of the then drummer Peter James Bond due to a mysterious explosion at the Jazz Festival in the Isle of Lucy, inspired Keith Moon of "The Who" to blow up his drum set at the end of a concert. Spinal Tap has influenced so many rock musicians throughout many generations.
Never, ever, got this one until just this for a second when I read your comment. I was thinking it was some obscure British isle I had never heard of, and now I'm 🤦🏻♀️ that I never caught the pun in all these decades.
There are so many subtleties they picked up on. Here are three of my favorite ones: 1. The sitar-solo even though nobody is playing a sitar. Back in the 60s, when bands performed "live" on TV, they usually had to overdub a studio instrumental with vocals. 2. The long time it takes before the songs starts, and the light is turned on. 3. Mixolydian mode
Today they have sitar effects, but back in the 60's there were electric sitars like the Coral Vincent Bell Electric Sitar that looked almost like a guitar. That was an extremely rare instrument and it's not what he's playing. But still.
Let's not forget the contribution of the Thamesmen to this rock odyssey: "...the best British pop music, performed by an electrifying live band. With sharp suits, scintillating performance and stunning production to match, The Thamesmen were a fabulous addition to any wedding or function."
They perfectly captured how bands at the time would stand perfectly still, and if they really got into it and wanted to go a little crazy they'd sort of shake their shoulder or arch their eyebrows a bit.
This scene was so well done, Christopher Guest basically used it as a basis for the plot of A Mighty Wind. 60's folk singers reliving their glory days.
I was lucky enough to see Spinal Tap in concert in Milwaukee in 1992. Recently I tweeted Michael McKean and told him it was an awesome time when I saw them. He said he remembered that gig and it was a fun night.
@@gorgolyt Yes, it's technically a quintet, although the cellos and basses play the same part, with the basses playing it an octave lower. I've played it as part of a quartet several times.
as someone who was actually in the movie and in fact the casting director for the extras I can tell you that the band members actually sang and played all the songs themselves
You know, if this song had been released in the mid to late '60s, I have no doubt it would have been on the same plane as White Rabbit. Incense and Peppermint, at the very least.
@@moncorp1 In the sixties, a guitar/sitar was first produced, an electric guitar with 'sympathy' strings that made it sound like a sitar when played, as you hear on this vid.
It was extremely common in the 60's into early 70's for bands to mime songs on TV. If you were lucky you'd get live vocals but the studio backing track.
Like ten years ago I was tripping hard on mushrooms and listening to Hendrix. Then my sister came home and showed me the dvd of spinal tap and we watched the music videos.... when this one came on, there were vines growing up the walls to the ceiling... It was pretty awesome
A lot of these players and some other familiar faces gathered together to make a mockumentary about Folk Music called "A Mighty Wind." it is well worth a watch.
Love this cut -- so absolutely spot on!!! "This is Spinal Tap" was a favorite of mine when it first came out. Such a classic parody -- but so good I wouldn't be shocked if kids today thought it was a real documentary of a real band.
After Spinal Tap finished. Derek Smalls played in a Christian rock band called Lambsblood. They played the Monsters of Jesus festival. Really good stuff!
Lick my love pump is better than anything beethoven ever did man. Beethoven never even got on "Top of the Pops". Not even once. And he was deaf. And German.
