All right. I've been sitting on this for literally months, trying to write it up. Sadly, I can't find much of anything about Macy Skipper online (apart from his other three recordings which you can listen to here). He's apparently from St. Louis, MO, released just a few singles on as many labels, and lived in obscurity.I wish he would've recorded more stuff like this -- the other records he put out are more standard rockabilly stuff, which I love well enough, but this just feels so special to me. This is a wonderful slab of nonsense which fits ten minutes' worth of absurdity into 180 seconds. It's consistently dazzling, bewildering, and hilarious. I've listened to it at least twenty times in the last week, and I don't think I'll ever want to slow down. Like the best funny spoken word records, I want to memorize it and perform it at parties.
And the worst part is, I want to write something funny about this record, but I can't come up with anything. Man, I feel so unnecessary...
17 comments:
Nice that you quote the song in the write-up... but if you want more words to fill this post out, you could closed caption this. Because... there are some difficult sections.
I'll try again, and hopefully it won't cut off the menu items this time. Ask, and it shall be delivered unto you:
http://besotted.250free.com/misterplug/GoofinOff.html
I'll also cut and paste here. Lyrics in parentheses are questionable and/or inscrutable -- comments and corrections are welcomed.
Smooth: Horsefly!
Horsefly: Daddy Ooh Smooth!
Smooth: How are you fixed for goose?
Horsefly: Loaded.
Smooth: Well then, hit me, man.
Horsefly: On the way to the cafe, I blowed out a left tennis shoe. But lucky I had my cold patches with me. Smoothie, the menu was loaded. They had steak sandwich, chicken salad,
bacontomatolettucetomatobarbecue
pimientocheesetortillahamburgercheeseburger
(???)coldplatehamramlam, beef, buttered and battered. Goof off, Smooth, and tear me up.
Smooth: After the show, be sho' and drag to the Rocker Club and dance to the music of Joe Banana and His Bunch, with "Music With Appeal." Playin' and singin' their smash hit, "Grandma's A Total Stranger, Since She Got Her Nose Caught In The Record Changer." Now there'll be free pink tea for the ladies, and Zu Zu Crackers for the men! Keep on goofin', Horsefly, cause you's on Candid Camera.
Horsefly: Man, I feel so unneccesary! I wonder how things are in guacamola. Do you need money? Send your hot rod, your record player and your (??) to radio station GOOF and we will cheerfully send you fifty cents cash. And if you're not completely dissatisfied, your money will be grudgingly refunded. Keep on flippin', Smooth.
Smooth: Lately I've noticed it's hotter in the city than it is in the summer, and it's colder in the winter than it is in the country. Like 30 days hath September, April, June and no wonder. All the rest like peanut brittle except my mother-in-law, and she rides around on a tricycle. Ain't nothin' to it, just go on an' do it, Horsefly.
Horsefly: Smooth, six months ago I couldn't even spell the word drummer. Now I are one. And, man, all drummers are broke. Have you got two tens for a five, or two dimes for a nickel? Or change for a dollar thirty-five? Or just raise me a dollar and a half for a cup of coffee. Let me have a solid quarter, man. Speaking of money, where I can buy the one-way ticket to (Arkebutter?)? Or can you get there from here? Educate me, now, you know we went to different schools together.
Smooth: Are you all croaked out, and all blagged off? I done goofed. Have you tried the new breakfast cereal, Goofettes? If you have, you's goofed, like I just did. (Switch as many due to??) cheeseburger on cornbread, or a cold possum sandwich on dry wheat toast. But if you wanna play it safe, then order two scrambled eggs. And the way you want 'em, man, is on Freddie. Now keep on goofin', Horsefly.
Horsefly: Are you all croaked out, and all blagged off? Is your face dirty from the lack of washin'? If so, try (Sink O' D' Soap O' Suds??) They do the work of, without the strain of. And you will say 'Happy days are here again.' The only way you can beat it, man, is with a stick. As you're driving home, be sure you got a car. Or you too will be goofin' off.
One of the greatest, craziest, nuttiest gems ever spawned by the mind of man. I am thrilled to find another fan. You do the work of what I just dream of --or at least, that's what I thought he said
Speaking of which, I always thought he said he said couldn't even spell the word "drunk" -- which is a lot funnier, although it doesn't make as much sense as drummer. But then, who needs sense. Keep on flippin' smooth.
Hi, Rodney -- it's nice that this has a fanbase. According to my source at
http://dmdb.org/playlists/
Dr. Demento has NEVER played this, not once. (Normally I expect him to know everything about everything, and have exquisite taste in absurd novelty songs.)
Until I transcribed this with the headphones, the first one ALWAYS sounded like "drunk" to me too, but the second one is pretty clearly "drummer" when you're listening closely. To me, anyway.
A quick note on your blog -- I too prefer The VU & Nico to Sgt Pepper (barely), but I prefer Pet Sounds to both. So take that!
And, of course, if you have any idea on the missing menu items, please shout them out.
The way you want 'em man is on CREDIT!
I wonder how things are in Glocca Morra.
Wow. Thanks for the corrections, Doc!
I can't fix them in my above comment, but I'll go edit the webpage soon. (Don't suppose you'd care to try your hand at the mystery menu items?)
I too share your quest for more knowledge about this record. It never fails to bring a smile to my face. Someday before I pass on I'd like to own a copy of the 45, or at least see one.
Lovers of insanity and nonsense will enjoy the Dutch radio show I heard "Goofin' Off" on, the July 23 one at http://paulvangelder.com/indextwee.html. It'll be up for another week or two after August 29, when I'm posting this, then it'll be gone and you'll have to write to the DJ for it. "Goofin' Off" starts at 01:42:42, and the general insanity at 00:57:07.
I hear "Candy Camera".
It's "your hot rod, your record player and your CHARM BRACELET".
I thought it was "drunk" too, but you're right, it's "drummer".
I'm hearing "lend" me a dollar and a half.
That's "Switch as many DO to".
I'm not sure it isn't just "Fred", rhyming with "bread".
Dat all ah got, no mo' goofin' fo' ME.
The section that you quote as "hamramlam, beef, buttered and battered." I always interpreted to be a list of meats: "ham, ram, lamb, beef, bull, and bear."
How are you fixed for GOOFS?
and the way you want em, man, is on CREDIT.
Pretty clearly, I done goofed in the lyrics. Guess I'll make a major correction, then come back and delete my first lyrical comment and repost. Thanks to all for the education -- you know we went to different schools together.
This came up on my iPod on shuffle the other day, and it mesmerized me. I've played it several times a day since. I sent it to a friend, and he sent me the link to your blog. Serendipity.
A few comments, as this is a comment:
1. I wonder if this is the same Macy Skipper as the rockabilly guy.
2. "Beef, bull and bear" is how I hear it.
3. I thought it was "drunk", too, but it is "drummer". As drummer jokes run second only to banjo jokes among musicians, this is great.
4. Definitely "Candy Camera".
5. I guess it is "pink tea", but I thought it was "pink teeth" at first.
6. Sounds like "coked out" to me.
Thanks for bringing this to the world's attention.
Myles
"(Arekebutter)" is "Arkabutla", a resort lake in Mississippi just south of Memphis... FYI.
Another puzzle piece. Thanks!
Post a Comment