Jesters Jams
| Laughter helps us thru strange and troubled times.
Comedy records date back to... cylinders! Most of the humor in the early part of the 20th century were making fun of people's ethnic origins, physical appearance, and sex. Joking about christian religion (others fair game) or politics was not heard very often. You really don't want to listen to some of these "comedy" records today.
In the 50s, novelty singles were all the rage, especially after flying saucers were being seen everywhere. In 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik and the Space Race was on—many attendant records were released. A lot of them were "break-in" records where snippets of current songs were used to tell a story (Buchanan & Goodman, others).
In our time zone, records made were mostly by family-friendly, Sullivan-approved comics like Pat Cooper, George Carlin, Jonathan Winters, and Phyllis Diller. For more adult-oriented humor, there was The Tonight Show's-approved Vegas acts (Don Rickles, Shecky Greene) all the way to "party" records (Redd Foxx, Terri "Cup-Cake" O'Mason, Doug Clark & The Hot Nuts).
Political satire and social commentary, started by Mort Sahl and Tom Lehrer, was very low-key. Some comedians, like Carlin & The Smothers Brothers began to look more closely at the world around them, and their comedy began to shift to a more commentary style.
Space doesn't permit a complete listing, so a representative album is shown. The Discogs, 45Cat, and Wiki links (if available) will lead you to more info.
And yes, there were many other comedians on record not shown here: Allan Sherman, The Smothers Brothers, Stan Freburg, Moms Mabley. The links at the bottom of the page will take you to a Discogs search for Comedy/LPs/60s/US and the Wiki goes to a category page for comedy records of the 60s. The 70s brought Cheech & Chong, Eddie Murphy, Martin Mull, Robert Klein, Lily Tomlin. The bottom links will take you to a variety of websites with a whole lot more details than can fit here. Check Youtube or The Internet Archive for these albums.
Say, where are The Firesign Theatre? Well, dear friends, they've been hear since before the beginning—hidden in the Summer 70 montage. Look for Phil's smiling face.
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Ground Breakers
Four guys set the comedy on its head in the early 60s. One was nuts (in a good way), one was a satirist, and the other two tore into politics like never before.
Lord Buckley (born Richard Myrle Buckley) was a master at wordplay and story telling. You might say he was an early rapper. His influence ran from Dizzy Gillespie to Bob Dylan, who said in his Chronicles book: "Buckley was the hipster bebop preacher who defied all labels." Yup.
Tom Lerher was a brilliant mathematician as well as a brilliant satirist. His late 50s album are a must, as is the TV show that begat SNL: TWTWTW (That Was The Week That Was), which ran for two seasons 63 & 64. He wrote the songs; Nancy Ames sang the truncated versions. He stopped touring the 70s to return to maths. As of July, 2023, he's 95 and giving away his recordings on his website—hurry don't wait like you did for Willards Wormholes.
Lenny Bruce (born Leonard Alfred Schneider) was one of the first free-wheelin' stand-up comics. He melded straight comedy, politics, sex, and vulgarity. His arrests in the 60s for obscenity were legendary and ultimately resulted in his death. His style influenced the New Kids shown below. Rolling Stone magazine listed the top 50 stand-up comedians: Pryor, Carlin, and Bruce are the top three.
Mort Sahl was the inventor of political comedy. His early 60s albums, caught live with him and a newspaper as a prop, were best sellers. For this page, we'll leave Mort to the end. But do not skip his early discs: 1960 Or Look Forward In Anger (1959); At the hungry i (1960); and The New Frontier (1961)
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The Best Of Lord Buckley |
| Elektra EKS-74047 |
| 8/68 |
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 Back Cover
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 Side One | ||
| The Nazz |
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9:51 |
| Gettysburg Address |
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5:11 |
| The Hip Gahn |
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6:09 |
| Side Two | ||
| Jonah And The Whale |
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7:11 |
| Marc Anthony's Funeral Oration |
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3:59 |
| Nero |
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10:40 |
Note: Recorded in LA in 1951, released on two 10-inch albums in 1955 and 1956 (timing from CD)
Straight Records put out an album in 1969—this has the better known material
Links!
Official Lord Buckley website
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Tom Lehrer
That Was The Year That Was |
| Reprise RS-6179 |
| 10/65 |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| National Brotherhood Week |
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2:36 |
| MLF Lullaby |
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2:25 |
| George Murphy |
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2:10 |
| The Folk Song Army |
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2:13 |
| Smut |
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3:15 |
| Send The Marines |
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1:47 |
| Pollution |
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2:16 |
| Side Two | ||
| So Long, Mom (A Song For World War III) |
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2:24 |
| Whatever Became Of Hubert? |
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2:13 |
| New Math |
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4:31 |
| Alma |
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5:28 |
| Who's Next? |
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2:00 |
| Wernher Von Braun |
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1:48 |
| The Vatican Rag |
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2:12 |
Note: Recorded July, 1965, at The hungry i, San Francisco
Tom restored the lyrics to the cut songs on the TV show.
Links!
Songs & Lyrics By Tom Lehrer
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Lenny Bruce
The Berkeley Concert |
| Bizarre 2XS-6329 |
| 2/69 |
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Back Cover
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Inside Cover
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| Side One | ||
| The Berkeley Concert |
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20:36 |
| Side Two | ||
| The Berkeley Concert |
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20:32 |
| Side Three | ||
| The Berkeley Concert |
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22:00 |
| Side Four | ||
| The Berkeley Concert |
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18:19 |
Note: rec 12/12/65 at Berkeley Community Theatre; Editing: ABSOLUTELY NONE
Frank Zappa and Herb Cohen put this album together
No tracks listed, however most listing at Discogs have provided a guide to the material
Links!
Official Lenny Bruce website
New Kids At The Mic
Three legends got their start in our time zone. They would have a profound effect on those who followed.
George Carlin started out as a clean-cut stand-up comedian, with riffs on weather, sports, and other mild topics—was on The Tonight Show many times. By 1972, he started looking inward and outward at the hypocrisies he saw. Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television was the start of his long and illustrious career exploring the English language, whilst destroying the fake images politicians and corporations have erected to keep us in line. The HBO shows of the 90s & 00s are must-see TV—"Modern Man " indeed (Youtube link). Boy, do I miss George.
Richard Pryor's upbringing was troubled—comedy helped overcome the pain. He started in The Big Apple, opening for Nina Simone. Then onto Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin, and the safe TV shows. It was at a Las Vegas show where he walked on stage, said "what the f*ck am I doing here?" and walked off. His first record highlights his change to a more forceful comedian. Later became TV writer, a big movie star, and had several ppv comedy specials (networks couldn't touch his stuff).
Dick Gregory started out as a struggling black comedian, working the "Chiltin' Circuit." Hugh Hefner was impressed enough to sign him for a long stand at the Playboy Club. His ban from appearing at the University of Tennessee brought forth a lawsuit (with William Kunstler) by the students that resulted in significant changes. Dick became more political and ran for President in 1968. He was a featured speaker at the one year anniversary at Kent State.
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George Carlin
Take-Offs And Put-Ons |
| RCA Victor LSP-3772 |
| 3/67 |
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Back Cover
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1972 Reissue
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| Side One | ||
| Wonderful WINO (Top-40 Disc Jockey) |
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5:43 |
| Commercials |
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8:21 |
| Daytime Television |
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9:34 |
| Side Two | ||
| The Newscast |
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7:29 |
| The Indian Sergeant |
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5:08 |
Note: rec Nov 25-27, 1966 at The Roostertail, Detroit
This was George's first solo album. In 1963, with then-partner Jack Burns, they released At The Playboy Club Tonight
Links!
Official George Carlin website
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Richard Pryor |
| RCA Victor LSP-3772 |
| 3/67 |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Super N****r |
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2:40 |
| Girls |
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3:20 |
| Farting |
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1:55 |
| Prison Play |
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9:07 |
| Side Two | ||
| TV Panel Show |
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7:30 |
| Smells |
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2:45 |
| Army Life |
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4:47 |
| Frankenstein |
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0:55 |
Note: Recorded "Live" At The Troubador [Los Angeles]
Links!
Official Richard Pryor website
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Dick Gregory
The Light Side: The Dark Side |
| Poppy PYS-60001 |
| 4/69 BB |
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Back Cover
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Inside Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Introduction |
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0:45 |
| Black Progress |
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4:05 |
| Young Moral Dedication |
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6:35 |
| Moral Gap |
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15:12 |
| Side Two | ||
| Assassinations |
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1:00 |
| Property Rights—Human Rights |
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11:35 |
| Draft Resisters |
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3:25 |
| Learning To Live |
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8:05 |
| Side Three | ||
| White Racists Institutions |
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8:28 |
| Black Rioters |
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7:07 |
| American History |
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4:30 |
| Side Four | ||
| Black Attitudes |
- |
17:15 |
| Black Progress |
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3:35 |
| The Concerned Honky Law |
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5:00 |
| Atmosphere Of Trust |
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2:25 |
| Presidential Campaign |
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1:35 |
| White Brother |
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2:05 |
Note: Not his first album, but representative of his later years..
Links!
Obit @ NPR (official website down)
Group Efforts
Sometimes you need a group of like-minded folk to sit around the table and bounce ideas.
The Harvard Lampoon dates back to 1876 at the University. Their magazines showing the foibles of society were an instant hit. Doug Kenney and his buds were part of that group (The Shit Years), and formed The National Lampoon after leaving Hahv'rd. Records and movies followed, always presenting high-class entertainment.
The Conception Corporation and The Congress Of Wonders were two of the better group efforts.
The Conception Corporation started in Chicago (former members of Second City). There they also produced a public access TV show called Void Where Prohibited By Law. They moved to LA to work and record a second disc. Members became succesful Hollywood/TV writers.
The Congress Of Wonders started (and ended) in San Francisco. They appeared with groups of the day at the various clubs (New Orleans House, Straight Theatre) and a radio show on KSAN in 1970. Their first album was loved by hip DJs, as they could pull fake ads like Damn-it-all to throw inbetween cuts. Rollins went to LA radio, and Kerr became a gardner.
If you skipped to this section looking for The Firesign Theatre, go to Summer 70 and click on Phil's smiling face. And what about that British group, Monty Python? Well, their records didn't US shores until 1972.
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The Harvard Lampoon
The Surprising Sheep And Other Mind Excursions |
| Epic BN-26462 |
| 6/69 |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| One Born Every Minute |
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2:02 |
| Seventeen Miles From Waukegan My Cantaloupe Died |
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3:27 |
| God |
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2:24 |
| What I've Been Needin' |
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2:06 |
| Lazy Summer |
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0:42 |
| Cape Horn |
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3:22 |
| Little Miss Muffet |
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1:51 |
| Side Two | ||
| The Surprising Sheep |
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0:28 |
| Welcome To The Club |
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1:50 |
| Recipe For Love |
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3:12 |
| In The Palm Of My Hand |
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2:58 |
| Lazy Summer |
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0:30 |
| Messy, Messy, Messy |
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5:13 |
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Writers, performers, special effects: Christopher Cerf, Douglas Kenney, Henry Beard, James Rivaldo, Jonathan Cerf,
Mark Stumpf, Nancy Watters
Orchestra conducted by Peter Larson
Note: Rare and still not on CD (as of 2023)
Links!
Official Harvard Lampoon website
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The Conception Corporation
A Pause In The Disaster—The Satire Of The Conception Corporation |
| Cotillion SD-9031 |
| 11/70 |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| The Secret Word |
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0:08 |
| Searchin' |
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2:40 |
| To Be Announced |
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0:22 |
| Dial A Dirty Joke |
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1:20 |
| To Be Announced |
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0:15 |
| Sunday Sunday |
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0:56 |
| Astronaut On Mars |
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1:26 |
| To Be Announced |
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0:15 |
| The Disease Broker |
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2:48 |
| Market Report |
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1:57 |
| To Be Announced |
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0:20 |
| Love Of Grass |
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5:25 |
| Acid Rescue Service |
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0:36 |
| Side Two | ||
| To Be Announced |
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0:15 |
| Black For A Day |
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5:40 |
| Confession |
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0:43 |
| Mulatto Joe |
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2:01 |
| Your Teacher And Your Friend |
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2:39 |
| The Comedian |
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0:55 |
| Next Week On Our Show |
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0:16 |
| The First Atheist Congregational Church |
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3:24 |
| The Pope |
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3:29 |
| To Be Announced |
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0:16 |
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Howard Cohen
Ira Miller
Jeff Begun
Murphy Dunne
with:
Burt Heyman, Lynne Lipton, Pat Benson
Music by The Bhang Gang
Note: One more album, Conceptionland And Other States Of Mind in 1972 then moved on
Links!
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The Congress Of Wonders
Revolting |
| Fantasy 7016 |
| 5/71 |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Radio Phil |
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5:26 |
| Star Trip |
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11:48 |
| Pigeon Park |
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5:30 |
| Flipping-On-The-Hod |
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1:05 |
| Side Two | ||
| The Nudes |
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3:33 |
| Stepny Fetchnik |
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6:01 |
| The Bomb |
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3:40 |
| Stoned Ranger |
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12:50 |
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Winslow Thrill [Richard Rollins]
Karl Truckload [Howard Kerr]
Note: One more album, Sophomoric in 1972 then moved on
Links!
Brief History @ Music Bios
Nixon's The One!
Beloved Richard "Tricky Dick" Nixon used to be called the worst US President ever (and boy were we wrong—so, so wrong). Dirty tricks got him into the White House (and the treasonous talks with N Vietnam—see here for the 1968 election) and hubris made him resign. Creating the EPA was the only good thing he accomplished (and today's Repuglican party wants to dismantle that). Maybe "opening" China. But his war and drug policies are what will forever link him with the worst of the 60s.
Of course, an outstanding man like Tricky Dick was fodder for comedians.
First up is Lew Irwin & The Credibility Gap. Working out of the newsrooms at KRLA and then KPPC-FM, they broadcast the sketches found on this record (mostly pre-Nixon). In 1970, the Harry Shearer and Michael McKean-led version released an album called Woodschtick, which was reported to be a humorous take on Woodstock—trust me it ain't.
Next up (and slightly out of chrono order) is the voice of Halloween and wine drinkers, Orson Welles. This "bible" themed record tells of the history of US Presidents from JFK to RMN.
Following that, we have David Frye, whose whole career revolved around Dick. Always gently poking fun—nothing harsh. This was first of four Nixon-centered albums.
And finally, the man who created political humor, Mort Sahl, in a live concert setting in 1973. His career started with Kennedy and you should really check out his earlier albums.
Need some music with your humor? Check out the Peace Sign on the home page. You'll find a list more to your liking.
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Lew Irwin & The Credibility Gap
An Album Of Political Pornography |
| Blue Thumb BTS-2 |
| 9/68 |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Introduction - Voting Day |
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2:25 |
| Kennedy - LBJ Debate |
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2:39 |
| Drunk Voter |
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2:31 |
| Long Lines |
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3:35 |
| Gun Collector |
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3:05 |
| Johnson And Central Park Violence |
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3:38 |
| Dusty Hoofs |
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1:30 |
| Integrated Heart |
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0:40 |
| Faith Healing |
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4:26 |
| Side Two | ||
| Icarus |
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2:52 |
| Abonimable Snow Man |
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3:22 |
| Soul On Ice |
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3:02 |
| Poway |
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2:43 |
| Conventional Convention |
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3:26 |
| Nixon-Agnew Dealer |
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1:42 |
| Humphrey Vs. Demonstrators |
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4:54 |
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Lew Irwin
with: The Credibility Gap
John Gilliland, Richard Beebe, Thom Beck
Music by Len Chandler
Links!
PDF on Lew Irwin and Credibility Gap
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Orson Welles
The Begatting Of The President |
| Mediarts 41-2 |
| 7/70 BB [UK: ?] |
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Back Cover
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1972 Reissue
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| Side One | ||
| L B Jenesis |
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2:13 |
| The Defoliation Of Eden |
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3:54 |
| Burn, Pharaoh, Burn |
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3:45 |
| The Coming Of Richard |
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3:24 |
| Side Two | ||
| The Pacification Of Goliath |
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3:06 |
| Paradise Bossed |
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3:04 |
| The Raising Of Richard |
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2:08 |
| The Book Of Hubert |
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2:35 |
| The Ascension |
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3:00 |
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Orson Welles-narrator
Music by Luchi De Jesus
Written by Lincoln Haynes, Myron Roberts, Sasha Gilien
Note: Reissued in 1972 with gatefold cover (see note)
Links!
Official Orson Welles website
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David Frye
I Am The President |
| Elektra EKS-75006 |
| 12/69 T20 [UK: 1/70] |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Victory Speech |
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1:09 |
| The New Tenants |
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5:33 |
| Rocky Reports |
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2:55 |
| Oh Dad, Poor Dad |
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1:31 |
| Historic Words |
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2:04 |
| Golda Goes Washington |
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3:03 |
| Ten O'Clock Shadow |
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1:00 |
| Hush, Hush, Sweet Spiro |
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3:46 |
| Dear Henry Cabot |
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0:23 |
| Side Two | ||
| A Presidential Trip |
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4:45 |
| Blessed Event |
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1:30 |
| Late Night At The Office |
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2:39 |
| Inside Hubert |
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2:37 |
| And The Winner Is |
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1:53 |
| It's A Gas |
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1:54 |
| Dear Dick |
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0:28 |
| The Swing Vote |
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3:00 |
| Echoes Of His Mind |
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0:37 |
| Press Conference |
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5:06 |
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David Frye
with:
Jimmy Caesar, Chuck McCann, Bryna Raeburn, Tom O'Malley, Mina Kolb
Note: Recorded before an invited audience on Halloween 1969
Links!
I Am the President: The Rise and Fall of David Frye @ Vulture
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Mort Sahl
Sing A Song Of Watergate… Apocryphal Of Lie |
| GNP Crescendo GNPS-2070 |
| 6/73 [UK: ?] |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Watergate |
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4:00 |
| Our Distinguished Leaders |
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1:50 |
| Nixon's Odyssey |
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4:10 |
| California Politics |
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2:35 |
| The Conventions |
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5:45 |
| Foreign Policy |
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2:00 |
| Candidates |
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2:00 |
| Prisoners Of War |
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2:25 |
| Side Two | ||
| San Clemente |
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5:30 |
| Nixon's Plane |
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4:30 |
| Kennedy's Plane |
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6:40 |
| Epilogue |
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5:00 |
Links!
Mort Sahl: Shaping Laughter
| One Last Kick
Joel E. Siegel Presents Earle Doud: The Honest To God! We Really Mean It! Very Last Nixon Album, released in 1974.
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| Can't Forget Spiro!
Second VP to be convicted of a crime and made to resign, Spiro Agnew led the attack on liberals, progressives, and any others that "weren't 100% American" (whatever the f*ck that meant). Only got one comedy record.
He did put out a record of his greatest diatribes, like "Effete Corps Of Impudent Snobs." It might be funnier than Doud's—check it out at Discogs .
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Earle Doud Presents Spiro T Agnew Is A Riot |
| Cadet Concept CCX-1 |
| 12/70 [UK: ?] |
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Back Cover
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Links!
Whatabout The Dems?
Before Nixon, there was JKF and LBJ. They didn't escape the satirists touch either.
The most famous was The First Family, created by Bob Booker And Earle Doud Featuring Vaughn Meader, released in 1962 (#1 for 6 weeks). The follow-up, The First Family, Volume Two had a short lifespan, as events of Nov 22, 1963 put an end to Vaugh Meader's career for a few years. Other albums poking fun of the young president in Camelot: Chuck McCann: The Family Invites You To Sing Along With Jack and early Mort Sahl discs.
Lyndon Johnson also got the Earle Doud treatment: Earle Doud And Alen Robin: Welcome To The LBJ Ranch! (1965) and Lyndon Johnson's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). Others included: Various Artists: Lyndonland (1966) and Len Maxwell: Meanwhile "Back At The LBJ Ranch" (1966?)
After Nixon, our choice was Ford or Carter. Then it was the battle for 1980s vs 1950s America: Carter vs Reagan. The Firesign Theatre covered this and tried to get Papoon elected instead (Fighting Clowns, Papoon For President (He's Not Insane)).
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| Humour From Across The Pond
British humour is an acquired taste, right Mike? Early radio/TV stars like The Goon Show (Spike Milligan & Peter Sellers), Morcambe & Wise, and everybody's fav: Benny Hill. The Beatles were inspired by the Goons. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam formed Monty Python during their years at University (in various combinations) and later with Davd Frost's various shows.
Monty Python became the 2nd British Invasion in Oct 1974, when KERA (in North Texas!) played Monty Python's Flying Circus one Sunday night. The Pythons had been on the Beeb since Oct 1970, with absurdist humour and sight gags. American released records start with their second album (clips from the show). Their Matching Tie And Handkerchief album (UK 12/73, US 4/75) famously had the double tracked second side.
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Another Monty Python Record |
| Charisma CAS-1049 |
| 8/72 [UK: 10/71] |
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Back Cover
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| Side One | ||
| Apologies |
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2:00 |
| Spanish Inquisition |
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2:49 |
| World Forum |
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4:00 |
| Gumby Theatre |
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2:58 |
| The Architect |
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4:10 |
| The Piranha Brothers |
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9:50 |
| Side Two | ||
| Death Of Mary Queen Of Scots |
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2:35 |
| Penquin On The T.V. |
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2:58 |
| Comfy Chair / Sound Quiz |
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3:29 |
| Be A Great Actor / Theatre Critic |
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4:21 |
| Royal Festival Hall Concert |
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4:05 |
| Spam |
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2:24 |
| The Judges / Stake Your Claim |
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3:27 |
| Still No Sign Of Land / The Undertaker |
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5:28 |
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Eric Idle
Graham Chapman
John Cleese
Michael Palin
Terry Gilliam-visuals
with:
Carol Cleveland
Fred Tomlinson-music
The Fred Tomlinson Singers-singing
Produced by: Michael Palin, Terry Jones
Links!
Monty Python Official Website
BFI Monty Python: The 10 Funniest Sketches
Eric Idle Website
Michael Palin Website
Links!
Note: Both links go to general lists of 60s comedy records
Comedy History 101 Podcast series
2009 PBS Series Make 'Em Laugh
Funniest Vintage Stoner Comedy Albums
Stand-Up Comedy Database @ Dead Frog
History of XXX Party Records
Main Screen
©2007-2024 Thomas Rednour, Email Me
