National Lampoon's Lemmings
| Biting satire of the Woodstock Festival... |
Starting off as a campus humour ensemble known as The Harvard Lampoon, founders Doug Kenny, Henry Beard and Robert Hoffman started a small empire known as the National Lampoon. First publishing a magazine, they branched out into radio, live revues and eventually movies.
On January 25, 1973, they opened a revue at the Village Gate called "Lemmings." The first half of the show was sketch comedy, with the second act devoted to a send-up of the Woodstock Festival, now redubbed: Woodshuck: Three Days of Peace, Love and Death. With the addition of Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Christopher Guest, Alice Playton, and others, they portrayed rock stars at a festival whose goal was death to all participants. Songs are pretty good interpretations of their intended targets.
Dangerous Minds  (a way above-average website—and a daily visit) recently posted a story about Lemmings and the video that was made. The "skits" between the songs are not very good and the ending act, Megadeth, is LOUD (earbud warning: levels of unimaginable pain—don't even). Best to track down the album below, but was fun to see Belushi, Chase and the others so young! Paul Jacobs is masterful as Leon Russell, "The Master Of Time & Space." Plus, they guys are their own band and really good! Who knew that Chevy Chase was a drummer?
The live cast album was released in 1973.
|
 |
National Lampoon's Lemmings |
| Blue Thumb BTS-6006 | |
| 6/73 BB [UK: N/R] | |
 | |
 
 |
 Side One | ||
| Stage Announcements | John Belushi | 1:54 |
| Lemmings Lament | Paul Jacobs (as David Crosby) | 3:05 |
| Stage Announcements | John Belushi | 2:10 |
| Positively Wall Street | Christopher Guest (as Bob Dylan) | 2:42 |
| Weather Person | Garry Goodrow | 1:50 |
| Pizza Man | Alice Playten (as Goldie Oldie) | 3:45 |
| Stage Announcements | John Belushi | 0:58 |
| Colorado | Chevy Chase (as John Denver) | 4:13 |
| Richie Havens | Christopher Guest (as Richie Havens) | |
| Crowd Rain Chant | John Belushi | 1:20 |
| Side Two | ||
| Stage Announcements | John Belushi | 0:33 |
| Papa Was A Running Dog Lackey Of The Bourgeoisie | Paul Jacobs (as Motown Manifestoes) | 2:35 |
| All-Star Dead Band | John Belushi | |
| Stage Announcements | John Belushi | 2:15 |
| Highway Toes | Christopher Guest (as James Taylor) | 2:41 |
| Hell's Angel | Chevy Chase | |
| Stage Announcements | John Belushi | |
| Farmer Yassir | Garry Goodrow (as Max Yasgur) | 4:56 |
| Lonely At The Bottom | John Belushi (as Joe Cocker) and Paul Jacobs (as Leon Russell) |
5:48 |
| Megagroupie | Alice Playten | 1:50 |
| Megadeath | John Belushi | 3:22 |
| Skits that didn't make the album... |
| Several skits did not appear on the album: Pull the Triggers, N***ers, Mary Jennifer Mitchell (as Joan Baez), (but was on Radio Dinner, their 1972 record) Nirvana Banana, Zal Yanovsky (as Donovan) I Do For You, Alice Playten (as Joni Mitchell) Jackie Christ, Superstar Deteriorata, Tony Hendra (as Les Crane), (but was also on Radio Dinner) Defeat Day |
Links!
Wiki: article on Lemmings