Absolutely the best. I was an only child and would listen to this album repeatedly to amuse myself. Years later, I still laugh in anticipation of the upcoming lyrics.
When I saw him, he had his "undercounter tenor" and also did the Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice. And the history of PDQ Bach. The audience was filled with music majors who were rolling in the aisles. And to think of the beautiful music he wrote for Silent Running and arrangements for Joan Baez.. I so admire his genius. Thank you for this treat.
Sunday nights, my brother & I would stay up late listening to Dr. Demento on the AM radio and loved it when he played PDQ. Until mom would get mad and yell us to go to sleep or dad was coming up stairs with the belt. Which he never did, but it always worked anyways. Good times.
Fun stuff. He was the only guest artist performing with the local symphony who ever arrived on stage by swinging in on a rope from the balcony. The performance was funny on so many different levels. The sophisticated symphony patrons loved the musical tricks and everyone else laughed at the sight gags.
I performed "Please Kind Sir" and "Jane my Jane" in choir in high school. I've been looking for them ever since. I can't believe it took me this long to find.
My sister introduced me to PDQ Back in the 70s/early 80s. I will always love the Art of the Ground Round for the pleasure it gave her to hear beautiful music combined with naughty thoughts.
What's fun is that this actually follows in a tradition of these naughty little rounds. Look up Purcell's Young John the Gardener, or Battishill's Here on his Back doth Lay. Mozart wrote a few too (although apparently he only wrote the lyrics to some of the ones historically attributed to him).
Please Kind Sir has always been one of my favorites as well as PDQ's operas - The Stoned Guest and Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice (an opera in one unnatural act).
I made my fiance play this for me every night. It's a wonder we got married. Ever tried singing any of these? They are wicked hard, especially when you're trying to keep a straight face.
Peter schickele is actually a serious classical composer. He created two alternate personas: Peter Schickele, who is a professor at the university of northern south dakota who happens to be the man who "discovered" PDQ Bach.
Loving is as easy as falling off a log A cat'll love a cat and a dog'll love a dog When you're hot you know you're hot and when you're not you're not... hot. Cold, cold loving is hard but hot... hot.
PDQ Bach: record producer? Search "Rotton Candy" A little known recording was uncovered recently, a trans-continental collaboration between two giants of 60's pop instrumentals: Al Hirt and Bert Kaempfert. Busy schedules prevented them from recording together in person. So, they each mailed in their parts, a revolutionary concept made possible by the advent of multi-track recording. They nailed it nearly note for note, but sadly they couldn't find the keys to success
@tidaking816 wowwwww, elementary school? Haha, my teacher had us sing this unknowingly a little while ago. We're the seniors of our high school. Well, we caught on, then we just couldn't stop laughing.
Not too sure about the two gents in the picture. I think the one seated is Wagner; the one standing behind him is ...Tausig? Debussy? Saint-Saens? Don't know.
I remember his Christmastime concerts at Carnegie Hall. Once, during a performance of Iphigenia in Brooklyn, my sister and I thought the man next to us was going to have a coronary, he was laughing so hard. I believe he entered that concert by running up the aisle accompanied by what looked like a hooker.
Both of my parents are band directors..I grew up listening to this stuff. I didn't understand why my 5th grade band director wouldn't let us play it!
That's just so flipping brilliant. I haven't heard this in a long, long time, and it's such a blast to hear now. Now on to "Iphigenia in Brooklyn."
The greatest work ever in the history of music.
Absolutely the best. I was an only child and would listen to this album repeatedly to amuse myself. Years later, I still laugh in anticipation of the upcoming lyrics.
That’s terrific!
When I saw him, he had his "undercounter tenor" and also did the Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice. And the history of PDQ Bach. The audience was filled with music majors who were rolling in the aisles. And to think of the beautiful music he wrote for Silent Running and arrangements for Joan Baez.. I so admire his genius. Thank you for this treat.
There was the Bargain Counter Tenor, too.
Sunday nights, my brother & I would stay up late listening to Dr. Demento on the AM radio and loved it when he played PDQ. Until mom would get mad and yell us to go to sleep or dad was coming up stairs with the belt. Which he never did, but it always worked anyways. Good times.
Fun stuff. He was the only guest artist performing with the local symphony who ever arrived on stage by swinging in on a rope from the balcony. The performance was funny on so many different levels. The sophisticated symphony patrons loved the musical tricks and everyone else laughed at the sight gags.
My favorite part is when the guy says "Geez Louise" in Golly, Golly, Oh. I always crack up there.
Hot! Dog! 😂
I performed "Please Kind Sir" and "Jane my Jane" in choir in high school. I've been looking for them ever since. I can't believe it took me this long to find.
My sister introduced me to PDQ Back in the 70s/early 80s. I will always love the Art of the Ground Round for the pleasure it gave her to hear beautiful music combined with naughty thoughts.
What's fun is that this actually follows in a tradition of these naughty little rounds. Look up Purcell's Young John the Gardener, or Battishill's Here on his Back doth Lay. Mozart wrote a few too (although apparently he only wrote the lyrics to some of the ones historically attributed to him).
I love the bit at 9:30 where they respond to the hammed-up "arrivé" with "oy vey". An easy pun to miss.
Haha thanks for pointing that out!
I have been missing the encore for years thanks so much
I heard this in music class in elementary school... I'm 20 years old, nearly through college, and I STILL remember this shit. Hahaha
This makesme laugh after all these years!
"Your breath is like downwind of a compost heap on fire ..."
I love how at 08:39 you can hear Schickele (I'm assuming) suggesting the speeded-up encore to his co-singers.
The term, "A wild La Marseillaise appeared" comes to mind.
singing this in my college men's glee club. Gonna be the best song of the night
Please Kind Sir has always been one of my favorites as well as PDQ's operas - The Stoned Guest and Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice (an opera in one unnatural act).
Haven't heard this in forever! Thanks so much! ;))
I made my fiance play this for me every night. It's a wonder we got married. Ever tried singing any of these? They are wicked hard, especially when you're trying to keep a straight face.
My town's young men choir performed these songs earlier this week!
Boy, does that take me back. The guys in choir did this at my high school in 1981. Couldn't stop laughing!
The best one is "Jane."
"With your eyes black as nuns...
...like nuns they cross themselves each day..."
John Beam that line is the absolute crown of this brilliant piece.
Peter schickele is actually a serious classical composer. He created two alternate personas: Peter Schickele, who is a professor at the university of northern south dakota who happens to be the man who "discovered" PDQ Bach.
The University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople.
wow. this is really neat. i love things like this.
Heilige Dankesang!
i adore the "jeux de mots !!!" :-D
This is genius.
The guy behind him is Ludwig II of Bavaria
Loving is as easy as falling off a log
A cat'll love a cat and a dog'll love a dog
When you're hot you know you're hot
and when you're not you're not... hot.
Cold, cold loving is hard but hot... hot.
It's really funny but amazingly good music as music! I can imagine that it's really hard to sing lol.
0:59 - Please, Kind Sir
PDQ Bach: record producer? Search "Rotton Candy"
A little known recording was uncovered recently, a trans-continental collaboration between two giants of 60's pop instrumentals: Al Hirt and Bert Kaempfert. Busy schedules prevented them from recording together in person. So, they each mailed in their parts, a revolutionary concept made possible by the advent of multi-track recording. They nailed it nearly note for note, but sadly they couldn't find the keys to success
It's Schickele on basso-blotto and Vern Sutton on tenor. Who's the third voice?
John Ferrante, I think.
The other two singists are John Ferrante (RIP) and John Nelson.
Is there any way to find sheet music to the third song over the internet?
I mean Schickele, not the guy sitting next to us! ;)
@tidaking816 wowwwww, elementary school? Haha, my teacher had us sing this unknowingly a little while ago. We're the seniors of our high school. Well, we caught on, then we just couldn't stop laughing.
Not too sure about the two gents in the picture. I think the one seated is Wagner; the one standing behind him is ...Tausig? Debussy? Saint-Saens? Don't know.
John Wilkes Booth
The consensus here is that it's Ludwig II.
Thanks for letting me know who that is behind Wagner.
That one is pretty funny, but my favorite has to be "Please kind sir"
I love this classic. But every time the tenor botches the melody in "Please kind sir" I wince.
1974 dubi dubi du!
Gotta love PDQ Bach - Swarthmore Grad! Admissions denied Obama's application, but they sure got it right for Peter Schickele!
I remember his Christmastime concerts at Carnegie Hall. Once, during a performance of Iphigenia in Brooklyn, my sister and I thought the man next to us was going to have a coronary, he was laughing so hard. I believe he entered that concert by running up the aisle accompanied by what looked like a hooker.
What's the Deal with the Pict of Wagner and Crazy King Ludwig?
6:50
Is it wrong to enjoy these more than actual madrigals from the 1500s?
Nope.... they may be a bit more modern, but no less cleverly composed and hilarious!
The gentleman behind Wagner looks like the Bavarian king Ludwig II.
Nelly is a nice girl / but Hannah is a (w)hoooooooooooooo... rrible prude... :D
0:58
hahahahha
Spike Jones. Nothing to do with Anna Russell.
Maybe not, but all three were successful musical comedians.