Gallop Leads The Pace
Frank Gallop was born 111 years ago today. He was one of the top announcers in radio and TV, and often did shtick with the hosts.
I know him best from his work on Jewish comedy albums originally released in the 60s, in particular his "Ballad Of Irving." It's a parody of the style heard in songs such as Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John" and especially Lorne Greene's "Ringo." Both those songs hit #1, though I think Greene was helped by the Beatles hitting in America the year of that single.
PS Yes, I've always found the over-demonstrative audience on those comedy albums annoying. Do they think we're impressed by the people they've shipped in and instructed to laugh?
PPS "Irving" actually went to #34 in 1966. Oddly, the album version I own is exactly the same as what you hear above except for one line.
They have:
He came from the old bar mitzvah spread
with a ten-gallon yarmulka on his head
My version goes:
He came from the old bar mitzvah spread
schlepping a salami and pumpernickel bread
posted by LAGuy @ 12:01 AM
3 Comments:
A Dr Demento favorite in the 70s. There was a sequel featuring Irving's son Seymour I recall
Here's a version with an extra verse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4FIBvZ9D80&feature=grec_index
The laugh track also bothered me on many Ray Stevens songs. Stevens was often quite clever, but the canned laughter makes it hard to listen to hits like "The Streak" and "Alley Oop." Especially because he inserted laughter in parts of the songs where no real audience would laugh.
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