The Funky Gibbon

Last updated
"The Funky Gibbon"
Funky Gibbon 1975.jpg
Single by The Goodies
from the album The New Goodies LP
A-side "The Funky Gibbon"
B-side "Sick-Man Blues"
Released15 March 1975 (1975-03-15)
Genre Pop, novelty
Length3:25
Label Bradley's Records
Songwriter(s) Bill Oddie
Producer(s) Miki Antony
The Goodiessingles chronology
"The Goodies Theme"
(1975)
"The Funky Gibbon"
(1975)
"Black Pudding Bertha"
(1975)

"The Funky Gibbon" is a novelty song by Bill Oddie and recorded by The Goodies. It was arranged by Tom Parker ("with interference from Bill Oddie") with the musical backing provided by members of the R&B band Gonzalez and released as a single in February 1975. The B-side was "Sick-Man Blues", which had previously been written by Oddie for use in the radio series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again .

It was the most successful single for The Goodies. It entered the UK Singles Chart on 15 March 1975 at no. 37, remaining in the chart for 10 weeks and peaking at no. 4. [1] It also received considerable airplay in the United States on The Dr. Demento radio show and reached no. 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976.

The Funky Gibbon was released with multiple alternative codas at the end of the song including "Tie a Yellow Gibbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" plus "And for Me Some Scarlet Gibbons, Scarlet Gibbons for My Hair" which were randomly heard on the double grooved single; as well as "He Promised to Buy Me a Bunch of Blue Gibbons to Tie Up My Bonny Brown ...".

The Goodies performed the song live numerous times, including on Top of the Pops [2] on 20 March 1975 and in The Goodies – Almost Live in 1976.

The b-side, Sick-Man Blues, parodied the recent hit Up in a Puff of Smoke by former Pickettywitch singer Polly Brown.

The Funky Gibbon was re-released in November 2010 to raise funds for the International Primate Protection League's "Save the Gibbon" appeal. [3]

Charts

Chart (1975)Peak
position
UK (Official Charts Company) [4] 4

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Oddie</span> English conservationist, entertainer and ornithologist

William Edgar Oddie is an English actor, artist, birder, comedian, conservationist, musician, songwriter, television presenter and writer. He was a member of comedy trio The Goodies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Goodies</span> Trio of British comedians known for the TV series of the same name

The Goodies were a trio of British comedians: Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie. The trio created, wrote for and performed in their eponymous television comedy show from 1970 until 1982, combining sketches and situation comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZZ Top</span> American rock band

ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For 51 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top had developed a signature sound based on Gibbons' blues guitar playing style and Hill and Beard's rhythm section. They are known for their live performances, sly and humorous lyrics, and the matching appearances of Gibbons and Hill, who wore sunglasses, hats and long beards.

I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again was a BBC radio comedy programme that was developed from the 1964 Cambridge University Footlights revue, Cambridge Circus., as a scripted sketch show. It had a devoted youth following, with the live tapings enjoying very lively audiences, particularly when familiar themes and characters were repeated; a tradition that continued into the spinoff show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hank Ballard</span> American singer and songwriter (1927–2003)

Hank Ballard was an American singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of The Midnighters and one of the first rock and roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an integral part in the development of the genre, releasing the hit singles "Work With Me, Annie" and answer songs "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie" with his Midnighters. He later wrote and originally recorded "The Twist" which was notably covered a year later by Chubby Checker, this second version spreading the popularity of the dance. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam & Dave</span> American soul and R&B duo

Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ike & Tina Turner</span> American musical duo

Ike & Tina Turner were an American musical duo consisting of husband and wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by Ike Turner's band the Kings of Rhythm and backing vocalists called the Ikettes. The Ike & Tina Turner Revue was regarded as "one of the most potent live acts on the R&B circuit."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esther Phillips</span> American singer (1935–1984)

Esther Phillips was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals. She rose to prominence in 1950, scoring several major R&B hits including "Double Crossing Blues" and "Mistrustin' Blues" under the moniker "Little Esther". In the 1960s, she achieved chart success with the country song "Release Me" and recorded in the pop, jazz, blues and soul genres. Phillips received a Grammy nomination for her single "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" in 1973 and her disco recording of "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" was a major hit in 1975. She died from liver and kidney failure due to long-term drug abuse in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Milsap</span> American recording artist; country music singer and pianist

Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Cherry (band)</span> American rock band

Wild Cherry was an American funk rock band formed in Mingo Junction, Ohio, in 1970 that was best known for its song "Play That Funky Music".

"Pledging My Love" is a blues ballad. It was written by Ferdinand Washington and Don Robey and published in 1954.

<i>The Goodies</i> (TV series) British television comedy series

The Goodies is a British television comedy series shown in the 1970s and early 1980s. The series, which combines surreal sketches and situation comedy, was broadcast by the BBC, initially on BBC2 but soon repeated on BBC1, from 1970 to 1980. One seven-episode series was made for ITV company LWT and shown in 1981–82.

<i>A Poke in the Eye (With a Sharp Stick)</i> UK comedy and charity fund-raising benefit and recording 1976

A Poke in the Eye (With a Sharp Stick) is the title of the first show in what later became the Secret Policeman's Ball series of benefit shows for human rights organization Amnesty International, although it pre-dated by three years the first show to bear that name. The film of the show was titled Pleasure at Her Majesty's which is sometimes mistakenly thought to be the title of the actual benefit show.

Gwendolyn Dianne Brooks, was a soul, r&b and jazz singer from New Jersey. With the Three Playmates, Brooks recorded several songs in 1957. She moved to Toronto shortly thereafter. Her part in Canadian soul music history began when the group Diane Brooks, Eric Mercury and the Soul Searchers was formed. As a solo singer, she recorded two albums and several singles of her own. Her biggest solo hit was "Walkin' on My Mind" in 1969. She was also a prolific session singer. As a vocalist, she provided backing vocals on albums by a multitude of artists that include Anne Murray, Gino Vannelli and Richie Havens. She was also a song-writer.

<i>Solid Gold: 30 Golden Hits</i> 1977 greatest hits album by James Brown

Solid Gold: 30 Golden Hits, also called 30 Golden Hits/21 Golden Years, is a greatest hits compilation album by James Brown. The double album set was initially released in 1977 on Polydor, and was re-released by the label in 1986. The album's liner notes listed the release dates and U.S. chart positions for each song and included an essay by Cliff White. This is the first compilation album to include Get Up(I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine. According to Allmusic reviewer William Ruhlman, the collection was "state-of-the-art", an influential model "not only...for the many Brown compilations that would follow in later years, but also for the compilation boom in general". In 1981, Village Voice critic Robert Christgau described it as "an essential collection." Allmusic indicates that it supplies "the essence of James Brown", but also states "[i]t has since been superseded by the 1991 four-disc Star Time boxed set".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What's Up with That (ZZ Top song)</span> 1996 single by ZZ Top

"What's Up With That" is a song by ZZ Top, released as the second single from their 1996 album Rhythmeen.

<i>The New Goodies LP</i> 1975 studio album by The Goodies

The New Goodies LP was the second LP record released by The Goodies. All songs were written by Bill Oddie except "Wild Thing" which was written by Chip Taylor with adaptation by Bill Oddie. "Baby Samba", "Rock With A Policeman" and "Nappy Love" had previously been written by Oddie for use in I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again. It was recorded in June and July 1975 at Olympic Studios and produced by Miki Antony. As with their first album, the music was performed mainly by session musicians. Arrangements were by Dave MacRae, with the exception of "Please Let Us Play", "Cricklewood", "Good Ole Country Music", "Baby Samba" and "Nappy Love" which were arranged by Tom Parker.

"The Inbetweenies" is a song by Bill Oddie and recorded by The Goodies. It was released as a single in October 1974 with "Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me" on the B-side.

Nappy Love is a song by Bill Oddie and recorded by The Goodies. It was arranged by Tom Parker and released as a single in September 1975. The B-side was a version of "Wild Thing", arranged by Dave MacRae.

"Slip Away" is a song written by William Armstrong, Marcus Daniel, and Wilbur Terrell and performed by Clarence Carter, featured on the 1968 album This Is Clarence Carter.

References

  1. Roberts, David (2005). British Hit Singles & Albums . Guinness World Records. p. 557. ISBN   1-904994-00-8.
  2. "The Funky Gibbon". BBC. Archived from the original on June 30, 2011.
  3. "Goodies classic 'to help gibbons'". The Independent. 7 November 2010.
  4. "The funky gibbon/sick man blues | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2020-04-13.