Grooving the bag, Mamaa (Dudley Moore, Peter Cook)

Jazz musician Bo Dudley (Dudley Moore) explains to the presenter (Peter Cook) what the Harlem song he is playing on the piano means but does he really?
This sketch is from Not Only But Also. Dudley Moore, apart from being a comedian and actor, also performed as a musician.

[@Magnetoman69]

This is sooooooo funny! It knocks the establishment, wonderfully observed, beautifully played ... it also shows how far we have come as a nation in our understanding of other cultures. Yes we have a long way to go but branding everything to do with race as racist makes it more and more difficult to move forward and have honest debate. "Irony is wasted on the unintelligent " - who said that? Me!!!! Hahaha

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Thank Fate that the BBC were not able to wipe this sketch, one of the funniest pieces of comedy ever written.

[@MIKE-TYTHON]

Unfortunately many of the ones lost could of been even better 😞

[@coralarch]

Has anyone seen their hilarious skit on the First Christmas? I can't find it.

[@LeHair]

It's certainly not racist. It denigrates the British sensibilities of the era and mocks the uptight format, approach and lack of understanding and that was often seen in the '60s. It's extemely well observed and cleverly written, not to mention DM's great playing. These 2 were years ahead of their time which is why we can find interest and humour in it decades later.

[@jimstevenson5996]

I absolutely love this and all the other race-referencing D&C sketches. But it most definitely is racist… they’re having their cake and eating it. The more important question is whether certain types of racism are permissible (or at least tolerable) or whether even the slightest, most naively conceived instance must be penalised.

[@bigmikeydread]

It’s no more racist than Joe Bonammassa’s Blues noodling..

[@timhancock6626]

Can blue men sing the whites ?

[@davidwright8432]

Plus, at the end, satire on leaden but well-meaning attempts to save the improvident from the results of their lamentably chosen actions. It also has besides funny ha-ha elements, actual wit.

[@shirecroft6944]

Dudley gets Peter to corpse first, a rare treat for Pete and Dud fans the world over. Love it.

[@DrumsTheWord]

To be fair, I think Peter is laughing at his own mistake. The German interpretation line was slightly muffed up.

[@afcbgord1]

@@DrumsTheWord" I, out of the door go, must". Brilliant pi55 take of a German trying to speak English, badly. This was well over 50 years ago.

[@heliopolis]

Some of the terms used might make us wince now (correctly), but God it’s funny. Python is great, but Pete and Dud were often even more brilliant! It mocks the pundit and white singer, not the song.

[@Melzmum]

Have watched this quite a few times. Always get more laughs out of it. These two were an international treasure.

[@neofunkyman1]

If anyone is interested to know (if you didn't already) Dudley Moore was a very talented Jazz musician - and worth you exploring 'Moore' on YT

[@steinwaygrande3971]

He was also a great concert pianist and performed Greig,s Piano Concerto which is available on Amazon.com

[@suhuso59]

Amazing how humour has degenerated over the years. That you have to EXPLAIN that this is satire. That they are PARODYING the cultural ignorance of the day. That shane dawson's shanaynay is considered funny and this in any way racist is a sign of the idiocracy that the planet has descended into.

[@lea6555]

I'd love to see Pete and Dud take the living piss out of society now as they did then, god knows the material almost writes itself XD

[@juliearnold209]

Sheer, comic genius.

[@jamesline5103]

+Julie Arnold They took really stupid lyrics and made a whole narrative about it.

[@shanefistell8890]

Peter and Dud bagged this one! Priceless bag!

[@JALLOON_JOY]

mississippii groover

[@____Ai____]

this is exactly how I feel when told to analyse some poems and stuff at school..from now on I will always start to sing that song and then turn out my best cook impression explaining it!...plus, I love how peter nearly corpses at some point

[@tocaat2410]

It was during my college days (late 1960s). After many hours of study on the day before an examination, I decided to relax a bit and happened to see this sketch on TV. Next morning, half-way through the exam, I suddenly remembered it - and spent the rest of the time trying to suppress laughter. The invigilator must have thought I had gone round the bend! I did pass the exam though.

[@junkyardhead]

Satire at its best. Absolutely loved it.

[@ATC1810]

Absolutely superb, like so much of their stuff, works on so many levels.

[@jimlagos]

Absolutely spot on, couldn't have put it better. Thank you

[@sumthingwickedly]

Ooohhh the misery that they're not here to drive the wokerati mad

[@monster0129]

I absolutely loved it. I had no idea Peter Cook was so funny. Saw him beside Stephen Fry a couple of times on Whose Line is it Anyway and he often appeared a little sullen

[@silvi01977]

@angrysamoan666 Do you watch the clips to be offended? BTW, if you knew anything about the era that this sketch was actually set against, Dudley Moore could have been mocking any number of white, middle class Brits who treated this music like it was their own (Lonnie Donnegan and Georgie Fame spring to mind) So there's no `hook`. Were it not for middle-class Brits from this era the music would have had an even smaller audience. Usually the people who scream racism are the ones with the problem.

[@chrishenniker5944]

I wonder why Dudley Moore didn't get to work with James Brown, or any of the R&B or rock'n'roll artists? He was that good!

[@hamstercom23]

There is nothing wrong with Steve's post, as this is an accurate description of what the sketch was about, and by making a sweeping judgement about all "you Brits" you are merely highlighting the kind of blanket stereotyping you are guilty of yourself. Sorry if you are unable to deal with the idea of British people mocking the negative behaviors of the time, when you would clearly rather believe that they (and indeed all British people) were all the same. Sorry to disappoint you.

[@johngreen120]

4:53 Pete nearly loses it. I remember seeing this for the first time and being in pain I was laughing so much.

[@peaceric]

you're exactly right. its a satire of cultural insensitivity and racism, that should be obvious the sketch would be pointless were this not the case

[@hamstercom23]

"you and most 'tolerant' Brits talk these days". You said that. As for Cook been the type of guy who'd complain the Right are the cause of all problems were he still alive, you do know he was the son of a diplomat, went to the best university (in the days when this was in most cases still the reserve of the elite) and used to write a column for the famously politically "Right" Daily Mail? In fact he was more of an everyman, who could see over both sides of the fence and laugh at everyone.

[@keithnaylor1981]

Absolutely brilliant! Peter Cook almost loses it which is understandable! Most likely inspired by the James Brown song, perfect material for ridicule.

[@henridelagardere264]

4:56 A rare moment indeed, Dud was in the habit of losing it, not Pete. Two masters at work. So sad we lost them so early.

[@pavement77]

This is not racist, it's funny, anyone who sees it as such is a very silly and sad person.

[@hamstercom23]

If anyone watching enjoyed this sketch, I recommend the Pete and Dud Art Gallery one as well - very good. : )

[@fletcherman1]

It's very funny, English white chaps not getting it ! A lot of 60's English musicians were trying to play rhythm and blues, so it is a very clever satirical comedy.

[@brobdj]

The brilliant satirical and zany comedy of Peter Cook & Dudley Moore!!

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

Speak for yourself. I love living in America. Have you met all Americans I doubt that. You're also very naieve if you believe everything you hear about the US from your media. The people you see on reality shows aren't the average population. Now that you've come to your senses and seen the light, I'd like to get back to enjoying the video above as I was doing before you unpleasantly turned up on the scene. But before that, first I have a job to attend to. SOME of us actually have jobs.

[@MrGarrard]

I don't think it's fair to make that "with the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S." comment, as though US tv didn't trade on stereotypes (or, indeed, still doesn't) and slurs at the same time. Besides, it's not as if Cook isn't parodying the embarrassing cold fish BBC establishment.

[@sulijoo]

As a tribute to the great Peter Cook, I have but one word to say. Mawwage!

[@nigel642]

On the subject of racist language, is there another interpretation? Yes. There are other countries besides USA and GB. If you are in a country where everybody or 99% are dark-skinned and you are a tiny minority who are white, then if you call them dark and you are white, you look ridiculous. This is the colonial era. Peter Cook's father was in the British colonial service. The comedy of Peter Cook for example in Beyond the Fringe, is to satirise a ruling class that is on the way out in Britain. This was the case in the late 1950s and 60s as former British colonies became independent again. Certainly in Britain or the USA where whites are the majority, the use of the word darkie is pejorative, but in a country where all but a tiny minority are dark, then using such a word just makes you look ridiculous, and out of touch. That, I think is what the writer of the sketch had in mind.

[@jamiesmith956]

+nigel642 Don't forget they're playing characters in this spoof, so they'd be writing in the style that would be normal for a light entertainment show at the time so it may be less about their views and more about making the script fit the general zeitgeist.

[@nigel642]

+Jamie Smith Yes, you are right.

[@christiancarruthers635]

+nigel642 , I think that the joke is that two of the most un-funky commentators are picking apart a funky song. The fact that one of them is a white man pretending to be an African American man with a posh English accent and old fashioned values is a surreal touch . Remember these were two highly educated subversive comedians who later on became the pioneers of shock comedy and who loved to make the upper classes look like out of touch fools.

[@nigel642]

+Christian Carruthers Yes, you are right. There is a video somewhere in which Dudley Moore, wearing black make up, is singing Old Man River in the shower in the style of Paul Robeson. As the black make up washes off, his singing style becomes the clipped very English pronunciation of Noel Coward.

[@nigel642]

+Andrea Llewellyn Yes you are right.

[@cenfy57]

Glad that some of these episodes survive . Not just the BBC but alot of other TV Stations had that practice of re-using video tapes back in the day . I was told by someone that the BBC even wiped the original Monty Python shows and it was only by chance that someone made copies that the show survived . Maybe it was the accountants that made the decision to tape over shows , but of course if they had preserved the whole series they could have made alot of money from them.

[@barrycross2585]

I saw this at the time brilliant stuff. This was the time before video recording that technology didn't exist here. The only way to record programs the broadcasters had was to use cine film. The BBC didn't bother to record light entertainment shows, expecting viewers to watch them live. Any that were recorded were wiped or played over, that's why there is so little material available from great TV shows like these.

[@anonUK]

@@barrycross2585 No, video recording existed by the mid 60s but the tape was very expensive, so was often reused. Also, videotape was at the resolution of the TV camera, (in most countries either 480i or 576i or thereabouts, in the UK only 377i), while a film camera had much higher quality.

[@hamstercom23]

You may need to look into the history of that paper a little more. Plus he played characters of various types, in fact some of the most famous sketches (Pete and Dud pub chats) were based on ordinary blokes down the pub telling increasingly exaggerated stories about their exploits or trying to talk with authority about subjects they know little about. Were he alive today and showed such bias that would be different, but to assume he would based purely on his background? That is stereotyping.

[@TheRollingstones1964]

@MeMrJust Whats the fact that it's English got to do with it? Everyone knows we English have always made the best comedy on television.

[@hamstercom23]

And still, you fail to goad anyone into using the same foul language as you do. Quite sad really isn't it?

[@sarahnewt]

very rare to see him lose it - it's usually Dud !

[@lizzyholtham]

It's brilliant!!!

[@DarceOhMatic]

It's rentable on Netflix "Not Only ... But Also". I just saw it on DVD and laughed and laughed.

[@MsCatamaran40]

England's had a history of social class barriers preventing people from any social mobility and up until about twenty or so years ago, there weren't that many blacks in England, so where you get this information about it being "very mixed", eh-hum not exactly. I lived in England for five years in the '80's ,enjoyed my life there, and attended school, however as far as "mixed" , no, there were only two blacks in the entire school. My husband has lived there also and had a similar experience.

[@lpickman8514]

I just lost my voice from laughing so hard. Thx for sharing the video.

[@stacyblue1980]

Peter Cooks speaking voice is as funny as Dudley's stuff here. ....."And so the bag is grooved by the mother ....its a long prO-cess".....funny how he says "process"! Haha English!

[@mephistofolescorblimey8864]

He's correct.

[@birdie399]

Dud`s a great pianist. Yeah daddy! Thanks for sharing.

[@artbychristine]

so funny on so many levels - where does one start? Brilliant!!

[@____Ai____]

5 people grooved their bags badly and couldn't work it out

[@mitsymagicful]

This must be my most favourite sketch everrrrr!!! 4:34 turn for me in parenthesis the light on baby

[@hamstercom23]

And you're still swearing - and embarrassing every other politically right-voting person by your behavior, yet you don't seem to care about that.

[@Trololomanist]

Haha, lovely.

[@hamstercom23]

Hypocrite? Aside from a misuse of the word that's also rather a strong overreaction wouldn't you say? (well, I guess you wouldn't). Just like your choice of foul language is completely unnecessary - particularly when no one here has used such language with you. Genuinely, for your own well being - consider the impression you are giving to people of what those with your more right-leaning opinions are like, and stop humiliating yourself (or stop using such language unnecessarily at least).

[@SuperFerdie1965]

Peter reminds me of a young jug-eared Charles here.

[@hamstercom23]

Well, you might not be a comedian, but your posts are becoming more and more hilariously embarrassing for you. Seriously, let it go already.

[@keithnaylor1981]

So alarming to think this brilliant sketch may have been wiped like many others. Was it luck or divine intervention which saved it?

[@HEV29]

How can 5 people dislike this - Unless they came across it by mistake? Genius x

[@MsCatamaran40]

By the way davidon30. Great video. I enjoyed it immensely! This is what the World needs more of, not reality shows (which are very UN -real).

[@martm216]

Brilliant. Just brilliant.

[@mephistofolescorblimey8864]

Brilliant, I haven't seen that since the original broadcast.

[@jessesgirl1212]

they don't make comedy like this anymore!! outstanding!!

[@MsCatamaran40]

OMG Dud and Pete are groovin in this one. Real hip cats, looks like Ray Charles doing a Stevie wonder impression. Also Foarp, I get it. Some Americans may not get some of this British humor, but there are some of us who get it. I'm American with British mom, American dad. These two are definitely England's best comedy duo. Could use some of this humor on TV now instead of the crap reality shows.

[@OUTBOUND184]

LOVE it when they laugh. Classic.

[@Bleeter]

MISSISSIPPI GROOVER

[@alexlee7773]

first time ive seen peter crack up more than dud

[@andrewashdown3541]

Premonition of Rees-Mogg

[@dutch99958]

they were fantastic!!

[@54spiritedwill54]

Utterly superb!

[@dianeeasey6711]

Im finished, this is my best

[@mamaseeds]

Excellent!

[@roybennett9284]

Sadly missed

[@MsCatamaran40]

In answer to your question justbeforedusk, no. You're reading way too much into the comment. Simply this: America has had a very diverse and progressive racial history in comparison to Britain's (not counting the recent surge of Arab population in England), such as a la Martin Luther King, and a black President (Obama), while in your over 1000 years of history, all white people governing of European descent. I'm white by the way, not that that matters. Just stating a fact.Cheers.

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

The only person being petty here is you. Obviously we must have hit a nerve because you seem to be blind when it comes to your own history. Read up on your relationships with Ireland, France, many parts of the Commonwealth, how they were mistreated by the English. It's ironic really that Italy had the Roman Empire and yet we never hear them dog on American's about being one of the World's superpowers but the English just can't seem to get past the fact that they aren't an empire. Get over it.

[@JALLOON_JOY]

sorry, at what point did i say i was english? i wasn't attacking americans, i'm trying to point out everyone has problems. why has no one mentioned austrailia? and the history there, everywhere that britain has colonised is confused as is britain as is the history of most countries. i despise racism, homophobia, misogyny and XENOPHOBIA, if my comments came across as xenophonic, i apologise. i'm simply saying how far are we going back and how clearly are we looking forward? any of us?

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

You really should learn the history of your own country before you start correcting other people. Slavery was taking place in England since Roman times, and you're pointing the finger at America. The English were doing this long before most. America is clearly more socially democratic and progressive. I find it bizarre that SOME English people feel the need to keep reminding other people of their successes, but ignore their OWN flaws.

[@MsCatamaran40]

As someone with dual nationality , is it really necessary to keep posting condescending responses? It's laughable really. Usually someone will talk down to others due to their own insecurities, try to be a bit more sensitive to other people's cultural differences. It's only natural that some Americans might not understand the context of some British comedies based on the fact that the US racial history has been much more diverse and progressive in comparison the UK.Just some food for thought! ;)

[@ColtraneTaylor]

@FOARP You forgot. 'I bet those Americans just don't get it. (Aren't we smarter than them lol?)'

[@JALLOON_JOY]

i'm sorry if it came across that way, but it just read that way to me, slavery has been rampant since ancient times and sadly still goes on, is it a case of who abolished it first? who's country is more inclusive? it's hard to pat anyone on the back, nation-wise when racism still exists everywhere. i've been to the states 5 times and currently live in england, i think both countries have racism problems. but both governments have been making big strides for a lot of years to eradicate this.

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

If you go back and read MsCatamaran40's posts she said nothing offensive accept stating a fact. She said she enjoyed the video above, but also made a comment about race relations and how America is the more progressive and it is. America's come a long way, in a short span of less than 200 years, we have a black President. Look up Ellis Island (Jews and other immigrants), were also on our way to our first female President. It seems you dislike the truth.

[@MsCatamaran40]

Also if you view your history book you'll see there are many ways England was very intolerant to democracy or social progress: example, America's name "the melting pot" came from the fact that 1000's and 1000's of immigrants, mostly European came to the US between 1500's and 1800's to escape religious persecution and Jews by the thousands came to America via Ellis Island and have prospered. You may need to go back and do some research.

[@MsCatamaran40]

Also, I thought it might be useful if I correct two glaring errors above: 1) This isn't jazz but in fact soul , blues music (created by us "dumb" Americans. haha and 2) saying or rather ASSUMING that all Americans sit around viewing Happy Days is like saying that all British people sit around viewing Last of the Summer Wine and Benny Hill re-runs. lol Wow , some people will try to insult anyone just for attention. Next time please guys do some research. Have a nice life. Next! ;)

[@JALLOON_JOY]

if we are gonna be petty i would like to say. granada, haiti, poland, nicaragua, iran, iraq, vietnam. i've tried to be nice but clap your hands say yeah to a sucky foreign policy. do what we say or die, really accepting. don't just go...OCCUPY

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

That's your opinion. MsCatamaran said she'd lived in both countries and has one British parent. Having lived in both countries is different from visiting there. There's a lot you can't tel about a nation just by visiting. And that wasn't what you were saying, you were challenging her by saying that England is the more progressive when it clearly isn't. I think she made a valid point in that America is the younger nation and has gone much further for social rights in a briefer span of time.

[@MsCatamaran40]

On the other hand if you look at America: Geraldine Ferraro ran in the 1980’s and Hillary Clinton has already run for the Presidency and came very close in 2008. Currently Hillary is ranked #1 on the list of potential runners for 2016. America is clearly the more socially democratic. Look it up. I've lived in both places, have one British parent, I have dual citizenship and I majored in history. This isn't a competition, but since you challenged me on this, this is the result.

[@MsCatamaran40]

Earlier you attempted to change the subject to gender when we were discussing race. Now that were on that: up until about 100 years ago, Britain was ruled by a monarchy where title was inherited via birth rite and wealth (so Elizabeth I and Victoria don’t count), regular citizens weren’t given the rite to govern. It is only in the last say 80 years that you’ve had a Prime Minister. So that means it took you over a thousand years to elect your first female Prime Minister.

[@phillipecook3227]

Dudley looks like Dudley here but Peter looks like his own grandson.

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

MsCatamaran40 makes many valid points. It doesn't matter really whether your english or not, except you seem to be off track. Indian slavery was rampant during colonialism in 17 and 1800's as was African slavery by the English. I've read all of MsCatamaran40's posts. It seems she was just posting a well known fact. It was your initial post that came across as accusatory.

[@AntonioRodriguez-cf9pg]

No one mentioned Australia because it wasn't the topic at hand. And I believe it was you that made it a contest. MsCatamaran was simply stating a fact. America is the younger nation and has come further in a shorter span of time. You chose to make it an issue or controversy.

[@MsCatamaran40]

And if you look deeper into your own history, you'll clearly see that England has practiced slavery of Africans (and other peoples-namely Indians) for centuries as shown in this academic article. FYI: Type in Slavery in the British Isles and a multitude of academic articles are on Google.

[@ultramagnus73]

@FOARP love that comment !!! i think it takes longer than 200 years to understand irony sarcasm and wit, one day maybe the yanks will learn , until that day we`ll all just keep laughing at them.

[@hamstercom23]

(cont.) you rudely ignored examples given to support the truth about the sketch, British people and British comedians, and continue banging away - happy to wallow in your own ignorance and knee-jerk reactions to perceived lefty-ness, because like some (not all) of your political position that is easier than letting in facts and reason. We -the comedy fans of the world- are the ones who are sick of people like you, highjacking videos simply to make an irrelevant point. You should leave us alone

[@hamstercom23]

KZbin is worldwide, many have mentioned that they aren't from the UK. Again you're making sweeping statements about a nation and how others see them. Sorry if you can't accept comments that disprove your blinkered opinions ("tired" of the conversation? - the lazy excuse of those proven wrong). Everyone knows its impossible that a stereotype about any nation is completely accurate.You were rude from the start with others and did nothing to address the reasonable examples they gave.

[@hamstercom23]

Never? You've seen very few British comedians. And the C&M sketch I mentioned clearly wasn't about Americans. There was no pomposity to see in the original post - that's why no one else is seeing it except you. Looking at your name, I'm guessing you are the type that goes around looking for perceived "lefty" bias so you can make some pompous point, there's clearly no way to discuss things with someone so stubborn - like Charlie Brooker said we might as well throw shoes at the sky to hit clouds.

[@MsCatamaran40]

I've lived in both nations I think I'm aware of their history. The topic was about race not gender. And the point was in the relatively brief amount of time in America's history (say 400 years) in comparison to England's over 1000 years history, America has actually covered more territory for democracy. This isn't a competition.

[@hamstercom23]

And thus, this discourse will now end. Enjoy your negative KZbin correspondence with others (as if there isn't enough of that already), the rest of us would quite like to just get on with enjoying some classic comedy. Goodbye, goodbye, we're leaving you...

[@hamstercom23]

You do realise that what you are doing now is just confirming the negative opinion of you that everyone viewing your comments already has? You could just stop, but you continue to keep digging (whilst despite how unpleasant you have become, no one else responds with similar offensive words to you). There is nothing passive aggressive about honesty, reasonable response, or in choosing not to reply with unpleasant language. This ends, now.

[@silvi01977]

@angrysamoan666 Regarding what?! Have you started combing through the Goon Show & Hancock footage yet to allow your valuable observations to continue?

[@gadask1]

I was thinking the same thing myself. I wasn't born then, but I suppose it must have been. The BBC would not have let them use the word other wise.

[@hamstercom23]

Well, it didn't take you long to admit defeat and resort to appalling language (I'm well aware of the Derek and Clive tapes by the way, offensive comedy doesn't bother me at all. You aren't a comedian so there is no need for you to be offensive). You know that several people have told you similar things and have told you why your opinions on the sketch are wrong - not just me. These are the people who do not want you coming here with your irrelevant political nonsense.

[@NewsYouCantBelieveIn]

Actually my first post WAS addressing their post on this, what else? And that's why I said I was tired, because people like to keep coming back with same old comments. I wasn't commenting on other posters here, so your point about how they're not all from the UK is relevant how? You bore me. If you don't like my 'hijacking' the comments with my reply to someone who was talking about the same subject YOU don't have to reply. Stop berating other people and then calling them negative, clueless man

[@sarahnewt]

you are a very welcome voice of reason and common sense - couldn't have put it better myself - the PCs don't get the sophistication of these kind of jokes.....