THE RUTLES - Cheese And Onions (1969)

"Yellow Submarine Sandwich" (Soundtrack 1/17/1969)

[@MCO18]

They were a big influence on the Beatles.

[@michaelodell6037]

A wannabe group from Liverpool.

[@katcampbell1]

LMAO

[@Shrimpy08]

Their relly is

[@adamb6274]

Max Power 6

[@zazaranger5]

The Beatles? Never heard of them

[@TheZuchinniman]

That "Do I have to spell it out?" line immediately followed by a literal spelling of "cheese and onions" is pure genius!

[@anotherhunkydory]

OH Snap!!!

[@waynej2608]

Followed by the 'oh no'. Very Lennonesque.

[@danfoss1535]

O NO

[@anotherhunkydory]

@@danfoss1535 legend was Oh no no no no no....was stolen from Nasty....

[@anotherhunkydory]

oh pans....

[@thelandofthebears8170]

The funny thing about this is it's actually good

[@hayaschu626]

Ik

[@diesixdie]

Supposedly, Neil Innes wasn't originally trying to do parody songs. The Rutles songs became more of a parody after the Eric Idle and friends got involved. Some of the songs mirroring the Beatles early years are so spot on, they're almost indistinguishable from John and Paul's tunes.

[@otisroseboro5613]

Exactly 💯

[@RoxyBun]

Even better is the same animation team that made Yellow Submarine made this. I was wondering why the animation was uncannily like Yellow Submarine. ❤

[@otisroseboro5613]

​@@RoxyBunExactly 💯

[@chrisbayes2972]

Every ballad Liam Gallagher recorded sounds like this.

[@leedooley1795]

Chris Bayes hahahahahahahaha

[@nev7711]

Yes, you're so right Chris. He is too 'cool' to acknowledge the influence of Stig, Dirk, Nasty and Barry on in his music. 🤔😀😀😂

[@jon780249]

So true!

[@TheSnowballEarth]

Are you saying that the Gallaghers would stoop to plagiarizing Neil Innes? Say it ain't so...

[@chrisbayes2972]

@@TheSnowballEarth I believe he got a co-write for 'Whatever'.

[@525Lines]

In the DVD commentary, Eric said they found the animators of Yellow Submarine, who were still around in '78. He gave them some money and said give us 3 minutes and that's what they got. Pretty brilliant.

[@rockyswealthformula]

+525Lines don't you mean yellow submarine? sgt pepper's was never animated that I know of

[@525Lines]

+Rocky McDaniel Yes! Thanks. Yellow Submarine.

[@kevinrichards460]

525Lines and the next film took even longer ;)

[@john10661492]

Kevin Richards A Lunchtime!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

At least it worked.

"You'd better think twice, or at least once more." My favorite line.

[@magna4100]

It’s Adolf!

[@Defrap22]

🙋‍♂️

[@RataStuey]

Brian D such a brilliant joke hiding in plain sight

[@tonyfairhurst4650]

@@magna4100 well Nasty did marry his daughter,,,,,

[@halweiss8671]

I can’t pick just one line, when it comes to the Rutles.

[@83marceloa]

RIP, Neil. Such a talented man. Cheese and onion will always be at the back of my mind. 😀

[@outtathyme5679]

Marcelo de Andrade a legend in his own lunchtime

[@celosemnexo]

He died? :O

[@callumharrison8038]

No

[@mikeohagan2206]

and your breath.

[@paulmchugh8695]

Cheese and onion toast ? Out there !!

[@jeremymr]

Still the most beautiful song about cheese and onions I’ve ever heard.

[@anotherhunkydory]

it took me 3 years to reply.... you know?

[@Jlipnicki]

They are the king of crisps.

[@hyzercreek]

This song would have been so much better with fried potatoes

[@halweiss8671]

There are, after all, so many to choose from.

[@kieranmatiz]

The Rutles are bigger than Buddha

[@pawekogut1644]

Event bigger than allah😂

[@johnnychapman2679]

...you know it ain't easy.

[@KOLDBLU3ST33L]

😂😂😂

[@KOLDBLU3ST33L]

The Heatles are the best RUTTLES cover band ever...

[@amandaburk4641]

Underrated comment 😂

[@michaelnotigan7796]

When Neil spells out C H E E S E A N D O N I O N S.....he finishes it off with an Oh No! As we all know, Rutles songs have a trillion little riffs of Beatles classics in each song that Neil crafted. Been listening to this song since 1978 and loved it deeply from the moment I heard Ollie Halsall's arpeggio guitar line at the end. As good as anything John and George have ever done. But back to that "Oh No!"......... I swear that Neil sang "Ono!" as a nod to Yoko and as a tip of the cap to every Rutlesologist to pick up. God bless you, Neil!

[@karpovgambit9190]

onions!

[@MrJans3n]

I unironically love this song

[@KrystalLake]

***** - I love the whole Rutles soundtrack. It gets regular rotation on my iPod. :-)

[@Jlipnicki]

Irony is over-rated. Great animation too.

[@tuskedbeast]

They're just REALLY good songs! Hail Neil Innes and Ollie Halsall.

[@zazelby]

I agree! The follow-up, Archaeology, was a bit more uneven (due in no small part to Ollie having died in the meantime), but still had some really good songs on it. Innes is just a great songwriter. ("Back In 64", in particular, is a great homage to "When I'm 64", but it turns the song's theme on its head - instead of a young man looking towards his old age and hoping there'll still be someone there for him, it's an older man reflecting on his life and how things have changed, though with a comedic twist)

[@ElBrooklyn1]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5KvqaSfjsZ6ZtU

[@CelticKiwi55]

Neil Innes unfortunately passed away a couple of days ago. Such a talent and, by all accounts, a great guy. Condolences to his family.

[@_fabio1978]

R.I.P.

[@CaptainAlsClassroom]

No one else could parody the Beatles/John Lennon in such a complimentary/tributary way. And so RIGHT on the MARK!!!! RIP

[@celosemnexo]

:(

[@andymoore9977]

A huge talent

[@jamesthegreatunwashed1859]

I think we can all agree that this is Lennon's apex, lyrically and sonically.

[@synthonaplinth5980]

Lennon? You mean 'Nasty'.

[@magna4100]

Yeah, let Lennon take the credit (again). No wonder Ron became so Nasty.

[@kevhead1525]

​@@magna4100heh. The Ron Nasty name took some of the starch out of the Lennon deifyers.

[@theoldar]

Sounds 110% more like John Lennon than John Lennon!

[@jakezywek6852]

theoldar sometimes imitation is better than reality.

[@jalaneperry7643]

Ron nasty was john lennon

[@jakezywek6852]

@@jalaneperry7643 thanks for pointing that out.

[@jalaneperry7643]

@@jakezywek6852 Your welcome my friend.

[@JoaoGabriel-lk9cv]

Jake Zywek not better in this case, but it’s very good

[@d0nkeytr0nXBL]

Taught Oasis everything they stole.

[@Oh_I_Will]

At least they admit it...The Doors did too...so did The Fabs themselves. Nowadays, You never hear how some of most Artists wrote or recorded their music over the years. They hire session players and ghost writers who don’t even end up on the album sleeves...and the Artist claims it as their own..

[@version736ha2]

Agree, sounds like something off Be Here Now

[@184tosh]

Oasis and The Beatles should never be compared. Oasis were and are a bad Beatles tribute band. The Beatles were and are the biggest band to ever be on this planet.

[@bluecanary1note]

@@184tosh Couldn't agree more!

[@petertaylor4980]

@@184tosh, they did a good cover of Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music", but apart from that?

[@bmt3315]

The final note always kills me

[@tuskedbeast]

Same! I'll re-listen to this truly great song every few years, and always forget that laugh-out-loud punchline.

[@patrickmaloney6440]

PMSL!!! Rest well Neil. 😔

[@alanr4447a]

Bereft of life, you rest in peace! You've rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible!

[@anotherhunkydory]

makes me cry!

[@philipsmith3590]

@@tuskedbeastI definitely laughed out loud, as I didn’t expect it LOL 😂😂😂

[@kyledonahue33]

lol. "Do i have to spell it out?" proceeds to spell it out

[@elanfleisher1127]

oh no (Ono)

[@tuskedbeast]

It's such a great piss take on Lennon's crankiness. Neil Innes :)

[@dominicjordan7503]

Genius is pain

[@s_p_onarge8720]

I suppose he did.

[@roseharvey2664]

Definitely needed spelling out.

[@MarcusTomatos]

Brilliant spoof. Neil Innes is a great talent.

[@benjamin828]

Was - RIP

[@mungo0211]

the bonzos the Beatles and Monty Python...Neil innes is that link..never gets the recognition he so very well deserves

[@CraigYoung-gz3ml]

It sounds even better listening to it under the influence of cheese and onions 😎

[@antonbruce1241]

Yea, but it smells better this way...

[@CraigYoung-gz3ml]

@@antonbruce1241 Fuckin right it does my man 👍

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

I prefer tea.

[@gezatherton1071]

The only person who could do a better John Lennon impression than Neil Inness was John Lennon himself.

[@leifvejby8023]

Maybe ^_^

[@pol1315]

Liam Gallagher

[@catherinewilson3880]

@@pol1315 Liam Gallagher is nothing but a Lennon wannabe. He has neither the range nor expression of Lennon himself and his fame comes from his reliance on other people to do the writing for him.

[@daddymuggle]

Ah, but how was Lennon's Innes impression?

[@PlanetoftheDeaf]

Such a brilliant song (and animated sequence), it's takes real talent to produce something which sounds so completely Beatleish/Lennonish, yet isn't just a simple throwaway pastiche. RIP Neil

[@garydunn5797]

Can we all just admire the brilliance of the one note at the end?

[@jon4715]

That's a Beatles note, ends one of their songs. So it's a reference to that.

[@spinynormanbest6410]

But 30 seconds shorter

[@sg-yq8pm]

@@jon4715 we know

[@Randgalf]

There once was a note, pure and easy

[@CraigYoung-gz3ml]

Yes

[@ChuckCastle471]

I’m glad Neil Innes is recognized by the Rutles “community” for his amazing talents.

[@RickBonner1]

Neil Innes is not given recognition for his amazing talent. The 'Ruttles' sings capture the fun and irony that the Beatles somehow lost along the way.

[@38ddkelly]

Neil Innes is a genius.

[@kelf114]

He was great in the Holy Grail, too. He did a lot of work with Python.

[@ClueSign]

Those who know give him all the props

[@thechief00]

this sounds like a plastic ono band and not a beatles song at all but okay

[@markrush5013]

The Beatles lost nothing along the way....

[@tragiclifeform347]

Seems like a lunchtime ago I was listening to this on vinyl. When that final note hit, I was blown away. Will never forget.

[@waynej2608]

My first movie, seen in a theater, was A Hard Day's Rut, when I was four. I've been a fan, ever since. Originally, my favorite was Barry, but when I got older, it became, Nasty. In college, I even dated a German gal and dabbled in 'destructo art'. Peace.

[@anotherhunkydory]

what did u eat 4 lunch? cheese & onion sub andwhich?

[@mysterymac38]

And this song inspired me to keep myself clean. Thank you Nasty.

[@razzdarkstar]

​​@@mysterymac38Tea, not even once. 🍵🚫

[@taradresbach4684]

Animated by the same people who actually did "Yellow Submarine" with a request to "send yourselves up." Also, Neil Innes is a brilliant songwriter.

[@tostare]

Noel Gallagher, you wish you were this good.

[@TelecastPropellor96]

He must be well cheesed off Oasis were only the second greatest Beatles tribute act.

[@bibniebt]

I'm surprised this spoof isn't more famous. They did so well in keeping it a funny parody, but also still making awesome music and sounding just like The Beatles

[@marjoriesharkey9895]

Yes sir

[@jbs256]

And people thought Klaatu were The Beatles. It was The Rutles all along.

[@blademasterislit]

and the beatles them selfs liked it, at least george harrison since he literally started in the rutles movie.

[@AlexColberg]

I can never eat a cheese and onion sandwich without thinking of this song

[@harrodsongs]

likewise.

[@karneskelot4780]

This makes me want a cheese and onion sandwich.......

[@warrenpale6231]

that's funny

[@Creaulx]

Dan S. Just had cheese and onion "chips" and somehow ended up here without really trying.

[@Jlipnicki]

Never partaken of a cheese and onion sandwich. For me cheese and onion is a tiny piece of cheese and a little pickled onion on a pointy wooden stick and used to be called party food.

[@alexplumb2020]

The final note has me in stitches

[@ivorykisses]

This is my favourite Rutles song. Neil is a bloody genius.

[@metafis2490]

A day in the life has the longest piano note outro, this has the shortest...funny stuff :)

[@aldiakaroofus]

*mind blown* How did I miss that??

[@bigd5080]

My wife is going to love me singing “Cheese and onions” Over and over!

[@toughenupfluffy7294]

It makes me cry (well, the onions part, anyway).

[@geraldellis7456]

Saw The Rutles live, ironically, in Liverpool 2 years ago and they were brilliant! Got a superb reception from the locals! Innes is just a genius, pure and simple. Interviewer: Do you think the Rutles will ever get back together? Jagger: I hope not! Well they continue playing and they've now got more original band members than the Eagles!

[@beatlesfreak89]

It's like a combo of "A Day in the Life", "Glass Onion", and "Imagine." :-D

[@NxDoyle]

It's a measure of Neil's brilliance that, even in a song parody, he was able to find a level of pathos, especially in the refrain.

[@rudetuesday]

Rest in peace, Neil. Thanks for all the brilliant music.

[@sugarjoe50]

A legend that lasted a lunchtime.

[@strangederby]

That final note is the funniest moment in music history.

[@BillyBronco73]

Shocked. Shocked and stunned. Are we sure Neil Innes hasn't just taken a teaching post in Australia?

[@jonathanwilkinson1461]

R.I.P Neil Innes.......The Rutles showcased his genius..

[@davidokeeffe4438]

R.I.P. Niel Innes co creator of the Rutles one of the cleverest musical inventions !!

[@ornjonasson8873]

This song is so good that it could be The Beatles themselves that performed it.

[@karpovgambit9190]

seriously... all the songs in this movie are so good

[@matthewfrere3290]

Who are these “Beatles” you speak of ?

[@geoffreybrunell5592]

@@matthewfrere3290 They're a Rutles tribute band

[@matthewfrere3290]

@@geoffreybrunell5592 😂

[@2bobaf]

@@geoffreybrunell5592 One of the best Rutles tribute bands to be precise.

[@idw9159]

cheese and onions always makes me cry - probably due to the onions

[@TheComedyGeek]

Every Rutles song is such a flawlessly perfect parody it makes me want to cry.

[@karpovgambit9190]

"you better thnk twice, at least once more" best advice ever...

[@AllThisIsThat]

I sing this all the time......sadly, very few people know what I'm doing.....

[@sinepolskiyihor]

Now you can understand software engineers

[@ineffableanon]

You can really see the influence of tea on their music.

[@waynej2608]

And, this was even before Dirk admitted that they did 'tea'.

[@gianca60]

And biscuits.

[@anotherhunkydory]

green tea , white or herbal?

[@frankenjstein9371]

@@gianca60 Just have to have the occasional biscuits.

[@obstud9]

R.I.P. Neil thanks for your wit and humor.

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

Humour*

[@RastaSaiyaman]

I just read a full article about the Rutles published in Uncut magazine from 2008 and it was revealed that George Harrison gave Idle and Innes carte-blanche in the Fab Four's film archive, they were the first to see all that footage before it was finally released officially with "Anthology"in 1994. What they saw was sobering: a band that went from conquering the world, to getting trapped in their fame, losing all sense of direction after Epstein died and trying hopelessly to keep the ship afloat. There was a GOOD reason why the Beatles until then never released that footage, it showed them breaking up in the ugliest way. The most painful scene being the performance of "Don't let me down" where John and Paul are shouting the lyric at each other, since neither wanted to be the son of a bitch to kill the Beatles off. Having seen the full raw truth, it's to Idle and Innes' genius to make this very bitter break up funny. And that single anticlimactic piano note at the end of this song sums it all up perfectly.

[@robertmarsh3588]

RIP, Neil Innes. Very talented musician and always entertaining.

[@warrenpale6231]

It really sounds like the Beatles I love it . Thank you Eric Idle

[@lynnturman8157]

Neil Innes is who wrote all the Rutles songs (and sang most of them).

[@TreantmonksTemple]

Of all the Rutles, Eric Idle is the only one who didn't contribute musically (the voice of "Dirk" was sang by Ollie Hasall). Not sure why, Idle is a pretty good musician.

[@AlanFreshwater]

George Harrison helped

[@philhine3370]

Perhaps he couldn't capture the Rutland sound ....

[@gianca60]

No. Its vice versa.

[@sophiet1576]

Weird Al posted his respects, that's how I found out. R.I.P. Neil.

[@mariegriffiths]

There's an awful lot more to catch up with.

[@lefkytheshin]

This wonderful music will last a lunchtime.

[@makeitsonumberone1358]

My ear worm for years, R.I.P Neil loved your comedy and music.

[@JustTheGman]

All You Need Is Lunch... that and the best Beatles spoof ever made. Brilliant!

[@Ghoopty]

Fookin' brilliant.....ridiculous & triumphant at the same time! Long live the Rutles!!!

[@Wilcox3]

This whole album is phenomenal. It's awesome they got the Beatles permission to do this.

[@tonysangiovanni5396]

Eric Idle and George were collaborators on various projects; the videos for "CrakerBox Palace" and "This Song" are good examples.

[@kenchristie9214]

Neil ran all the songs by George Harrsion to ensure they didn't breach copyright. EMI had copyright on all Beatles songs under the Parlophone label.

[@pbraddazz]

I get a shiver down my spine every time I hear this song. Absolutley fantastic.

[@jdemarco]

There will never be another band like the Rutles...

[@guitarman63mm]

An amazing parody actually. Didn't expect it to be so close to John's voice. Spot on to tell the truth.

[@72moon]

This song along with "Piggy in the Middle" are absolutely outstanding. Genius by Neil Innes. The opening few lines are so like the Beatles.

[@alan-sk7ky]

Get up and go, on the roof top of apple core, even more Lennon than Lennon.

[@sejembalm]

I have always thought in the back of my mind cheese and onions I have always thought that the world was unkind cheese and onions Do I have to spell it out? C-H-E-E-S-E-A-N-D-O-N-I-O-N-S Man and machine (man and machine) Keep yourself clean (keep yourself clean) Or be a has-been (ah ah) Like a dinosaur... oh oh oh Man or device (man or device) For everything nice (everything nice) You'd better think twice (ah ah) At least once more... oh oh oh

[@edited7382]

He's saying "MAN" a machine. As in "operate" a machine.

[@zacd5878]

Hi

[@combatcarl2791]

Right now, I'm enjoying a sub sandwich roll with chopped grilled chicken, garlic, mushrooms, and...yes, shredded mozzarella cheese and sweated onions. It's excellent...one might even say it's fab.

[@lucaswolfhound]

This is legitimately such a good song

[@simonpalling3215]

Indeed. My philosophy exactly. Had this as a hand me down 45 from my older brother. Fantastic!!

[@cynthiafluharty9396]

Oh, my God... I can't believe how the lyrics come back to me after all these years!

[@superrambo9466]

The Beatles were the greatest Rutles tribute band ever.

[@otisroseboro5613]

Exactly 💯

[@mickdeleon5072]

Well, at least they had great...trousers. RIP, Neil.

[@bridgettstephens5582]

This song exemplifies what wordsmiths The Rutles truly were. " Do I have to spell it out". Extraordinary choice of words that ring of true poetry 😂

[@kellyluck1626]

I mean, it really nails the Yellow Submarine but at the same time it is a legitimately cool thing on its own. I kinda wish they'd made the whole thing.

[@bewareofchild2462]

Never could be any other way. I love the Rutles.

[@johnkk7863]

RIP Neil Innes . You were a genius and a gent.

[@PC4USE1]

Before the TV show was aired,a bootleg of this was out and some actually thought this was a song John wrote and recorded in India. That is how good this song is.

[@mOYNTdnbzso]

Well, I hadn't been staying away so much as not comin' here, but I figured I'd pay my respects...RIP Nasty.

[@Valveus]

Well it has been six months, where have you been?

[@mOYNTdnbzso]

@@Valveus I'm not telling you.

[@Valveus]

@@mOYNTdnbzso lol

[@testsubject6676]

I love the story about Neil singing this song on Saturday Night Live and there still being people who swear that John Lennon was once on SNL.

[@robertnahum5823]

"I have had tea...with biscuits."

[@oli_bn1691]

I came here because of Chris Moyles on Radio X. This is brilliant

[@existingcondition]

Geniuses doing brilliant things with the things of other brilliant geniuses.

[@tonyfairhurst4650]

Absolutely brilliant! Neil Innes was a musical genius. Could any other songwriter offer a song that could so easily be believed to be la asessions

[@Wormtongue13]

Happy birthday, John Lennon! Thanks for inspiring such brilliant parody.

[@budfoon]

2024 and i still randomly sing this song...

[@thehowlingterror]

Rest well Neil Innes.

[@ulf8888]

I bought the album back in the seventies. The Rutles record wasn't released yet, and I really flipped when I heard Cheese and Onions. It was an earlier take and beautiful. Name of the record - Indian Rope Trick. The Rutles rules!!!

[@allyplumb]

The thing is these pardodies stand up so well in their own right as songs and they don't sound like spoof records at all. Love the final note of this song which is very brief spoofing the final chord in A day in the life which goes on forever lol

[@felipeantunes4485]

The RUTLES was the best band more The Beatles. You can believe !!

[@rtrepsas]

"Do I have to spell it out? C-H-E-E-S-E A-N-D O-N-I-O-N-S, Oh no/man and machine/keep yourself clean/or be a has-been, like a dinosaur"

[@kevanbrown7620]

Neil Innes said when he bumped into John Lennon in America that Lennon started singing Cheese and Onions. He told him he thought the Rutles was brilliant.

[@ClueSign]

Neil Innes RIP GENIUS

[@DonLumpkin]

Brilliant parody! It's telling that George ( with his sublime wit ) was such a big fan of The Rutles. It's said that Jeff Lynne patterned his "sound" upon the Beatles' White Album...so, "imitation IS the greatest form of flattery!" Peace and Love!!!✌+❣

[@geoemrick]

The amazing thing is I am a HUGE Beatles fan, and also a big Monty Python fan. So you have Eric Idle, from Monty Python, a genious humorist, Neil Eines, a mastermind of pardying music, all based on the greatest songwriting and band of all time: The Beatles. It's fantastic. And to answer your questions, I believe this song is a parody of I Am the Walrus and A Day in the Life, mainly. There are other quaint references.

I will go to my grave thinking twice, or at least once more. My favorite song.

[@denisedavies4602]

Neil Innes is a genius!

[@MattAttack54]

My mom Saw the Rutles at Chet Stadium in 1965. She said it was a great show plus she went Crazy when they did Ouch and Hold my hand. Also Number one was a good live number as well. Rutles for life.

[@williamshaw9047]

He taught a generation how sweet it was to be an idiot.

[@l.salisbury1253]

"I'm the Urban Spaceman and here comes the twist: I DON'T EXIST!"

[@mrmarriottsgirl8471]

RIP Mr. Neil Innes.. we should all have a collective cheese and onions sandwich in your honour..:(

[@1512592011]

They really love Beatles,so do I:-)

[@andyboerger]

Consistently ranked at the top of the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and rightly so.