The Spike Jones Story - Part 1

1988 documentary.

[@dantv23]

Thank you Dr. Demento for turning me on to this Force of Nature!

[@CrampedGrampy]

As a kid in the 1950s, I feel now to have been fortunate to have enjoyed Spike Jones, the band and their antics; what a hoot! Even now, they bring laughter, happiness and joy to this old guys' heart.

[@Solidfact42]

It was my dad that introduced me to the music of this man. As a small child it was something we could listen to/laugh at together. I've still got a couple albums and will probably be playing it for my kids when I have them. Such a delight that this music is able to stay alive generation to generation.

[@kingbee1500]

Spike Jones and his crew HAD to be great musicians in order to keep up all that schtick and jive while playing in tune. And all those different rhythms and props to work in...my word!

[@fletcherlayton7374]

instablaster...

[@eddienewall5033]

I was a teenager in the 1950s living in the UK. Transistor radios had just come in, I remember listening to Radio Luxembourg in bed at night, that's when the signal became strong enough on medium wave, that's when I first heard Spike Jones and his City Slickers.

[@denp54z]

Cool story . I was just watching a video about the history and last transmission of Radio Luxembourg last week.

[@RJBA328]

It was my childhood, but now being able to learn more about the man I appreciate him even more. He had a Cagney-like look and was always chewing gum. No one like him today.

[@josephinerimmer6888]

RJBA328 I thought he was sexy.

[@dggd]

PURE GENIUS…ALL OF THEM! 👏🏽🍷💞

[@bockforzelorum01]

He was a big comedian and musicalic talent. He was one of the best. I like it so much.

[@marSLaZZ66]

Spike "King of Cowbells" Jones!!! 👏👏👏😂🤣🤩💓💓

[@sachavoronej5104]

Merci. Grande époque du talent.

[@GaylordBuzzard]

Pop took me to see him live in the late 1940's and i still remember it. On guy sat up on the rear corner of the bandstand reading a newspaper throughout the entire show.

[@lenhummel5614]

The funniest, craziest, zaniest comedy Band of all time❗😅🤐☺️

[@ignorecorporatenews]

He was a great percussionist

[@user-uz4hq5zi7b]

Laudato sii , mi SIGNORE x Spike Jones e tutti i genii...come lui...❤ Aspiro ad ESSERLO 😊 Benito Edoardo Cinosi 🤟

[@raywolfe3969]

Love it, real originality, Frakes Zappa of the era.

[@ignorecorporatenews]

That's what I've always said also RAy

[@dariowiter3078]

That's "Frank Zappa," dolt-4-brains! 🙄😒😡

[@webinator9715]

I can’t take the way he sings but I love to hear him talk...

[@sheilariley1261]

I fell in love with Spike and his antixcs when I was a kid in the 69s. Never gets old. Genius

[@slakinsam]

I saw some of this actual show when it aired I had heard Spike Jones on a vinyl record that belonged to my grandparents I feel beyond lucky to have seen this on pbs 8pm when I was in elementary school And to find it just as I remember it on KZbin literally 30+ years later

[@ergbudster3333]

Spike was the Duke Ellington of crazy. You wanna be the leader of the band.. you gotta work your ass off.

[@blakepace]

One of my heroes!

[@geraldnichols2722]

If you think it's easy to play like that, you better think again! ;D

[@1okanaganguy]

He was the Steely Dan of the Fifties

[@sparkyrunner4283]

Timing and disciplined, a master musician having a little joke on the seriousness of music conducting.

[@nicholaswiltshire6356]

I still have a few 78's with these guy's recorded on them.

[@winniedelrosario7789]

I don't know him but all his videos really makes me laughs 😃

[@MultiPetercool]

Spike Jones and Raymond Scott were the most important musicians of the post-war era. I wish they would have collaborated.

[@carlcleary548]

I remember seeing this video back in my youth i was 9 years old then 😅😊

[@pollypurree1834]

He died young at 53 in 1965

[@kurtarmbruster]

Ya know, there's something suspiciously suggestive about that rising cello.

[@mikelyons9228]

Just now realizing that Dr. Damento was a part of the crew.

[@railroad9000]

Spike and his band were very acomplished musicians!

[@bockforzelorum01]

It was real comedy performing to laugh, ...ok long time ago..

[@kurtarmbruster]

Priceless stuff--what a genius Spike was! Can someone give us the background on the da-da-DAT-da-da-da tag he used to end so many of his pieces? Thanks for sharing this great tribute to a great talent!

[@JohanBrodd]

That's just a simple way to end a jazz tune. Many artists had their own ways of ending their songs. This is like a watermark on money to prove the authenticity of them. In a similar way.

[@patrickdieter5389]

It's a very ancient "secret knock" that shows up in movies from the 1920's on. It's known as the "shave and a haircut, two bits" knock. It's the ultimate in corny musical cliches these days.

[@keithm1138]

Del Porter was the one who came up with that ending.

[@tkhering]

Del Porter credited trumpet player Frank Wylie for dropping the notes in during one on of their performances, and it stuck. The notes, of course, come from the 1920's tune, "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune."

[@UncleMike43]

Dixieland & Grabass

[@michaelmapes4119]

That look on the Trombone players face at 6:14 is Classic!

[@greggeshelman7106]

I want to find a recording of the January 21st 1990 episode of the Dr. Demento show. It contains the only broadcast ever of "Your Morning Feature" by Spike Jones, recorded on "Standirt", a parody of "Standard Transcription" records under the band name "The Country Dodgers". Pressings of the records were only sent to radio stations subscribing to Standard Transcription records. None of them played it on-air, until the one and only time it was on Dr. Demento. There were three other songs on that show to have their one and only broadcast - at least on Demento.

[@greggeshelman7106]

It's online! Finally after 25 years the world can hear again the rarest Spike Jones recording! drdemento.com/online.html?i=DDS9003

[@FlippinDingDong]

Does anyone know the name of the song they play from 1:10 - 3:23? I love me my Spike Jones, but have never heard that one before and cannot for the life of me find it anywhere D:

[@flippindingdong971]

Nevermind, just found out its Bizet's "Farandole"

[@Smakificator]

***** That exact performance is part of this collection: www.ebay.com/itm/Spike-Jones-3-Record-Vinyl-Album-Set-1977-Comedy-LP-/160888510588?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2575b3d87c This set is loaded with live recordings from the TV show.

[@georgerivera8834]

Awesome 👌 👏 👍 😍

[@valeriecampbell9581]

young spike is a dead ringer for Leonardo dicaprio

[@dabedwards]

+valerie campbell Yes, I noticed that. But whereas Leonardo filled out a little in the face in a healthy way, Spike's face became disturbingly boney. Too much energy, coffee and smoking, I guess.

[@carohelion]

@@dabedwards Or maybe Leonardo grew up with the unhealthy American diet - too much sugar and processed food. Lean is usually healthier than well-fed. (Just sayin') Valerie, I did notice that resemblance to Leonardo too!

[@michealridenoour5320]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that saw that!

[@synthonaplinth5980]

@@dabedwards Interesting that Spike Jones and Frank Zappa both died from the same thing, essentially.

[@dlee3710]

Leonardo who?

[@jackmehoffen4359]

Spike Jones & the City Slickers!!

[@ergbudster3333]

Alfred E Newman??

[@Auggies1956]

Danny Thomas native Toledoan.

[@gilgamess]

What is the song at the beginning of the documentary that is played during the credits?

[@sairin8403]

Bizet - L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1

[@hollerinwoman]

So this is where Peter Schickele got all his PDQ Bach schtick.

[@missumenimsatanass]

Wow! At 17:22 tell me he didn't look exactly like Leonardo Decaprico? Haha So if they're smart they'll do a movie about spikes life and leo can play the part. Its would tk a special person to be able to even fake playing the stuff he did back then. Its a shame he died so young. Thats what 5 packs of cigarettes a day will do to ya. Hell, half a pack a day can kill ya. Crap shoot and sadly spike lost. I think his legacy went higher when he past so young. If you watch his breathing at 19:27 you can tell he was starting to have bug problems. Idk when that int took place and he could've already been diagnosed with emphysema by this time. He couldn't stand very long and eventually had to have an Oxygen tank waiting for him when he got off stage. Then he had to have it onstage as well and stayed seated behind his drums. Such a sad ending for such a talented great piece of Americana.... R.I.P. 🙏😞

[@lenhummel5614]

Views: 66690. yeah. could be. anarchy. absurdity. kinda crazy.🤔

[@ul7185]

1:08 Farandole

[@BearbearbearbearbearbearRarrrr]

He looks like Casey Neistat.

[@jetpaq]

Tell me true... Is conan obrian his re-incarnation or WHAT??

[@mrviniciussiri]

A tradução para o Português nas legendas impossível de se entender, uma droga.

[@girlgeniusnyc272]

Há dez mil anos, 8000 anos antes de Cristo)- música com pedras (nada de "Nasci Há Dez Mil Anos Atrás" rsrsrsrs) 1789 - Mozart 1907 - WC Handy, JAZZ 1935 - Benny Goodman, SWING 1941 - Spike Jones, ele ponou a música 10 million anos atrás! (Com as pedras de novo, uma piada mesmo!)

[@yogihaughton]

100 cigs a day... :0(

[@thomasklugh4345]

PLEASE... Re-do this but get rid of the closed captions!

[@KnowlesKnows]

Sorry, I don't see any captions on this video when I play it.

[@hiimryan2388]

KnowlesKnows don't worry op forgot to turn off captions...

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

A bit of Phillip Glass in some of this?