One of the first LP albums I ever owned was the Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion. (That was a nightclub in San Francisco.) Needless-to-say, I've been a fan for a long time. Most people think of them in terms of their controversial variety show that got them fired from CBS -- but what few people remember is that they had a series before that, which was a sitcom. Tom played an angel. I even remember the theme song --
Tonight you'll meet
Two brothers who
Just happen to be us.
Though Tom is slightly different --
A problem we will now discuss.
My brother Tom
Was lost at sea
Without his water wings.
And now he is an angel
And tries to do amazing things.
That's right!
Brother Dick,
It's no trick
If you see
Lots of different people
Who look a lot like me.
An angel on
A visit to
His brother her below.
There's miracles astart
But they always come apart
On the Smothers Brothers Show.
There's miracles astart
But they always come apart
On the Smothers Brothers Show.
(I'm not 100% sure of that "miracles" line. But I think I'm pretty close.)
Well, that was quite the digression...
When they had their comeback variety show, a high school friend of my brother, Jim Stein, was one of the writers on the show, and I got in touch with him. It was great fun going to CBS Television City for the day to hang out and watch the rehearsals. I don't remember much about the day, though Linda Ronstadt was the guest that week, and did a duet with the guys.
Anyway, to the video below, what I like about it is that they play it straight for a really long time, far longer than most, so you get to hear what really wonderful singers and musicians they are. (Great fun, too, are the cutaways to the audience looking almost stunned at hearing them singing it straight -- and so well.) I suspect that might have been, in part, because they're performing with the Boston Pops. Once they get into the comedy at last, though...it's not too shabby either.
Tonight you'll meet
Two brothers who
Just happen to be us.
Though Tom is slightly different --
A problem we will now discuss.
My brother Tom
Was lost at sea
Without his water wings.
And now he is an angel
And tries to do amazing things.
That's right!
Brother Dick,
It's no trick
If you see
Lots of different people
Who look a lot like me.
An angel on
A visit to
His brother her below.
There's miracles astart
But they always come apart
On the Smothers Brothers Show.
There's miracles astart
But they always come apart
On the Smothers Brothers Show.
(I'm not 100% sure of that "miracles" line. But I think I'm pretty close.)
Well, that was quite the digression...
When they had their comeback variety show, a high school friend of my brother, Jim Stein, was one of the writers on the show, and I got in touch with him. It was great fun going to CBS Television City for the day to hang out and watch the rehearsals. I don't remember much about the day, though Linda Ronstadt was the guest that week, and did a duet with the guys.
Anyway, to the video below, what I like about it is that they play it straight for a really long time, far longer than most, so you get to hear what really wonderful singers and musicians they are. (Great fun, too, are the cutaways to the audience looking almost stunned at hearing them singing it straight -- and so well.) I suspect that might have been, in part, because they're performing with the Boston Pops. Once they get into the comedy at last, though...it's not too shabby either.
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