‘Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends’ is supposed to be a blog about politics and product reviews. So . . . uh . . . I guess you’ll need to think of this particular blog bit as a review of Sweet’s 1974 album ‘Desolation Boulevard’ and/or Disney’s 1951 animated movie ‘Alice In Wonderland’, although it’s really about neither of them.
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As the title indicates, this is really about Ed Wynn . . .
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and the ‘Ballroom Blitz’ . . .
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A large number of the songs I used to love as a teenager in the “Classic Rock” era have not held up for me over the decades. One of the exceptions is Sweet’s Top Ten hit ‘Ballroom Blitz’ - I have never stopped liking that song.
What I enjoy most about ‘Ballroom Blitz’ is probably the very thing that has always turned my brother Napoleon against it. I’m referring to that insane voice that singer Brian Connolly uses at a couple of points in the song.
I was listening to ‘Ballroom Blitz’ recently and when it got to the insane vocal sections I began thinking: I KNOW that voice; it sounds like that old character actor...
what’s-his-name?
what’s-his-name?
I listened to that song over and over again, trying in vain to think of the name of that old character actor, but it was so far back on my tongue that I knew I wasn’t going to recall it on my own. Damn! Don’tcha hate it when that doesn’t happen?
After several days and nights of trying desperately to scratch that itch and being driven mad as a hatter, I suddenly remembered not the name of the actor but the fact that he provided the voice for the Mad Hatter in Disney’s ‘Alice In Wonderland’. So I Googled that movie and – DOH! – of course! Ed Wynn, you silly! How could you have forgotten his name? Got old age?
Ed Wynn’s voice was so distinctive that it has often been imitated, most notably by Daws Butler as cartoon character Wally Gator, and by Paul Frees as Captain Peter “Wrong Way
I love, Love, LOVE that voice as much as Brother Nappy hates, Hates, HATES it.
He hates it? How could he hate it? “Don’t let’s be silly!”
Now I’m not saying that singer Brian Connolly was deliberately trying to imitate Ed Wynn’s voice in ‘Ballroom Blitz’ (although perhaps he was), but I am saying that he probably couldn’t have done a better “Ed Wynn” if he’d been trying.
Check these out and you’ll hear what I mean . . .
First listen to Ed Wynn doing the voice of the Mad Hatter in this wonderful YouTube video posted by dogpup4 :
Alice In Wonderland test footage - Unbirthday Mad Tea Party - Disney
And if you’re inclined, listen to the Mad Hatter sing ‘The Unbirthday Song’ :
Now listen to Brian Connolly’s voice in Sweet’s ‘Ballroom Blitz’ at the 45 second point when he sings “Oh! I see a man in the back as a matter of fact, his eyes are as red as the Sun - And the girl in the corner let no one ignore her; she thinks she’s the passionate one”.
And again at the 1 minute & 50 second point in the following video when Brian sings “And the man in the back is ready to crack as he raises his hands to the sky – And the girl in the corner is everyone’s mourner; she could kill you with a wink of her eye” . . .
Sweet - Ballroom Blitz Lyrics
What do you think? Was Connolly deliberately trying to imitate Ed Wynn, or was it just coincidence? Either way, I love Ed Wynn’s crazy voice and Brian Connolly’s insane vocals.
~ Stephen T. McCarthy
YE OLDE COMMENT POLICY: All comments, pro and con, are welcome. However, ad hominem attacks and disrespectful epithets will not be tolerated (read: "posted"). After all, this isn’t Amazon.com, so I don’t have to put up with that kind of bovine excrement.
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I remember the song, but not well because this is a group that I did not listen to much at all. I probably haven't seen Alice since I was a kid, but I definitely remember Ed Wynn. He was like a Disney staple for many movies.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm going to have to say that maybe there might be a vague resemblance to the voice in the song, but I don't think that's what the singer was shooting for. I think he was probably trying to emulate a British music hall style character and I guess one could argue that Ed Wynn being of vaudeville stock is part of that heritage.
Lee
What do you think?
Blogging from A to Z
BOIDMAN ~
ReplyDeleteOh, I think there's more than just "a vague resemblance to the voice in the song", but I agree with you that B.C. probably was not deliberately doing an "Ed Wynn".
Regardless, I find it amusing - very funny. It's so over-the-top insane that it even makes me laugh out loud.
After posting this I did a Google search, keywords being "Ed Wynn, Brian Connolly, Ballroom Blitz", and the only thing that came up was MY blog bit here. So, I guess I'm the only person that the Internet knows of who has made the "Ed Wynn/Ballroom Blitz" connection.
Sweet had two other big hits: 'Fox On The Run' and 'Love Is Like Oxygen'. I (still) like "Fox"; "Oxygen" not so much.
Overall, I'm not really a Sweet fan - they're OK - but I think the drummer came up with some pretty neat rhythms. And I know I'll always turn up the radio whenever I find 'Ballroom Blitz' playing. Anything that can make me laugh I'll forever appreciate.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Brother Boidman!
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I hear a resemblance, but Wynn's has more of a deep quality, and rather eccentric, while B.C.'s voice soars higher a bit and sounds more insane than eccentric.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed seeing the Disney vid! I loved Disney and and I know you used to. I still do (probably because my reading list is smaller than yours) but to a lesser extent than before. The company has, like everyone else, gone off the deep end.
SHEBOYGANBOY McSIXGUN ~
ReplyDeleteYeah, Nappy and I both agree that Brian's voice is a bit higher than Ed's, but I still think it's very similar.
In my mind, I can hear Ed's voice, very excited and sounding just as insane and as high-pitched as Brian's.
But I strongly suspect that what I'm really remembering in my mind is, in fact, Paul Frees IMITATING Ed Wynn as Captain Peter Peachfuzz in 'The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show', and doing it more excitedly and with a slightly higher pitch.
After all, I am more familiar with Rocky & Bullwinkle than I am with Ed Wynn. So I think maybe I'm really comparing Brian Connolly's voice to Paul Frees doing an imitation of Ed Wynn.
What would you call that? "The Three Degrees of Ed Wynn" or something?
:o)
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
On second thought lets not talk about Ed Wynn anymore. It is a silly place.
ReplyDeleteBr'er Marc
BR'ER MARC ~
ReplyDelete>>...It is a silly place.
Hmmm... Don't you mean "a laughing place"?
;o)
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
As a youngin' I've never been familiar with the name Ed Wynn, but I'm very familiar with the voice and the song.
ReplyDeleteAnd honestly, Connolly's rendition does sound eerily similar. An homage, perhaps?
BEER BOYS ~
ReplyDeleteCould be. But whatever it is, those two sections of the song are what makes it appealing to me.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
It's Steve Priest of Sweet doing those oneliners (typical of Sweet singles 1973 thru to 1977).
ReplyDeleteANONYMOUS ~
ReplyDeleteAhh. Thanks. I confess I've never been a Sweet aficionado. But regardless of the performer, I find it highly entertaining (best part of that song, to me).
"Are you ready, Steve?"
I guess he WAS.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Er.... it was bassist Steve Priest who sang/spoke those parts!
ReplyDeleteFrom the first day I dropped a needle on this album on a turntable at my college radio station in 1973--yep--Ed Wynn impersonation! It became one of "our" station songs.
ReplyDeleteUNKNOWN ~
DeleteHokey-Smoke! What a wild coincidence!!
At the exact same time you submitted this comment (7:39), I was in the process of watching an episode of the old TV Western series 'Alias Smith & Jones' (IMO, by far, the best TV Western ever made!) The episode I was watching at 7:39 was titled 'Stagecoach Seven', featuring the guest star Keenan Wynn, the son of Ed Wynn!
Dang! How aligned were the "stars" at 7:39?!?!
I still love 'Ballroom Blitz', and the Ed Wynn impersonation will always be my favorite part of the song.
Hey, if you're interested in Old School music, please check out my other blog, STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS, and feel free to contribute your own personal votes on the Battles! The more the merrier!!
In fact, in my 10/1/2018 Battle, I featured Sweet's song 'Santa Monica Sunshine' versus Sheryl Crow's 'All I Wanna Do', and Sweet clobbered her!
[Link> SWEET VS. SHERYL CROW
Thanks for the comment!
Ed Wynn rules!!
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS
HEY! Thanks for pointing me to this crazy fun vintage blog post, Stephzel. Yeehaw!
ReplyDeleteHEY! It's an "Ed" thing, so I figured you might dig it. ;^)
Delete~ D-FensDogG
I do, in fact, dig it to the utmostest, Hermano. Y'all has got a groovy brainpan, fer certain; and that's no joke. ~Ed.
ReplyDelete"groovy brainpan"... Guffaw-Out-Loud!
DeleteThat almost certainly has to be the uniquest compliment I've ever received. Thanks! I gotta find a way to run wit' dat.
~ D-FensDogG
Wail, you founded a way, Bub! You snuck into your vote for the Yo-Yo's. Thanks! That was cool. An Joyfully Optimistic is a good way to go. I strive for that most days. The Big (Eternal Cosmic) Picture supports the optimistic side of things. Which now has me thinking of the Alice Cooper song Pessi-Mystic. I won't link that here. You can look it up. ~Ed.
DeleteThat song may be 24 years old now, but it was news to me.
DeleteI got a kick out of these two lines:
Watching CNN and holding my breath
I'm so pissed-off-istic
GOL!
I'm not gonna lie... I'm still capable of being pissed-off-istic. However, I am very much aware of which of my buttons are the really "hot" ones, and I generally do a pretty good job of avoiding the fingers that itch to press 'em.
I was surprised Alice didn't work a Ouija board into that opening bit with the crystal ball and Tarot cards. Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
LOL. Yes, I like the line 'so pissed-off-istic' too. I also have to be careful about certain buttons being pushed. In fact, I have been known to surprise myownself with how quickly my sensitivities can be jangled into snappy snarkishness. It's a process. ~Ed.
Delete"Snarkishness"? HA!-HA!
DeleteSnarkishness is my DOS (Daily Operating System). If I lost my snarkishness, I wouldn't even know who I was anymore. :^D
I will, however, say this in my defense: I know with complete certainty that my really "hot" buttons are also things that anger God. So I feel safe in saying that the real anger I do have is "righteous anger". It's never ego-driven anger.
Incidentally, I just got finished watching 'SCROOGE' (1970) for December, 2024. I am a dedicated cinephile and this film is in my Top 5 of all time. I won't push it beyond this comment, but I really hope you will see 'Scrooge' sometime during this Holyday Season, Hermano.
~ D-FensDogG
Mon Frere,
ReplyDeleteI will do my best to get Scrooge into the line-up. A couple of nights ago I got in trouble with my housemates (wife and son) for dozing off during Red One. It seemed like a good movie with stars I like and plenty of action but I could not for the life of me stay alert. I went to bed before it was over, even. But I will make my case for watching Scrooge (1970).
~Ed.
:^D
DeleteHadn't heard of 'Red One' so I just looked it up at IMDB. The description made me laugh and made me think of 'Santa Claus Conquers The Martians'. COL! I don't think I'd have made it through 'Red One', tired or not.
The joy at the end of 'Scrooge' is beyond any other filmed version of 'A Christmas Carol' that I've ever seen, and I have a feeling you'd really enjoy it. However, no hard feelings if you aren't able to convince your housemates to see it. Either way, have a Merry Merry & a Happy Happy, Hermano!
~ D-FensDogG
The Christmas Canine
D-D-DawgEsty,
ReplyDeleteI am SO sure I MUST have seen it. I am a total geek when it comes to musicals, PLUS I like retellings of the Dickens Christmas Carol, PLUS it was 54 years a-frickin'-go. BUT I am equally sure that the last time I saw it must have been long, long ago. Well... a little special sauce: in 1970, I was 14 years old, still under the roof of parents who DID NOT go to the movies. The first movie I saw in an actual theater was a Billy Graham movie in 1966. The next one was in 1971, when my choir director at the high school ASSIGNED us to go see Song of Norway (promo tickets were provided for music students). So, like, I was only watching movies on television at that time. But I do think I saw Scrooge (1970) at some point later... maybe. Anyway, I will watch it again even if I have to banish my housemates from the TV room, which I won't because they will want to watch it, anyway. ~Ed.
Ha! Terrific comment, Eduardo!
DeleteI sincerely hope I haven't overhyped 'Scrooge'. But one reason it's my favorite version of the Dickens story is because it contains a good amount of humor. The actual story (and most of the filmed versions) contain no real humor. And, as we know, "laughter is the best medicine".
I also like that 'Scrooge' deviated from the usual format, always in goot ways. They cut out some of the "fat" and added some "fun" in its place.
"I'll NOT believe it!" - I probably say that 5 or 6 times a week, and I stole it directly from Ebenezer in 'Scrooge'. Another one I use probably 288 days a year is "I'm ready for you!"
Mang... the first movie I can remember seeing in a theater?... Disney's 'Swiss Family Robinson' (1960). I didn't see it in '60. But some time circa 1967 or '68, my Ma would drop us kids off at a retro theater in Orange County (CA.) and she would pick us up later. (A parent could do that then.) I was the eldest, at 8 or 9.
That theater showed that movie over and over, so we saw it a number of times. An angry tiger, kids riding on exotic animals, a monkey riding a dog, and (last but surely not least) pirates & coconut bombs!!! I've often said that it's probably "the ultimate little boys movie!"
Damn! Life was "GR-R-REAT!"
~ Stephen
UHP! I'm an idiot!!
DeleteI forgot to mention "a family living in a treehouse!" Yeah, 'Swiss Family Robinson' *must* be the greatest little kids movie (and especially for little boys), "or my name isn't Mary Poppins!"
~ Mary (D-FensDogG) Poppins