Friday, June 27, 2008

Allan Sherman: Crazy Downtown


Shivaree was a Los Angeles based music variety show that ran in syndication from 1965 to 1966. It was hosted by Gene Weed. In its brief run, the show featured well-known acts like the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Byrds, Allan Sherman, the Ronettes, We Five and James Brown at its KABC-TV studio.
(Parody of "Downtown" by Petula Clark)
Mommy and Dad are never nervous or mad
When you teenagers go downtown.
Daddy and Mom just stay at home and be calm
And watch the late late show uptown.
Cause when you kids are gone we get to spend some time alone here
That's our only chance to use the bathtub or the phone here
When you're away
Besides, we're stuck where we are
Because you kids took our money, you kids took our car and went
Downtown, where can you possibly
Downtown, it's twenty after three
Downtown, what do you mean by, "Let's froog"?
You don't come home till 4 AM cause you're roaming
In the streets somewhere, downtown.
We would feel swell if only someone would tell us
What goes on down there, downtown.
But every time we ask you what you're doing after dark there
You just say that you were frooging to Petula Clark there
That's what I mean
So, kids, give your folks a break
Because you're driving us crazy, we sit here all night and take
Pill town, swallowing pills so we'll
Calm down, counting the hours you're
Downtown, you and your froog and your slop.
While we're lying there we try to watch the television
Then you call us up and say you've had a slight collision
There goes the car
Besides that you've been arrested
So we've got to get up, and we've got to get dressed and go
Downtown, borrow a car and go
Downtown, that's where you are, you finks,
Downtown, wait 'till I get you kids home.
(Spoken) There'll be no more frooging, no swing, no jerk, no mashed potato, no slop! And you know what else? You're gonna stay home tonight, and your mother and I are going downtown and we're going to dance the tango, and the waltz, and the foxtrot, and we're gonna do the bunny hop. That's a nice dance! And there'll be no more frooging! Is that quite clear? NO MORE FRUCKING!

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