Spike Jones and his Hawiney Guitars

[Eric Stumpf]

I have this faint recollection from my childhood regarding an episode of the Spike Jones Show that was on TV in the early '50's; I don't know if I imagined this or, if in fact, such a show did exist. It was a typical Spike skit: grotesque but excellent musicians dressed as Hula girls playing Hawaiian lap steels in some crazy manner as Spike banged on a marimba made from cocoanut shells...something along those lines. Hey, I was like three at the time so pardon the memory lapse. Does anyone remember this or should I commit myself to a mental institution tomorrow?

[Tyler Baum]

That sure sounds like Spike - It also sounds like a dream I had after eating a big, cold meatball.

[Ian McLatchie]

"As the sun pulls away from the shore, and our boat sinks slowly in the west..."

I'd love to see this one. Anyone know if it made it onto kinescope?

[Richard Vogh]

There is some video available of Spike Jones on TV in the 1950's.  Look for "The Spike Jones Story", which was assembled in 1988.

Here is one source: Spike Jones Story from Elderly

As I recall, there is one clip in that video with Freddy Morgan playing a steel guitar.  It has a sign on it saying "Electric Guitar", and the amplifier eventually has smoke coming out.

Spike went through a lot of musicians over the years. His regular guitar player, and (I'm pretty sure) steel player too, was Dick Morgan (no relation to Freddy).  Dick passed away before the stuff on the video was made.

One of my childhood memories is the steel guitar part at the end of Hawaiian War Chant (which began with "as the sun pulls away from the shore...).  It's like the steel player (Dick Morgan, I think) was falling down the stairs, but kept on playing.  It's a hoot.  Had that on a 78 RPM record.

Freddy Morgan was the comedian with the rubber face, and usually played b@njo (four-string, strumming style). There is one clip in the video of the City Slickers playing the Poet And Peasant Overture, and Freddy Morgan dominates it with his hilarious antics.  That clip alone is worth the entire price of the video.

<font size="-1">Disclaimer:  I have two different versions of that video, and mine were recorded about 10 years ago from TV by a friend.  So, I'm not fully certain of what is and what isn't in the one for sale by Elderly.</font>

There is a great book on Spike Jones if you want to know all the details.  It's not a pretty story at every point, but it is quite a unique story.  The book can be found at Spike Jones Book.
 

[C Dixon]

I have a vivid mememory of Spike Jones and his "way out" antics. However I never recall seeing a steel guitar whenever I saw him.

One thing is for sure, whenever he used one, I don't think most of the forumites would care much for the sound.

Spike jones and his "gang" could really do a "number" on any number they played.

YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeGads!

carl

PS. does anyone recall the lady that was a member of his clan for a long time? Her name eludes me even though I can still see her face in my memory. Was it Dorothy Shay? That doesn't sound right. But maybe?

[Richard Vogh]

"Hello music lovers..."  <font size="-1">as Spike would sometimes say.</font>

----

Carl...

Dorothy Shay doesn't sound right, so I'll have to look that up in my copy of that Spike Jones book.  There were several lady singers (most doing "opera") that participated with Spike Jones and his City Slickers over the years.  One was Sara Berner, or Bernhardt, or something like that.

As best I recall, the non-pedal steel guitar was sitting on a table in the video clip I saw.

----

Eric...

I don't recall the Marimba of coconut shells (but don't doubt it).  Spike did have what may have been the world's best collection of cowbells, covering all the musical pitches.

----

Spike was the master of "Music Depreciation".
 
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Richard Vogh on 03 November 2000 at 10:42 AM.]</p></FONT>

[c c johnson]

Wasn't Dorothy Shay billed as "The Park Avenue Hillbilly"?

------------------