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October 14, 2018 4:18 PM Subscribe
Wayne Brady joins Postmodern Jukebox for a seasonally appropriate cover of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
[PMJ Previously]
[PMJ Previously]
Fun!
posted by Belle O'Cosity at 4:35 PM on October 14, 2018
posted by Belle O'Cosity at 4:35 PM on October 14, 2018
The "hidy ho"s he opened with were an obvious homage to Cab Calloway's performances in the spooky-themed Betty Boop comics of several decades ago.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:41 PM on October 14, 2018 [13 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:41 PM on October 14, 2018 [13 favorites]
Do The Kids Today even get the reference to the spooky Fleischer Brothers cartoons with Cab Calloway? (Which I am off to binge on)
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:46 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:46 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
Also, was hoping for the Vincent Price verse done in a similarly pre- Code style, but you can't have everything and it was still awesome
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:48 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:48 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
The Cab Calloway song in the Betty Boop cartoon, the Blues Brothers movie, Wayne Brady's preamble, and pop music history is "Minnie the Moocher."
posted by rhizome at 4:48 PM on October 14, 2018 [10 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 4:48 PM on October 14, 2018 [10 favorites]
I love Wayne Brady so much.
posted by elsietheeel at 4:50 PM on October 14, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by elsietheeel at 4:50 PM on October 14, 2018 [7 favorites]
Zombie tap dancers!!!!!
posted by mochapickle at 4:55 PM on October 14, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 4:55 PM on October 14, 2018 [8 favorites]
My aunt and her work friends went to see Cab Calloway perform live in the 1980s. She said he acted and sounded like a man half his age
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:11 PM on October 14, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:11 PM on October 14, 2018 [5 favorites]
The way the choreography blended traditional tap with Thriller dance moves and nods to traditional MJ stuff (esp. the pop up onto the toes) was fabulous.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:41 PM on October 14, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:41 PM on October 14, 2018 [7 favorites]
Man that was pure fun! And no auto tune for once!
posted by SNACKeR at 5:47 PM on October 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by SNACKeR at 5:47 PM on October 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
I didn't realize how much I missed Wayne Brady until I saw this. Very cool.
posted by 4ster at 6:04 PM on October 14, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by 4ster at 6:04 PM on October 14, 2018 [6 favorites]
Oh wow, now I've finally found a version of this song to like. But now I'm wanting them to do versions from the 40s. The music's fantastic, but I need to hear singing by people channeling the likes of Bing Crosby, or Perry Como, or the Andrews Sisters.
While we're at it, maybe we can zombify Duke Ellington. I'd love to hear his take on the spoken word portion, delivered as in (the always surreal) Moon Maiden.
That was delightful though even as it was. I will now certainly lose hours on their YouTube channel.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 6:13 PM on October 14, 2018
While we're at it, maybe we can zombify Duke Ellington. I'd love to hear his take on the spoken word portion, delivered as in (the always surreal) Moon Maiden.
That was delightful though even as it was. I will now certainly lose hours on their YouTube channel.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 6:13 PM on October 14, 2018
This is great! Thanks so much for the post!
posted by some chick at 6:38 PM on October 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by some chick at 6:38 PM on October 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
That's pretty impressive for a single camera and single take. Man I miss Mike.
posted by cashman at 6:57 PM on October 14, 2018
posted by cashman at 6:57 PM on October 14, 2018
I love Wayne Brady, but my favourite part was the Thriller dance done as a tap dance
posted by Kris10_b at 7:03 PM on October 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Kris10_b at 7:03 PM on October 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
Yeah, the tap dancing zombies filled a need I didn't know I had. Thanks!
posted by Ruki at 7:08 PM on October 14, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by Ruki at 7:08 PM on October 14, 2018 [5 favorites]
the tacked-on descending cadence at the end felt like it broke the feel of the song a little too much, but overall a really fun take ^_^
posted by JoeBlubaugh at 8:34 PM on October 14, 2018
posted by JoeBlubaugh at 8:34 PM on October 14, 2018
Look up the genre called "electroswing".
Haha the Electro-Swing is fun. It reminds me of Orlando in the mid-90s when Acid Jazz was getting combined with club-music varietals. But we had the benefit of crazy numbers of retired Big-Names-of-Jazz—this was Florida, after all—playing live with the DJs and other musicians. It was fantastic, especially if you worked in a bar/club booking them all the time, like I did. It was amazing to see all these fantastic old artists in their 70s and even 80s improvising flawlessly alongside fully modern club inspired beats, and obviously enjoying hell out of it.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 8:37 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
Haha the Electro-Swing is fun. It reminds me of Orlando in the mid-90s when Acid Jazz was getting combined with club-music varietals. But we had the benefit of crazy numbers of retired Big-Names-of-Jazz—this was Florida, after all—playing live with the DJs and other musicians. It was fantastic, especially if you worked in a bar/club booking them all the time, like I did. It was amazing to see all these fantastic old artists in their 70s and even 80s improvising flawlessly alongside fully modern club inspired beats, and obviously enjoying hell out of it.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 8:37 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
Do The Kids Today even get the reference to the spooky Fleischer Brothers cartoons with Cab Calloway? (Which I am off to binge on)
since the 1930s are hip again, yes they do (the popular indie game Cuphead is all animated in this style)
posted by The Whelk at 9:11 PM on October 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
since the 1930s are hip again, yes they do (the popular indie game Cuphead is all animated in this style)
posted by The Whelk at 9:11 PM on October 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
The Minnie the Moocher Betty Boop short that rhizome linked had me going "That's a very moonwalk like move Cab Calloway is doing", and a little googling reveals he is credited as one of the inspirations/originators.
posted by tavella at 10:44 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by tavella at 10:44 PM on October 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
The cowbell at the end really makes it. "What the hell....?"
posted by ninazer0 at 12:30 AM on October 15, 2018
posted by ninazer0 at 12:30 AM on October 15, 2018
You're willing to pay him a thousand dollars a night just for singing? Why, you can get a phonograph record of 'Minnie the Moocher' for 75 cents. And for a buck and a quarter, you can get Minnie.
posted by Brocktoon at 12:44 AM on October 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Brocktoon at 12:44 AM on October 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
I am always here for pre-WW2 Jazz renditions of pop songs. Hell, I still have a soft spot for The Puppini Sisters' rendition of Wuthering Heights with Andrews Sisters harmonies. But this one is definitely a labour of love and a tribute to so many things without falling into the "ain't I clever?" trap. Full marks!
I'm just glad they no longer feel the need to market these tracks as being "Bioshock Style" to get the clicks. I'll now lose an hour of productive work time to this here Postmodern Jukebox channel, if you don't mind.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 1:49 AM on October 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm just glad they no longer feel the need to market these tracks as being "Bioshock Style" to get the clicks. I'll now lose an hour of productive work time to this here Postmodern Jukebox channel, if you don't mind.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 1:49 AM on October 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
What if those tap dancers got together with the skeletons from that David S. Pumpkins bit...
posted by kinnakeet at 4:50 AM on October 15, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by kinnakeet at 4:50 AM on October 15, 2018 [3 favorites]
I love PMJ. And until just now I didn't realize how many of the lyrics I never understood from MJ's version.
posted by kimberussell at 4:55 AM on October 15, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by kimberussell at 4:55 AM on October 15, 2018 [6 favorites]
I'm still waiting for Wayne Brady to cover "Sympathy for the Devil" a la Sammy Davis Jr.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:00 AM on October 15, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:00 AM on October 15, 2018 [8 favorites]
What if those tap dancers got together with the skeletons from that David S. Pumpkins bit...
Man, David S. Pumpkins is his own thing.
posted by nubs at 9:15 AM on October 15, 2018 [9 favorites]
Man, David S. Pumpkins is his own thing.
posted by nubs at 9:15 AM on October 15, 2018 [9 favorites]
And until just now I didn't realize how many of the lyrics I never understood from MJ's version.
I remember feeling exactly the opposite after watching this multitrack acapella from someone who I believe speaks no actual English. Not that he lets it get in the way of being awesome.
posted by radwolf76 at 9:20 AM on October 15, 2018
I remember feeling exactly the opposite after watching this multitrack acapella from someone who I believe speaks no actual English. Not that he lets it get in the way of being awesome.
posted by radwolf76 at 9:20 AM on October 15, 2018
Not the biggest PMJ fan in the world but a Thriller cover in Cab Calloway style is inspired. Like a live-action Max Fleischer cartoon. And that pianist is putting in work.
posted by penduluum at 9:40 AM on October 15, 2018
posted by penduluum at 9:40 AM on October 15, 2018
rendition of Wuthering Heights with Andrews Sisters harmonies
HOLY SHIT WHAT
posted by gusandrews at 10:49 AM on October 15, 2018
HOLY SHIT WHAT
posted by gusandrews at 10:49 AM on October 15, 2018
The tap dancer in white was definitely a beast/werewolf, not a zombie. She was fantastic.
posted by eviemath at 1:22 PM on October 15, 2018
posted by eviemath at 1:22 PM on October 15, 2018
Hell, I still have a soft spot for The Puppini Sisters' rendition of Wuthering Heights yt with Andrews Sisters harmonies.
Good stuff! But not nearly as tight as the olden groups. They could use a metronome during practice.
posted by rhizome at 1:30 PM on October 15, 2018
Good stuff! But not nearly as tight as the olden groups. They could use a metronome during practice.
posted by rhizome at 1:30 PM on October 15, 2018
rendition of Wuthering Heights with Andrews Sisters harmonies
I was always partial to their rendition of the Smith's Panic off that same album. It seemed to slip further under the radar.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 4:12 PM on October 15, 2018
I was always partial to their rendition of the Smith's Panic off that same album. It seemed to slip further under the radar.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 4:12 PM on October 15, 2018
Jackson ... jazz ... francophone singing ... The Lost Fingers - Billie Jean (they are a small group from Quebec).
Also fun is their version of Pump Up The Jam for related era costumes and dancing aspects mixed with 80's pop.
posted by phoque at 9:55 PM on October 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also fun is their version of Pump Up The Jam for related era costumes and dancing aspects mixed with 80's pop.
posted by phoque at 9:55 PM on October 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
The dancer in white put me in mind of the undead ballroom dancers from Disney's "Boo to You" Halloween parade.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:32 PM on October 15, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:32 PM on October 15, 2018
Also fun is their version of Pump Up The Jam for related era costumes and dancing aspects mixed with 80's pop.
Clearly somebody has seen Pleasantville.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:35 AM on October 16, 2018
Clearly somebody has seen Pleasantville.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:35 AM on October 16, 2018
Wayne Brady should be a bigger star than he is. The guy can kind of do everything and we've got him hosting game shows.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 3:20 PM on October 17, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Ursula Hitler at 3:20 PM on October 17, 2018 [2 favorites]
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posted by hippybear at 4:32 PM on October 14, 2018