Every label turned us down. Our booking agent sacked us when he heard it

August 25, 2017 3:20 AM

Everyone thought we were a couple of sad gym queens who’d been put together and got lucky, but we were proper musicians who’d been on the circuit since 1977 under different names.

The making of I'm Too Sexy. ObVideo.
posted by MartinWisse (30 comments total)

We came up with the rest of the lyrics over the next month.

Comedy gold.
posted by chavenet at 3:25 AM on August 25, 2017 [5 favorites]

Pop Music has always been one part of the Entertainment Biz where the crap floats to the top, at least temporarily.
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:31 AM on August 25, 2017

It makes me so sad that Richard Fairbrass is a Brexiteer.
posted by kariebookish at 3:39 AM on August 25, 2017 [4 favorites]

I never heard the Third Stone from the Sun riff until after I read this. Actually, I think this is the first time I actually listened to the song before now.

I have now dedicated more time to thinking about this song than I ever wanted to.
posted by chillmost at 3:56 AM on August 25, 2017

I used to play bass for Sad Gym Queens
posted by thelonius at 4:00 AM on August 25, 2017 [12 favorites]

"In Texas, there was a fight in a bar because some girls played the video for eight hours, and when a guy tried to turn it off, they attacked him."

Thanks for posting this; it's great.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 4:26 AM on August 25, 2017 [11 favorites]

And the video is suddenly "unavailable" on YouTube.

Completely gone.

Funny how that happens.
posted by yesster at 4:28 AM on August 25, 2017

Not to be confused with Sad Jim of Queens. Though he's been forced out of New York altogether now. Sad.
posted by Grangousier at 4:32 AM on August 25, 2017 [10 favorites]

The B-side of "I'm Too Sexy" cassingle was the song with Spanish lyrics and it was delightful.

Bonus fun fact: the Fairbrasses are credited as co-writers on Taylor Swift's new single "Look What You Made Me Do" because of the vocal rhythm in the chorus. Which is sort of funny because it's pretty clear that it's a move just to avoid fighting (and probably winning) a lawsuit at the modest expense of partial ownership of the composition.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:38 AM on August 25, 2017 [5 favorites]

I lived on a council estate in Bradford (of Rita, Sue and Bob Too fame) in the early 90s. There was me, my shaved head, two other guys with shaved heads and three cats.

Someone spray painted "TOO FUCKING SEXY!" on our fence facing the street. We think it was a homophobic attack. None of us are actually gay but I can perhaps see how first impressions were formed.

Regardless, it's still there now. We liked it and seemingly so do subsequent occupants.
posted by vbfg at 4:38 AM on August 25, 2017 [33 favorites]

Oh, how can anyone hate on this? Pure pop fun, and there's a tabby cat in the video. The Hendrix estate being cool. Record companies being stupid. Bowie getting some backchat. No autotune, no sidechain compression, it's blessedly short and it has actual wit about its own unabashed silliness.

Obligatory - and I mean as laid down by international treaty signed and ratified by 195 nations - West Wing clip.

(Video linked in the FPP plays fine here in the UK, btw)
posted by Devonian at 4:54 AM on August 25, 2017 [12 favorites]

Original (2006) Version

2007 Mix with different video and guitar/synth solo.

I like the original video and guitar solo better.

I'm also now excited that maybe there will be a FPP about "Tubthumping."
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:41 AM on August 25, 2017 [5 favorites]

I thought the guitar parts sounded like the theme from Coronation Street

Wow, finally vindicated after... 26 YEARS?!?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:21 AM on August 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

Can we please not forget the wonderful followup?
posted by Cosine at 8:37 AM on August 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

"You do not have permission to stream this in your country."

Is... is Canada not sexy enough?
posted by mhoye at 9:53 AM on August 25, 2017 [9 favorites]

Original (2006) Version
2007 Mix with different video and guitar/synth solo.

Wow. That original video is about 30,000 times more entertaining than the 2007 one. The lead singer is having so much more fun in the first one.
posted by straight at 11:57 AM on August 25, 2017

Bonus fun fact: the Fairbrasses are credited as co-writers on Taylor Swift's new single "Look What You Made Me Do yt " because of the vocal rhythm in the chorus. Which is sort of funny because it's pretty clear that it's a move just to avoid fighting (and probably winning) a lawsuit at the modest expense of partial ownership of the composition.

I wouldn't have even thought of Right Said Fred listening to her song if it wasn't explicitly pointed out that the chorus used the same (very basic, not copyrightable) rhythm. I mean, not even the same notes. While it is nice of her, I'm wondering if it is also a move to start to normalize the idea of ownership over elemental musical concepts.
posted by grumpybear69 at 1:20 PM on August 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

People have been freaked about it since the Blurred Lines debacle, generally. I had a piece last-minute rejected by an ad agency because the outside musicologist they hired thought the beat and instrumentation might draw a suit (even though they admitted we would probably be on the winning side).

Nobody wants to have to defend when it might go to a jury of amateurs.
posted by uncleozzy at 1:44 PM on August 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Nobody wants to have to defend when it might go to a jury of amateurs.

"Finally, it's Juror No. 59's time to shine!"
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:59 PM on August 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

"You do not have permission to stream this in your country."
Is... is Canada not sexy enough?

No no, it's TOO sexy!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:20 PM on August 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm too sexy for my toque
So sexy that I threw
It in the garbulator
posted by uncleozzy at 2:24 PM on August 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm a Canuck
You know what I mean eh
And I skate my little turn on the rink ice
Yeah on the rink ice
On the rink ice, yeah
I whack that little puck across the rink ice
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:31 PM on August 25, 2017 [10 favorites]

(solo by Alex Lifeson)
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:31 PM on August 25, 2017 [4 favorites]

I had this album on cassette tape and it was great for making onerous tasks like room cleaning more enjoyable. Pure, ridiculous, joyful pop.
posted by merriment at 2:35 PM on August 25, 2017

The origin of this song MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.

"I'm too sexy for my shirt". I've seen this happen in real life (and it always inspired the singing of this song).
posted by jb at 3:00 PM on August 25, 2017

Somehow for me, it became:

I'm a modron.
You know what that means?
It means I'm an obscure D&D monster.
I'm a monster.
Yeah, a monster.
Though really, kind of a lame monster.
posted by Naberius at 6:53 PM on August 25, 2017 [6 favorites]

And I skate my little turn on the rink ice

Ask me why I wrote "rink ice" instead of "ice rink". Go on, ask me.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:59 PM on August 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

Answer: Beats the ever-lovin' $%*& outta me. It's been a long day month year.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:02 PM on August 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

I still really like LOVE FOR ALL SEASONS, the first track of that album. It was a pretty good pop album.
posted by Foaf at 10:28 PM on August 25, 2017

WHEREAS nobody has posted the fons et origo of the band's name, and
WHEREAS there may be some in locum caeruleus unfamiliar with the aforesaid work, and
WHEREAS this thread would not be complete without it -

THEREFORE is affixed hereunto an hypertextual link.

SO ENACTED.

In nomine Bernardus Cribbensis. Amen.
posted by Devonian at 7:15 AM on August 26, 2017 [5 favorites]