Idolator
Well, here we are. On Christmas Eve. Blogging. But even when chained to an RSS reader, no Harvell family Christmas Eve is right until the viewing of Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, Jim Henson's class-conscious 1977 muppet holiday tale about throwing your struggling family into economic crisis by turning their sole means of income into a cheaply made musical instrument. (Okay, it's about togetherness and shunning commercialism and how hugs are more important than worldly goods and a buncha other hippie junk.) Since my HBO-dubbed VHS copy has degraded over the last two decades until Emmet has started to sound like a minion of Gozer rather than a cuddly countrified puppet, here are four rodents hymning a Southern meat treat, followed by the band that I'm pretty sure introduced me to heavy metal.
Emmet Otter's Jugband - "Barbecue" [YouTube]
Riverbottom Nightmare Band - "Love Theme From The Riverbottom Nightmare Band"* [YouTube]
* Maybe not the actual title.
Comments
look at the birds ... up in the trees ...
I think it's probably about time for this wonderful movie to get totally ruined by having some terrible indie bands do an "Emmet Otter" tribute disc.
i hate you, and yet i can totally hear the indie all-stars "when the river meets the sea."
that keyboard player is totally trying to rip off fozzie bear.
I didn't know that Henson produced that show. I dig the frog that grooves to the Nightmares in his tank along with the Cookie Monster's chorus. The otter song reminds me of so many back-to-the-land hippies who settled near my hometown in the Sierra-Nevadas back in the 70's.
@maura: Still my favorite line.
@Cam/ron: I didn't know that Henson produced that show.
Really? Kermit the Frog introduces it! Kinda hard to miss!
@bcapirigi: that song is totally trying to rip off "Foxey Lady"
@Ned Raggett: I only saw parts of the show, not the whole shebang, mi amigo.
Clarity.
@Ned Raggett: And a merry Christmas to you.
Download the full soundtrack here!
That snake is totally busting out some George Benson shit in the second verse.
@Fradom: you're my hero.
Please tell me someone out there has had the sense to re-make the Riverbottom Nightmare Band song...
@Catbirdseat: See, though, I do honestly believe Electric 6 were born to cover the Riverbottom Nightmare Band song. Could probably even improve it.
@Ned Raggett:
There are actually a few different edits (it was originally shown on HBO, then ABC picked it up)... the Kermit intros aren't always included. They're sadly missing from the DVD release.
I'm waiting for someone to post how they were totally into Riverbottom before they got all overblogged and shit. You know it's coming.
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