20,000 vinyl LPs 333: Danny Elfman ~ Big Top Pee-wee

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Danny Elfman ~ Big Top Pee-wee

vinyl LP front cover 

photo of cover by Styrous®

Today is the birthday of Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee Herman. Reubens was born on August 27, 1952, and just died of cancer a few weeks ago on July 30, 2023. He would have been 71 years old.   

 

Reubens created his now-famous Pee-wee character while performing with the LA-based improv-comedy troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s. "I probably had eight or 10 pretty solid characters and maybe four or five of those were very popular and featured in the show," Reubens told Vanity Fair in 2014 of the inception of his character. "But when I [debuted Pee-wee Herman onstage], that got a completely different reaction. This was a reaction that made me think, Wow, this means something.

 

"The name ‘Pee-wee’ came from a little harmonica I had that said ‘Pee-wee’ on it. I loved the idea of a nickname, because it sounded so real to me. ‘Pee-wee Herman’ sounds like a name that is so odd, how would you make that up? If you were going to make up a name, you’d make up a better name. It seemed real to me; it was a nickname with a last name that’s also a first name … And it went hand-in-hand with what I wanted to do, which was to make people think this was a real person, not an actor."     

In 1980, Pee-wee made his first big-screen appearance as a not-so-sweet hotel employee in Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie.         

   

Reubens debuted a stage show starring Pee-wee, The Pee-wee Herman Show, in 1981 and became an instant cult figure. He produced and wrote a feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), directed by Tim Burton, which was a financial and critical success. Reubens kick-started Burton's career with this film. Its sequel, Big Top Pee-wee (1988), was less successful.              

 

Over four decades, Reubens’ character conquered every corner of the entertainment industry with two movie sequels, one Saturday morning television series, and a Broadway show.             

 

In Big Top Pee-wee, Pee-wee portrays a farmer, a whacky one but a farmer. It is the only project in which the Pee-wee character has a job, a visable means of support. He lives on a farm with a talking pig named Vance and dreams of becoming a singer. During a storm an entire traveling circus blows into his backyard (Kris Kristofferson is the ringmaster, Mace Montana) and the adventure begins.         

 

 

 

 Danny Elfman ~ Big Top Pee-wee

vinyl LP front cover details

detail photos by Styrous®

 

 

There are Pee-wee postcards with images from the album cover (below) included . . .           

  

 

 Danny Elfman ~ Big Top Pee-wee

vinyl LP front cover sticker

detail photos by Styrous®

 

 

The score for the film was written by Danny Elfman of new wave band Oingo Boingo fame. Elfman also scored Pee-wee's Big Adventure.   

 

 

 

Danny Elfman ~ Big Top Pee-wee

vinyl LP front cover detail

detail photo by Styrous®

 

The Paramount Pictures production was directed by Randal Kleiser and written by Reubens and George McGrath. Reubens also co-produced the film with Debra Hill. Filming locations included Disney's Golden Oak Ranch in Newhall, California, and the auditorium at Hart High School in Santa Clarita. Big Top Pee-wee was Kleiser's first movie for Paramount since 1978's Grease.     

During a 1988 television special, Reubens, as Herman, acknowledged the long hours of circus training undertaken by the film's actors and that they spent a year and a half working on the movie. He also humorously compared himself as an actor to James Cagney and Spencer Tracy and ended by saying that Big Top Pee-wee is "at least as good as Police Academy."          

 

 

Danny Elfman ~ Big Top Pee-wee

vinyl LP back cover 

photo of cover by Styrous®

 

 

Cyndi Lauper sang the theme song for Pee-wee's Playhouse although Ellen Shaw is credited with the vocal.            

 

 

 

Following:

vinyl LP back cover details

detail photos by Styrous®

 

 

 

 

 vinyl LP record, side 1

photos by Styrous®

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 vinyl LP record label, side 2

photos by Styrous®

 

 

 

 

 

The album included a promotional flyer for the 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time with a song sung by Whitney Houston, One Moment In Time, the theme for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.     

 

 

     

 

   

Tracklist:
       
Side 1:

        

A1 - Main Title
A2 - The Girl On The Flying Trapeze, Performer – Pee Wee Herman
A3 - Pee-Wee Flies
A4 - Happy House / Pee-Wee Had A Farm, Performer – Pee Wee Herman, Vance The Pig, written by Trad.*
A5 - Rise 'N Shine
A6 - The Greenhouse
A7 - Sneaky Walk
A8 - Race To School
A9 - The Big Storm
A10 - Pee-Wee To The Rescue / Lion Problems
A11 - Where's Midge?
A12 - Circus Parade
A13 - Sad Drive Home
A14 - Circus In The House
A15 - Happy Circus
A16 - Zsa Zsa's Delight
A17 - Elephant Ride
A18 - The Big Kiss
A19 - Rejection

       
Side 2:
       
B1 - Mace's Speech
B2 - Man To Man
B3 - Psycho Winnie
B4 - Rimprovero, Performer – Pee Wee Herman, written by Trad.*
B5 - I Llove You
B6 - Pee-Wee Tries / Town Spies
B7 - The Side Show
B8 - Pee-Wee's Love Theme
B9 - Angry Mob
B10 - Transformation
B11 - Big Top Finale, Lyrics By – George McGrath, Paul Reubens, Randal Kleiser, Performer – Pee Wee Herman, The Big Top Company
B12 - Pee-Wee's Big Surprise, written by [Contains "Tequila" By] – Chuck Rio
B13 - End Credits
       
Companies, etc.
       
    Record Company – Bertelsmann Music Group
    Manufactured By – Arista Records, Inc.
    Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Arista Records, Inc.
    Copyright © – Paramount Pictures Corporation
    Mastered At – Precision Lacquer
    Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation
       
Credits:
       
    Arranged By – Steve Bartek
    Conductor, Orchestrated By [Additional Orchestrations] – William Ross
    Engineer [Assistant] – Susan McLean*
    Executive-Producer [Album] – Debra Hill (3), Paul Reubens
    Liner Notes – Pee Wee Herman
    Mastered By – Stephen Marcussen
    Mixed By [Music Scoring Mixer] – Dan Wallin
    Music By, Composed By – Danny Elfman
    Orchestrated By [Additional Orchestrations] – Steven Scott Smalley
    Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – Steve Bartek
    Producer [Album] – Danny Elfman
    Score Editor [Music Editor] – Dick Bernstein
       
Notes:
       
Label variation most easily identified by "℗ 1988 Arista Records, Inc." written on a single line at left side of labels, not split into 2 lines unlike Big Top Pee-Wee (The Original Soundtrack Album) .

Includes printed inner sleeve and five postcards on a pullout.

Hype sticker on the front cover says: "Specially priced! Free inside: 5 really cool, limited edition, collectible Pee-Wee postcards from the smash movie. Also includes the story of Big Top Pee-Wee plus music and dialogue performed by the original cast. AL-8568".

TM & © 1988 Paramount Pictures Corporation.
℗ 1988 Arista Records, Inc., a Bertelsmann Music Group Company. Printed in U.S.A.

       
Barcode and Other Identifiers
       
    Barcode: 0 7822-18568-1
    Matrix / Runout (Side A, hand-etched runout): AL 8568 SA-SPI DMM SP 2-6 Precision
    Matrix / Runout (Side B, hand-etched runout): AL 8568 SB-SP-DMM SP 1-10 Precision

 

Danny Elfman – Big Top Pee-Wee (The Original Soundtrack Album)
Label: Arista – AL-8568
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack, Score

         

Viewfinder links:        

            

James Cagney      

Cheech & Chong            

Tim Burton          

Danny Elfman        

Kris Kristofferson        

Cyndi Lauper          

Spencer Tracy        

        

Net links:        

        

         

Mental Floss ~ 25 Big Facts About Pee-wee Herman        

NBC  News ~ Paul Reubens known as Pee-wee Herman, dies at 70     

NewYorker Magazine ~ Paul Reubens’s Preposterous Grace         

NY Post ~ Reubens’ Pee-wee Herman fame overshadowed by sex scandals   

NY Times ~ Paul Reubens, Creator of Pee-wee Herman, Dead at 70    

Pee-wee Herman ~ My Blog          

Rolling Stone ~ Herman Was the Greatest Pop-Culture Manchild Ever   

Time Magazine ~ How Paul Reubens Became Pee-wee Herman    

The Verge ~ The Art of Pee-wee         

Vulture ~ Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) a remembrance       

        

YouTube links:        

        

CNN ~ 'Pee-wee Herman's' first interviews as himself        

Pee-wee Herman Links         

        

         

        

        

        

Styrous® ~ Sunday, August 27, 2023       
       

 

 

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Danny Elfman articles/mentions

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Music from the Films of Tim Burton     

     

mentions:     

Big Top Pee-Wee       

     

     

     

     

     

     

Danny Elfman

date & photographer unknown

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

 

 

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Music People

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Danny Elfman ~ Music from the Films of Tim Burton

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Friday, Sep 16, 2022

Frost Amphitheater - Stanford, CA

$40 - $89

$55.50 - $129.50

Music from the Films of Tim Burton comes to Frost Amphitheater with the Symphony of San Jose, conducted by John Mauceri, violin soloist Sandy Cameron and the composer himself, Danny Elfman. Music from Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Alice In Wonderland and more come to life on stage. Enjoy enhanced visuals of Tim Burton’s original films with sketches, drawings, and storyboards on the big screen.

Additional Information

Effective April 1, 2022, Frost Amphitheater will no longer require proof of vaccination, negative COVID-19 test or masking to enter our venues (although masks are encouraged indoors). Please note that these policies may change in accordance with any local mandates.

Additional fees may apply. For events with a discounted price, no coupon or promo code is necessary to purchase tickets.

Friday, Sep 16, 2022 / 6:30pm (Doors Open at 5:00pm)

$40 - $89

     

Frost Amphitheater

365 Lasuen St

Stanford, CA 94305

Directions Tips

     
     
     
     
     
     

      

     

     

     

Viewfinder links:       

        

        

        

        

        

        
        

        

        

        

        

        

        
        
     
Net links:       

        

        

        

        

        

        
        

        

        

        

        

        

        
        
     
YouTube links:       

        

        

        

        

        

        
        

        

        

        

        

        

        
        

        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Sunday, May 16, 2021        
        

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Music Notes

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20,000 vinyl LPs 328: Li'l Abner & Peter Palmer

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Gene De Paul & Johnny Mercer ~ L'il Abner 

  vinyl LP front cover detail 

front cover design by Al Capp

photo by Styrous®

This month is the birthday of Broadway musical actor, Peter Palmer, who was born on September 20, 1931, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was best known for his portrayal of Li'l Abner, with Edie Adams who played Daisy Mae Scragg; Palmer played the role of Li'l Abner Yokum both on Broadway and in the film.  

 

I used one of the satirical songs he sang in Li'l Abner, The Country's in the Very Best of Hands, during the, The Vote, event at the Gray Loft Gallery (link below) last weekend.       

 

 

Gene De Paul & Johnny Mercer ~ L'il Abner 

  vinyl LP front cover 

front cover design by Al Capp

photo by Styrous®

 

 

Palmer chose the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study voice. He was the first music major to letter in football at the university. He was an impressive 6' 3" and well built . . .     

 

 

L'il Abner theater program
 

 

. . . so he was perfect in the role of the innocent, muscle-bound but gentle L'il Abner of Dogpatch which was often referred to by its inhabitants and outsiders as being the most miserable and unnecessary place on earth.                     

 

 

L'il Abner theater program
 

 

While he was at UI, his team won the Big Ten championships in 1951 and 1953 and the Rose Bowl in 1952. Palmer sang the national anthem at every home game in 1953 before taking the field. He was deaf in one ear.          

 

 

 

 

Gene De Paul & Johnny Mercer ~ L'il Abner 

  vinyl LP back cover 

photo by Styrous®

 

 

Palmer won a singing contest while in the U.S. Army, he was rewarded with an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, where he sang Granada. The producers of L'il Abner, Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, happened to spot him on the TV show and sought out to hire him immediately. In 1956, Palmer was cast in the title role of the musical L'il Abner and won a Theatre World Award.          

 

In a couple of months, it will be sixty four years ago when L'il Abner opened on November 15th, 1956, at the St. James Theater on Broadway in New York City; seems like only yesterday.          

 

 

L'il Abner theater poster
 

 

In 1959 Palmer reprised the role of L'il Abner as did Julie Newmar for the role of Stupefyin' Jones in the movie version of L'il Abner, however, the original Daisy Mae, Edie Adams, was changed to Leslie Parrish.    

 

In 1963 Palmer appeared in Brigadoon and in 1974, he appeared on Broadway with Carol Channing in Lorelei, a revision of  the 1949 production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.     

 

Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Palmer appeared on numerous television episodes, including small parts on Dallas, M*A*S*H, Leave It To Beaver and Emergency!       

In 1990 he had a small role in the Tim Burton film, Edward Scissorhands, which starred Johnny Depp; it is one of my very favorite movies.       

 

Edward Scissorhands movie poster
 

       
Peter Palmer died in Tampa, Florida on September 21, 2021, the day after his 90th birthday. His son, Steven Palmer, said, “As a family we knew this was coming and that’s why we had such a wonderful celebration of his birthday this weekend,” Steven Palmer wrote. “He enjoyed being celebrated by his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and friends and extended family. Gonna miss you, Pops.”  

 

 

 

  vinyl LP side 1

photos by Styrous®

 

 

 

 

  vinyl LP side2

photos by Styrous®

 

 Act I

    A Typical Day – Dogpatchers
    If I Had My Druthers – Li'l Abner and Cronies
    If I Had My Druthers (Reprise) – Daisy Mae
    Jubilation T. Cornpone – Marryin' Sam and Dogpatchers
    Rag Offen the Bush – Dogpatchers
    Namely You – Daisy Mae and Li'l Abner
    Unnecessary Town – Li'l Abner, Daisy Mae and Dogpatchers
    What's Good for General Bullmoose – Secretaries
    There's Room Enough For Us†
    The Country's in the Very Best of Hands – Li'l Abner and Marryin' Sam
    Sadie Hawkins Day (Ballet) – Dogpatchers

Act II

    Oh Happy Day – Drs. Finsdale, Smithborn, Krogmeyer and Schleifitz
    I'm Past My Prime – Daisy Mae and Marryin' Sam
    Love in a Home – Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae
    Progress Is the Root of All Evil – Bullmoose
    Progress Is the Root of All Evil (Reprise) – Bullmoose
    Put 'Em Back – Wives
    Namely You (Reprise) – Daisy Mae
    The Matrimonial Stomp – Marryin' Sam and Dogpatchers
    Finale – Company       

       
        

   

Tracklist:
       
Side 1:

        

A1 - Orchestra* - Overture And A Typical Day
A2 - Ensemble* - A Typical Day
A3 - Peter Palmer (2), Marc Breaux, Ralph Linn, Jack Matthew, Robert McClure, George Reeder - If I Had My Druthers
A4 - Stubby Kaye, Ensemble* - Jubilation T. Cornpone
A5 - Ensemble* - Rag Offen The Bush
A6 - Edith Adams*, Peter Palmer (2) - Namely You
A7 - Edith Adams*, Peter Palmer (2), Ensemble* - Unnecessary Town

       
Side 2:
       
B1 - Peter Palmer (2), Stubby Kaye - The Country's In The Very Best Of Hands
B2 - Stanley Simmonds, George Reeder, Ralph Linn, Marc Breaux - Oh, Happy Day
B3 - Edith Adams*, Stubby Kaye - I'm Past My Prime
B4 - Peter Palmer (2), Edith Adams* - Love In A Home
B5 - Howard St. John - Progress Is The Root Of All Evil
B6 - Carmen Alvarez, Pat Creighton, Lillian D'Honau, Bonnie Evans (3), Hope Holiday, Deedee Wood - Put 'Em Back
B7 - Stubby Kaye, Ensemble* - The Matrimonial Stomp
       
Companies, etc.
       
    Arranged By [Ballet Music Arranged By] – Genevieve Pitot
    Artwork [Cover], Concept By [Based on the Characters Created By] – Al Capp
    Featuring, Performer [With] – Charlotte Rae, Edith Adams*, Howard St. John, Peter Palmer (2), Stubby Kaye
    Lyrics By – Johnny Mercer
    Music By – Gene De Paul*
    Music Director – Lehman Engel
    Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – Philip J. Lang
    Performer [Cast] – Al Nesor, Bern Hoffman, Joe E. Marks, Julie Newmar, Stanley Simmonds, Ted Thurston, Tina Louise, William Lanteau
    Performer [Singers] – Anthony Saverino, Don Braswell, George Ritner, Hope Holiday, Jack Matthew, James Hurst, Jane House, Jeanette Scovotti, Joan Cherof, Joyce Gladmond, Lanier Davis, Louise Pearl, Margaret Baxter, Oran Osburn, Pat Creighton, Robert McClure
    Producer [Produced For Records By] – Goddard Lieberson
    Written-By [Book By] – Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
       
Credits:
       
    Arranged By [Ballet Music Arranged By] – Genevieve Pitot
    Artwork [Cover], Concept By [Based on the Characters Created By] – Al Capp
    Featuring, Performer [With] – Charlotte Rae, Edith Adams*, Howard St. John, Peter Palmer (2), Stubby Kaye
    Lyrics By – Johnny Mercer
    Music By – Gene De Paul*
    Music Director – Lehman Engel
    Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – Philip J. Lang
    Performer [Cast] – Al Nesor, Bern Hoffman, Joe E. Marks, Julie Newmar, Stanley Simmonds, Ted Thurston, Tina Louise, William Lanteau
    Performer [Singers] – Anthony Saverino, Don Braswell, George Ritner, Hope Holiday, Jack Matthew, James Hurst, Jane House, Jeanette Scovotti, Joan Cherof, Joyce Gladmond, Lanier Davis, Louise Pearl, Margaret Baxter, Oran Osburn, Pat Creighton, Robert McClure
    Producer [Produced For Records By] – Goddard Lieberson
    Written-By [Book By] – Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
       
Notes:
       
Based on the characters created by Al Capp

Although original versions were on Columbia Masterworks labels, this version is on Columbia label style that ran 1965-70, though without "NONBREAKABE", this label version would date from 1967-70. LP is housed in original Columbia Masterworks sleeve.

       
Barcode and Other Identifiers
       
    Pressing Plant ID (Small “ᴘ” stamped in run-outs): P
    Matrix / Runout (Side A label matrix): (x"Lp" 39344)
    Matrix / Runout (Side B label matrix): (x"Lp" 39345)
    Matrix / Runout (Side A stamped): XXLP-39344-2BE A o
    Matrix / Runout (Side B stamped): XXLP-39345-1BF P A2 o

 

Norman Panama, Melvin Frank & Michael Kidd, Johnny Mercer, Gene De Paul* – Li'l Abner - An Original Musical Comedy
Norman Panama - Li'l Abner - An Original Musical Comedy album cover
Label:    Columbia Masterworks – OL 5150
Format:    Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack, Musical

       

       

Viewfinder links:        

         

Edie Adams         

Tim Burton          

Carol Channing          

Johnny Depp            

Gray Loft Gallery         

Johnny Mercer            

Julie Newmar            

Peter Palmer         

Leslie Parrish

Ed Sullivan             

The Vote is in and we have a winner!        

        

Net links:        

         

Broadway World ~ L'il Abner Star Peter Palmer Dies at Age 90     

Deadline ~ Peter Palmer Dies: Li’l Abner Star Was 90        

Gray Loft Gallery             

Hollywood Reporter ~ Peter Palmer, Star of ‘Li’l Abner’ Dies at 90    

Military.com ~ How the Army Made Li’l Abner Actor Peter Palmer a Star  

        

        

YouTube links:        

        

Li'l Abner ~  

     complete film       

     The Country's In the Very Best of Hands       

     I'm Past My Prime

     Jubilation T Cornpone        

     Put 'Em Back       

Peter Palmer ~  Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child       

        

        

         

        

        

        

Styrous® ~ Sunday, September 25, 2022       
       

 

 

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