Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)

Subject: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:07 PM

Peter Sellars did a clever political parody speech - 'all full of fury and nonsense' which contained the phrase 'what about the workers?'.

This was SO clever that the phrase is now so common on the search engines, that I can't seem to find the original Sellars reference...

It was probably on one of his LPs, or it may have been in a film... can anyone assist?

Subject: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:10 PM

Gee, Foolestroupe, here I was thinking of some clever thread topic, and you beat me to starting the hundred-thousandth thread.

So, is this Peter Sellers, Inspector Clouseau, that you're speaking of?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:16 PM

It would be, Joe - he had a long and illustrious career in comedy in the UK before the Pink Panther.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: BanjoRay
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:25 PM

It was a track called "Party Political Speech" on the LP Best Of Sellars, around 1958.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Mr Happy
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:31 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nebe1zuEtbc&mode=related&search=

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sella
From: Tootler
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:32 PM

I remember it well. It was on a LP but I think the title was something like "Best of Sellars" but I can't remember for sure. The cover was a picture of the lower part of a man who had been hanged from the branch of a tree IIRC. The speech was a wonderful take off of Harold MacMillan who was prime minister at the time. It was full of typical politicians platitudes which sounded good but meant absolutely nothing.

It had a number of other very clever sketches on including the Irish traditional band who all ended up fighting each other, the "Holiday" type program based on Balham in S. London with the local craftsman who made holes to put in toothbrush handles.

The album dates from the early 1960's as I first heard it in a friend's house in 1963.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 07:49 PM

I was questioning the spelling of the name. On the DVDs I got in California, they spell it Peter Sellers. Is there a different spelling of his name in the UK and Commonwealth?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 08:15 PM

It's probably just my MMD - change it if you will please...

... probably why I found nothing on Google.... :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Rowan
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 09:06 PM

Let me say. right away, that I do not regard existing conditions as likely. ...

I used to be able to recite the whole thing in the 1960s; wrretched memory cells!
ABC Radio National is about to finish a voting competition on memorable speeches and this is one that Robyn Williams (of The Science Show) has been banging on about. RN's website might have it.

In connection with the same idea I've been trying to find Emmett's speech before his execution; composed in his cell without recourse to any writing materials I've only ever come across it once and it was bogglingly good. It too appeared on an LP, I think, along with a recitation of the last few pages of Joyce's "Ulysses". Wonderful!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 09:26 PM

It was the ABC RN competition that reminded me - it was the Robin Williams suggestion that brought it back to mind - but no trace on the website can be found of the thing - even though it is being played a lot as promotions...

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 09:30 PM

Peter SellErs - with an E is the correct spelling ! As ANY Goon Show freak would tell you !!

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 09:38 PM

OK - ta guys.... found it - finally - and some people try tosay that spelling is not important.... :P

PARTY POLITICAL SPEECH

... My friends, in the light of present-day developments let me say right away that I do not regard existing conditions likely. On the contrary, I have always regarded them as subjects of the gravest responsibility and shall ever continue to do so. Indeed, I will go further and state quite categorically that I am more than sensible of the (exact) definition of the precise issues which are at this very moment concerning us all. We must build, but we must build surely. Hear, hear! -

Let me say just this: If any part of what I am saying is challenged, then I am more than ready to meet such a challenge. For I have no doubt whatsoever that whatever I may have said in the past, or what I am saying now, is the exact, literal and absolute truth as to the state (?) of the case. -

Hear, hear! -

I put it to you that this is not the time for vague promises of better things to come. For, if I were to convey to you a spirit of false optimism, then I should be neither fair to you nor true to myself. But does this mean, I hear you cry, that we can no longer look forward to the future that is to come? Certainly not!

Voice from the audience: What about the workers?

"What about the workers?"; indeed sir! Grasp, I beseech you, with both hands

[Aside: I'm so sorry, I beg your pardon, madam.]

the opportunities that are offered. Let us assume a bold front and go forward together. Let us carry the fight [noise of a blow being struck] against ignorance to the four corners of the earth because it is a fight which concerns us all. Now, finally my friends, in conclusion, let me say just this:

[BIG SILENCE !!!]
                                                                                                                                             Peter Sellers

http://www.wepsite.de/Party%20Political%20Speech.htm

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Rowan
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 04:34 PM

Thanks Foolestroupe!

And, with a little bit of digging, I found Emmet's speech from the dock at
http://www.from-ireland.net/history/emmettdock.htm

Just in case someone was interested.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sella
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 06:16 PM

Just as a point of information - the "Balham - Gateway to The South" was a parody of a series called "Look At Life" which was a Rank produced short fifteen minute film about some aspect of contemporary Britain designed to be shown in a cinema.

There were over 500 of these made in the ten years between 1959 and 1969.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sella
From: JennyO
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 09:11 PM

Thanks for the youtube link too, Mr Happy. As well as that one, I found a few other bits of madness by The Goons. I think they were wonderful, and I just love Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers. I will watch anything that they are in - particularly Peter Sellers. Such a shame he died when he was only 54!

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 06:48 AM

I don't know if it is still available but all 4 EMI albums (Best of Sellers; Songs for Swingin' Sellers; Peter and Sophia and Sellers Market) plus some bonus tracks*, some previously unreleased, are all on the 4 CD set A Celebration of Sellers EMI 1993 7243 8 27781 2 7 . My dear lady wife bought it for me one Xmas so I don't know how much it was.
[*one with Steeleye Span]

RtS

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:37 AM

Produced by George Martin.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sella
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 11:32 AM

My friends, in the light of present-day developments let me say right away that I do not regard existing conditions likely.

I think that "likely" is a mishearing of lightly - which would make much more sense.

Best regards,

Dave

Subject: RE: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 12:35 PM

My favorite Sellers performance is in Being There. He had an excellent eye for material, and tried to get that film made for years. I'm so glad he finally managed it!

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:10 PM

Dave - I first thought "lightly" rather than "likely", but the Goons didn't even try to make sense, so I suspect it was "likely" in the original....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: autolycus
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 02:20 AM

1959 - 1969 is 11 years not ten - count 'em.

   Musical joke from @Galham - Gatewau to the South'. Refers to the local pianist Eugene,who we hear in the background. The piano sounds like Sellers playing,cos he played it that way in Goon Sows.

Narrator speaking over the piano,"Music lovers in Balham are subscribing to a fund to send Eugene to Paris - (pause) - or Vienna - (pause ) - or - anywhere."






      Ivor

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:34 AM

I agree it should be "lightly" not "likely". This wasn't a Goons sketch but a Peter Sellers solo piece from the album Best of Sellers. This was a 10" LP (remember them folks?) on Parlophone, produced as stated above by George Martin. It was later reissued as a (by then more conventional) 12" LP.

Tracks: THE TRUMPET VOLUNTEER / AUNTIE ROTTER / ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE / WE NEED THE MONEY/ I'M SO ASHAMED / PARTY POLITCAL SPEECH / BALHAM - GATEWAY TO THE SOUTH / SUDDENLY IT'S FOLK SONG

I would have thought the last one would have been of the most interest to this group! It featured a German "collector" of UK/Irish folk music, including a Somerset singer (recorded in a Somerset 'bierhaus'), a Scottish singer (Hamish McPukes, recorded on the corner of Sauchiehall Street with some 'traffics noise') and an Irish ceilidh band (Pat O'Shaughnessy and his Men of Shamrock).

A great little album, with every track a comic gem, IMO!

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (P Sellers)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:51 AM

"I t'ink ya played a bum note there, Shaun!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 05:47 AM

"Don't tell me when I'm playin' a bum note!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 09:39 AM

"Mind me harp"

RtS

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 10:01 AM

"I'll never get to heaven now!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: autolycus
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 10:50 AM

(Out of sequence) "Doon't tell me when oim playin' a bum note - take THAT you swoin."





    Ivor

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 01:37 PM

Well folks,

Sorry if you find this annoying,

I have the album!

(stunned silence)

Only mine's a 12" not a 10" (though I'm sure size doesn't matter eh?

If there is anything you need to know I would prefer that you didn't ask me to rummage around on my record shelves for hours in a state of grumpy impatience, however I will go through it if absolutely essential (you bastards) ;-)

I sampled the intro to the folk fight on a track I recorded once.

"I would like to introduce you to Patrick O'Shaughnessy and his men of Shamrock"

"right lads - here we gto - 1, 2, 3, 4 ... etc"

I enjoyed the irony of the fact that the same album contains an interview with a rock star who has just released an album of his own on which he has neither written nor performed the songs - The film Spinal Tap borrowed heavily from this Sellers parody in my opinion.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellars)
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 01:39 PM

Sorry scrump - I should have read your post more thoroughly.

And yes - it was indeed pat, not patrick.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:35 AM

I enjoyed the irony of the fact that the same album contains an interview with a rock star who has just released an album of his own on which he has neither written nor performed the songs - The film Spinal Tap borrowed heavily from this Sellers parody in my opinion.

The Trumpet Volunteer is indeed a classic sketch too. The main character is a pop star "Fred Iron" (no prizes for guessing who he was taking the p*** out of!) who has recorded a pop version of the "Trumpet Voluntary". The rather staid 1950s BBC-type interviewer says (all from memory so may not be 100% right):

I suppose you know the Trumpet Voluntary has been attributed to Jeremiah Clarke?

Fred: Er... no I di'n't know that, as it 'appens.... er... what d'yer mean, "attributed"?

Interviewer: Well, some people think he may have written it.

Fred: Oh, that! Well, I'm not gonna say wevva 'e wrote it or 'e didn't. My only concern is it's aht o' copyright!

:-)

I thought the song was a brilliant spoof too.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: Lox
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 01:34 PM

Scrump

Yes - that's the one I mean LOL

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: autolycus
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 01:35 PM

The copyright bit comes later.

From memeory :-

Interviewer: Have you got plans to do more of this sort of thing.

Fred : Yerss. We're doing some ravl,and some jmerjmerjak and some uvvers which are jers,jers a' of copyright.Corse you mustn't breeve a word round Charing Cross Road,uvverwise 10 fellers 'ave done it before you've go' aht yer front door.






       Ivor



Fred:

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 07:33 AM

On the same LP (Best Of Sellers) was the song "I'm So Ashamed", another dig at the current 'pop stars' of the day.

And on the follow-up LP "Songs For Swinging Sellers", as well as the Lonnie Donegan spoof "Puttin' On The Smile", there was another track "So Little Time" featuring another gormless 'pop star' called 'Twit Conway'. All very funny tracks IMO :-)

I suspect at that time George Martin wasn't so keen on pop singers as he later became :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 12:29 PM

Twit Conway was of course a parody of a pop star of the time, Conway Twitty.

The track had the hilarious interview between the pop star and the interviewer, with the agent acting as minder

Intervierwer : 'Tell me Twit, what are your ambitions?'

Twit - ' Ah, ah, me ambishun is, er to, er, play Shakespeare in 'Amlit'

Interviewer - ' I see. And are you fond Twit, of Shakespeare?''

Twit (in desperation). '. Ah, ah, we are just good friends'

Agent - intervening. ' No Twit, no! That is the answer to another question!'


William

Subject: RE: Folklore: What about the workers? (Peter Sellers)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 03:01 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxBtGuu9BVE

There is Sellers doing it on YouTube; rather, it is a recording of Sellers doing it on YouTube.