"My Old Flame"-SPIKE JONES & HIS CITY SLICKERS

[stilldistrakted]

Love Paul Frees. Does anyone know where that mad scientist caricature of Peter Lorre started? Was it Looney Tunes or Brave Little Toaster (just kidding) or somewhere else?

[StuPadazzo]

Quoted from IMDB: "Spike Jones had a hit record with his wacky cover version of "My Old Flame" with voice actor Paul Frees doing a (Peter) Lorre impression for the vocal. When Lorre appeared on Jones' radio show he had to learn the "Paul Frees" way of being Peter Lorre, as Peter himself was not quite the madman that Paul had made him out to be."

One of my favorite Spike Jones pieces.

[GrezH]

"I'll have to look through my collection of human heads."

The Peter Lorre skit always cracks me up. "It's driving me sane." Fantastic!

[sprintfan1]

I have not heard this for so many years. Spike truly was a treasure.

[sprintfan1]

The Pep Boys sponsored the Phillies for years. I have seen matchbook ads from the 30's for Philly area Pep Boys.

Doesn't anyone remember the Pep Boys references in old 3 Stooges films? Larry Fine was from Philly. Moe, Shemp and Curly from New York City, IIRC. Maybe Jersey.

"PIP Boys Cleaners, Larry Moe and Shemp"

[A7thDoctorFan]

I live in New York and I've known that Manny, Moe and Jack were the Pep Boys for many years. In fact, there's a Pep Boys not too far from me.

[clyhiz]

I can't stand it, I tell you! This is driving me sane!

<3

[pbeargirl]

Yeah, we had Manny, Moe, and Jack in Arizona too.

[lucidlupin]

Classic! :D

[cjownz288]

when hes not lik screaming he sounds like a furby lolol i think this songs creepy ol

[carl0071]

My new lovers all seem so tame... THEY WON'T EVEN LET ME STRANGLE THEM!!! Great :-D

[MhicWombat]

Doris! Laura! Chloe! Manny! Moe! Jack! ...no, it couldn't have been Moe...

[BanditRingtail23]

Hah! Love when he says, "Chloe?" XD Even the best comedians can't help but be a little self-referential now and then.

[Swamigoon]

"I can't stand it, I tell you! This is driving me sane!"

[TheHipAndWithItCrew]

my grandad's got one of his tapes and this along with the car race song the funniest to listen to.

[CHEECHMUN]

Thank you. for posting! I was 5 or 6 when I used to ask my Aunt Alba to play this. It was played on a 1953 Zenith combo TV radio and record player. I gave the cabinet to my daughter. I love the voice that sounded like Peter Lori. "I saw this eye, so I removed the other eye." Great memories. My Old Flame, Thank you Aunt Alba (-:

[daughterrevolution]

@CHEECHMUN It's Peter Lorre, not Lori.

[CHEECHMUN]

@daughterrevolution  Thank you!

[TheMikester307]

Yup! Lorre did a guest shot on a radio show and did the song with Paul Frees!

[JubalCalif]

What a delight to listen to! Thanks for posting! The late great Spike Jones and his band were truly one of a kind!

[HolyMotherofGrid]

So many memories!! I didn't discover Spike Jones until i was in my 20s, but was immediately captivated.........nobody does this sort of thing today - pity!!

[nickladey]

hi you carnt beat seventy eight records and you cant beat spike jones lovely love that song one of his best

nick cox hull

[supergeno128ds]

"I can't stand it I tell you! It is driving me SANE!!!"

One of my favorite quotes of all time. ;)

[zxcv1234vcxz]

Spike Jones's songs have a similarity to the TV shows "M*A*S*H*" and "All In The Family": they said things you could not get away with in this age of political correctness.

[HolyMotherofGrid]

Thank you thank you thank you!! My collection of human heads will never seem the same now, however....

[kiya46107]

ummm... Okay.

[winston5610]

I know that this was Paul Frees imitating Peter Lorre (there was some discussion of crediting "Peter Gorey" before they settled on the name "I. M. Arson"), but I remember seeing a picture of Spike posing with Lorre tearing at his hair. Like so many of the greats of that time (and this), Lorre had a sense of humor and enjoyed the clowning.

[SkellingtonSkullz]

Hey, I'd like to see that picture, but google image is giving me nothing :-( D'ya know where I might find it?

[carl0071]

I used to listen to this with my dad when I was about 3... And im sure I will bring my kids up with this. Sure beats all these modern rappers and recycled digital samples...

[DarthNocturn]

it's paul frees imitating peter lorre

[AcousticEclectic1]

From Wikipedia:

Peter Lorre (June 26, 1904 -- March 23, 1964), born László Löwenstein, was a Hungarian- Austrian - American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.

He made an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M. Later he became a popular featured player in Hollywood crime films and mysteries, notably alongside Humphrey Bogart...

[PaisleyPatchouli]

He's imitating Peter Lorre... :)

[hywel777]

who is peter lorre?

[gareof]

Thanks for posting this - I remember listening to these records with my dad and laughing our butts off - we loved the peter lorie character on this one and yes, we lived in california and bought auto parts from Pep Boys, manny moe & jack...my dad was a mechanic...brings back memories and I'm only 39

[SkellingtonSkullz]

I used to listen to this with my dad as well, it brings back great memories, and I'm only 19!

[gareof]

I was only kidding - I'm really 60 and I have five sons & one daughter that have listened to Spike with me and with my Dad (his grandkids)..I also have 5 grandsons & 2 grand daughters who will be taught to appreciate Spike Jones & his "wacky wackateers"....on into the next generation with the hope that there will be others (like Weird Al Yankovic) who will take up the "humorific mantle"

[smurfswacker]

Does anyone outside California know that "Manny, Moe, and Jack" were the "Pep Boys," owners of a chain of California auto supply stores? Though the Boys are long gone, their caricatures still grace Pep Boys stores. I love Paul Frees!

[gramophoneshane]

I certainly didn't know! I was wondering about that though, as I was recording.

Thank for the info.

[vynilistic]

Let's not forget the serious singer on this song, Paul Judson.

[jonbarrettphoto]

@smurfswacker

Yep - they were in Pennsylvania too - in fact, they're actually a Philadelphia-based company.

[mytvmemories]

@smurfswacker I worked for them for awhile in York, PA . They are a nationwide chain, I never knew where they originated