Released 29 October 1996 Producer Neil Innes Release date 29 October 1996 Genre Comedy | Recorded 1978, 1996 Artist The Rutles Label Virgin Records | |
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Similar Comedy albums, Other albums | ||
Archaeology is the second album by parody band The Rutles. Like their previous release, the album contains pastiches of Beatles songs.
Contents
- The rutles major happy s up and coming once upon a good time band rendezvous
- Track listing
- Alternate versions and re issues
- Shangri La single releases 1996
- Songs
- References
Three of the four musicians who had created the soundtrack for the 1978 film – Neil Innes, John Halsey, and Ricky Fataar – reunited in 1996 and recorded a second album, Archaeology, an affectionate send-up of The Beatles Anthology albums (although its original cover design rather parodied that of The Beatles' singles compilation Past Masters: Volume One). The fourth 'real' Rutle, Ollie Halsall, died in Spain in 1992. Eric Idle was invited to participate, but declined.
Like the Anthology project that it lampooned, it featured tracks ostensibly from all periods of the Rutles' career, sequenced to reflect the fictional band's chronology. Several of the songs were actually older Innes songs that were dusted off and given the 'Rutles' treatment. The reunion was blessed by George Harrison, who encouraged The Pre-Fab Four to proceed. (When approached, he told Innes, 'Sure. It's all part of the "soup"...', an encounter that Innes related in interviews in 1996.)
The reunion was triggered by Innes's appearance at the Los Angeles festival "Monty Python: Lust For Glory!", an event that celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Monty Python troupe and was produced by Martin Lewis for the American Cinematheque. Innes performed two sold-out gigs at Los Angeles's Troubadour Club under the name "Ron Nasty & The New Rutles", using a local Beatles tribute band.
Following the success of the shows, Lewis and Innes collaborated on the project that became Archaeology.
The rutles major happy s up and coming once upon a good time band rendezvous
Track listing
Below is a track listing, citing the original Beatles song(s) and other sources thought to be part of the inspiration for each individual track (where applicable).
All songs were credited solely to Innes; all lead vocals by Innes except for Fataar on tracks 5 and 13, and Halsey on tracks 2 and 8. (Innes briefly sings a second lead in the middle of track 8.)
The Japanese release of Archaeology includes 4 bonus tracks: "Lullaby", "Baby S'il Vous Plait", "It's Looking Good" (rehearsal), and "My Little Ukulele". "Baby S'il Vous Plait" and "It's Looking Good" were also issued (along with the LP version of "Joe Public") on a UK CD single and 10" of "Shangri-La."
"Baby S'il Vous Plait" was a 'cod' Franglais version of an earlier Rutles song "Baby Let Me Be", from the 1978 soundtrack. The song was recorded as a pastiche of the Beatles' two German-language recordings of "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand", with suitably poor translation and even poorer foreign accents. "My Little Ukulele" was a George Formby-esque novelty number, melding McCartney's many experiments with old-time composition ("Honey Pie", "When I'm 64" etc.) with Harrison's fondness for Formby and the ukulele. "Lullaby" was a brief musical gag from Innes's own live act re-recorded as though it were Ron Nasty amusing the studio staff.
On 19 February 2007 EMI Gold (UK) released a budget reissue of Archaeology with new cover artwork and five bonus tracks: The aforementioned "Lullaby," "My Little Ukulele," and "Baby S'il Vous Plait" surfaced again, and two previously unreleased numbers – "Under My Skin" and "Rut-A-Lot" (the latter a medley of Rutles songs performed live by Innes, presented as a jab at Idle's recently successful Spamalot, put together of songs from the original Rutles' soundtrack: "Doubleback Alley", "Good Times Roll", "Another Day", and "Cheese and Onions") – made their first appearances. "Under My Skin" is a cover of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin", performed with some mock half-forgotten lyrics to suggest the Beatles' Star Club era.
Alternate versions and re-issues
"Archaeology" / Virgin Records America / Vinyl L.P. / U.K. only release / 7243-8-42200-1-3-VUSLP 119
(Same material as: "Archaeology"/ Virgin Records America/ C.D. / U.K./U.S. Release / 7243-8-42200-2-0)
Side 1: "Major Happy's Up & Coming Once Upon A Good Time Band", "Rendezvous", "Questionnaire", "We've Arrived ( And To Prove It We're Here!)", "Lonely-phobia", "Unfinished Words", "Hey Mister!", "Easy Listening", "Now She's Left You", "The Knicker Elastic King"
Side 2: "I Love You", "Eine Kliene Middle Klasse Music", "Joe Public", "Shangri-La", "Don't Know Why", "Back In 64"
"Archaeology"/ Virgin Records / C.D. / Japanese Version / VJCP-25277
"Archaeology" / EMI Gold / 2007 / C.D. / U.K. only release / 0946-3-85349-2-1
"Shangri-La" single releases (1996)
10" Vinyl Single: "Shangri-La" /Virgin Records America / 7243-8-93929-0-6 VUSA117
Side A. "Shangri-La"
Side B. "Joe Public","Baby S'il Vous Plait","It's Looking Good ( Demo )"
Songs
1Major Happy's Up and Coming Once Upon a Good Time Band2:19
2Rendezvous2:06
3Questionnaire2:45