First performance 25 January 1973 | ||
 | ||
Lyricists Tony Hendra, Douglas Kenney, P. J. O'Rourke, Sean Kelly, Henry Beard, Anne Beatts, David Axelrod, John Boni Similar Leader of the Pack, Henry - Sweet Henry, First Lady Suite, Caroline - or Change, Big River | ||
National Lampoon: Lemmings, a spinoff of the humor magazine National Lampoon, was a 1973 stage show that helped launch the performing careers of John Belushi, Christopher Guest, and Chevy Chase. The show was co-written and co-directed by a number of people including Sean Kelly. The show opened at The Village Gate on January 25, 1973, and ran for 350 performances.
Contents
The first half of the show was sketch comedy; the second half was a mock Rock festival, "Woodshuck: Three Days of Peace, Love and Death", a Parody of "Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music." "Woodshuck" featured spoofs of Woodstock performers, including Joe Cocker and Joan Baez, as well as parodies of John Denver, Bob Dylan and James Taylor, plus songs performed by fictional groups (e.g., the "Motown Manifestoes" singing Papa was a Running Dog Lackey of the Bourgeoisie).
The songs from the show were subsequently issued as a record album. A video of one of the original performances, National Lampoon: Lemmings: Dead in Concert 1973, was eventually made available several decades later.
Cast
The cast included:
Later cast replacements:
Writers
The writers included:
Acts
Awards
Cast recording
A cast recording of the show was released in 1973, with album cover art by Melinda Bordelon.
Side One
- Stage Announcements
Performed by John Belushi - Lemmings Lament
Lead vocal by Paul Jacobs (as David Crosby); instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and Sean Kelly. - Stage Announcements
Performed by John Belushi - Positively Wall Street
Lead vocal by Christopher Guest (as Bob Dylan); instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs, Christopher Guest, and Sean Kelly. - Weather Person
Performed by Garry Goodrow - Pizza Man
Lead vocal by Alice Playten (as Goldie Oldie); instruments and back-up vocals by the cast; written by Christopher Guest, Sean Kelly, and Tony Hendra - Stage Announcements
Performed by John Belushi - Colorado
Lead vocal by Chevy Chase; instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Christopher Guest, Sean Kelly, and Tony Hendra - Richie Havens
Performed by Christopher Guest (as Richie Havens) - Crowd Rain Chant
Performed by John Belushi
Side Two
- Stage Announcements
Performed by John Belushi - Papa Was a Running Dog Lackey of the Bourgeoisie
Lead vocal by Paul Jacobs; instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and Tony Hendra - All-Star Dead Band
Performed by John Belushi - Stage Announcements
Performed by John Belushi - Highway Toes
Lead vocal by Christopher Guest (as James Taylor); instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Christopher Guest and Sean Kelly - Hell's Angel
Performed by Chevy Chase - Stage Announcements
Performed by John Belushi - Farmer Yassir
Performed by Garry Goodrow - Lonely at the Bottom
Lead vocal by John Belushi (as Joe Cocker); instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and John Belushi - Megagroupie
Performed by Alice Playten - Megadeath
Lead vocal by John Belushi; instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and Sean Kelly