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Song Parodies -> "Our Mel Smith"
Original Song Title:
"Powerful Stuff"
Original Performer:
Fabulous Thunderbirds
Parody Song Title:
"Our Mel Smith"
Parody Written by:
Lifeliver
The Lyrics
One of Britain's finest and best-loved living satirical comedians/actors passed away a few days ago, though he was probably not so well-known stateside. I was a huge fan so here's my tribute.
Mel Smith was 60 and had been in ill health for some time, reportedly exacerbated by addictions to medication. A master of character, he was comfortable in any theatrical role, funny or straight (except perhaps 'romantic lead'), both in front of or behind the camera, and in his later years ran a very successful production company with his professional partner, Griff Rhys-Jones.
The pair's 'Alas Smith and Jones' was a mainstay of satirical TV sketch comedy for many years, preceded by the seminal 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' in the early 1980s with Jones, Rowan Atkinson and NZ-born Pamela Stephenson (later the wife of Scottish stand-up legend Billy Connolly). That show raised the bar for TV sketch comedy, and was much more topical and political than its earlier surrealist inspiration, 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'.
Mel Smith was 60 and had been in ill health for some time, reportedly exacerbated by addictions to medication. A master of character, he was comfortable in any theatrical role, funny or straight (except perhaps 'romantic lead'), both in front of or behind the camera, and in his later years ran a very successful production company with his professional partner, Griff Rhys-Jones.
The pair's 'Alas Smith and Jones' was a mainstay of satirical TV sketch comedy for many years, preceded by the seminal 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' in the early 1980s with Jones, Rowan Atkinson and NZ-born Pamela Stephenson (later the wife of Scottish stand-up legend Billy Connolly). That show raised the bar for TV sketch comedy, and was much more topical and political than its earlier surrealist inspiration, 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'.
OUR MEL SMITH
He walks on the set a-knockin' us dead
Sure wicked-funny everything he said
Took the pith
Our Mel Smith
When I saw him, learned and laughed till I shook
Nine o'clock news, take a second look
With Griff, always thinking 'what if? '
And that's the power o' Mel Smith
Jekyll-Hyde dirt, black joke steals
Straight part or foul, dig the wit it's unreal
He's no myth
Our Mel Smith
Old man, young, any role in the world
Tough guy, a limp thing, even fat girl
Smooth and rough, and kinky and tough
And Mel's powerful stuff
A piss-takin', ground-breakin' bull-necked moose
Now he's gone to be with his final muse
I loved his mind, his knife of steel
He's got the kind of moves for a big scene steal
(guitar break)
He blinks his eyes, and turns on abuse
Presence like a magnet when his lines cut loose
Sure 'nough
Powerful stuff
When he starts mockin' don't touch that dial
Satire stunnin' that he's givin' what will make ya smile
Sure 'nuff, I think I'm in love
I think I'm in love
But I don't wanna kith
The face o' Mel Smith
He walks on the set a-knockin' us dead
Sure wicked-funny everything he said
Took the pith
Our Mel Smith
When I saw him, learned and laughed till I shook
Nine o'clock news, take a second look
With Griff, always thinking 'what if? '
And that's the power o' Mel Smith
Jekyll-Hyde dirt, black joke steals
Straight part or foul, dig the wit it's unreal
He's no myth
Our Mel Smith
Old man, young, any role in the world
Tough guy, a limp thing, even fat girl
Smooth and rough, and kinky and tough
And Mel's powerful stuff
A piss-takin', ground-breakin' bull-necked moose
Now he's gone to be with his final muse
I loved his mind, his knife of steel
He's got the kind of moves for a big scene steal
(guitar break)
He blinks his eyes, and turns on abuse
Presence like a magnet when his lines cut loose
Sure 'nough
Powerful stuff
When he starts mockin' don't touch that dial
Satire stunnin' that he's givin' what will make ya smile
Sure 'nuff, I think I'm in love
I think I'm in love
But I don't wanna kith
The face o' Mel Smith
For a link to the OS, I've chosen a live version which features a scorching Jimmy Vaughan guitar hook, power-trio hard-rock at its best. The sound quality's not that great but it's worth checking out even without my words to it. It's here.
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:-( One of my favourites, too. Very sad he's gone. Thank you for the tribute.
Cheers, Phil. Good to see him getting the eulogies he deserves from his peers and the British press. A favorite Mel moment is when reminiscing about the sixties in one of those marvellous head-to-heads with Griff: 'I was one of the beautiful people'. It was a long time before he could get the next line out ...
I've been (re-)watching some of the old NTNON & Alas Smith & Jones. There were some absolutely brilliant moments in there... I wonder if the "grave sketch" will be re-enacted for his funeral?
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