Their first cartoon was short-lived.įollowing the success of the albums, Bagdasarian accepted an offer for an animated series from CBS. Some of the footage still exists and can be viewed in the video above. The earliest live-action incarnation of the Chipmunks came in 1959, when Bagdasarian appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show alongside a trio of Chipmunk hand puppets. The single earned three Grammys and sold a staggering 25 million records over the next few years. Performing each of the roles as the Chipmunks, Bagdasarian scored a holiday smash with “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” later that year. He also ditched the witch doctor gimmick, but kept the high-speed squeak and attributed it to three chipmunks: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, which he named after executives Alvin Bennett, Simon Waronker, and Theodore Keep at his record company, Liberty Records. Bagdasarian credited himself as Dave Seville, taking the advice of executives who thought his real name would be hard to pronounce. The playful tune was a hit in 1958, reaching number one on the charts. Played at normal speed, it sounds like he had been on helium. To capture the distinctive pitch, Bagdasarian recorded at half-speed, delivering the lyrics slowly. The idea came in part from the unusual voices created by reel-to-reel tape recorders for the Munchkins in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. “The Witch Doctor” featured Bagdasarian muttering gibberish that he sped up, ostensibly from a master of dark magic. Supporting a family of five, he decided to buy a tape recorder for $190 and record a song he felt would be in tune with the fast and sometimes indecipherable lyrics of modern music. In the late 1950s, actor and musician Ross Bagdasarian was down to his last $200. The Chipmunks owe a debt to The Wizard of Oz. For more on the history of this talented rodent trio, take a look at some facts on everything from their earliest recordings to the punk album that won them a whole new audience. Alvin and the Chipmunks have made records, starred in numerous animated series and films, and even have their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For more than 60 years, the dulcet, high-speed tones of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Seville have resonated with generations of fans.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |