Mia Patel
The Chicken Song is a novelty song by the British satirical comedy television programme Spitting Image. The song was written by Philip Pope, who also produced the song and composed its music. Pope is a composer who graduated from New College, Oxford, in 1979 and has had a long and varied career composing for film, television, and radio. He has worked on various shows, including Spitting Image, The Fast Show, Not the Nine O'Clock News, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?. The Chicken Song was released in 1986 and became a number-one hit in the UK Singles Chart.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Philip Pope |
| Occupation | Composer, Writer, Actor, Music Director |
| Notable Works | 'Spitting Image', 'The Fast Show', 'Not the Nine O'Clock News', 'Who Dares Wins', 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', 'Dame Edna Kisses It Better', 'Outnumbered', 'Radio Active', 'The Chicken Song' |
| Education | Graduated from New College, Oxford in 1979 |
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What You'll Learn
Philip Pope wrote the music for 'The Chicken Song'
Philip Pope is a composer and music director for film, television, and radio. He graduated from New College, Oxford, in 1979. Pope's career highlights include 'Spitting Image', 'The Fast Show', 'Not the Nine O'Clock News', 'Who Dares Wins', 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', 'Dame Edna Kisses It Better', and 'Outnumbered'. Pope also composed the music for the radio show 'Radio Active', in which he starred. The show later became 'KYTV' for the BBC.
Pope co-wrote the hit single "Meaningless Songs" with Richard Curtis in 1980. He also co-wrote many comic songs for 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' and 'Spitting Image'. During his 10-year run as musical director for the latter, he co-wrote the music for the British No. 1 hit single "The Chicken Song".
"The Chicken Song" is a novelty song from the British satirical comedy television programme 'Spitting Image'. It was released in April 1986. The song's nonsensical lyrics were written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and the music was composed by Philip Pope, who also produced the song. The vocalists were Michael Fenton Stevens and Kate Robbins.
"The Chicken Song" is a parody of summer holiday disco songs such as "Agadoo" and "Do the Conga", which were popular in the mid-1980s. It also made specific references to the group Black Lace, who performed those songs ("those two wet gits, with their girly curly hair"). The song was featured heavily in the 1986 series of 'Spitting Image', playing recurrently in the background and being hummed by characters. It eventually became a UK number-one single for three weeks in 1986.
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Rob Grant and Doug Naylor wrote the lyrics
The nonsensical lyrics of the song "The Chicken Song" were written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. The music was composed by Philip Pope, who also produced the song. The song was performed by vocalists Michael Fenton Stevens and Kate Robbins.
"The Chicken Song" is a novelty song by the British satirical comedy television programme "Spitting Image" (series 3, episode 6). It was featured heavily in the 1986 series of Spitting Image, playing recurrently in the background and being hummed by characters. The song is a parody of summer holiday disco songs such as "Agadoo" and "Do the Conga", which were popular during the mid-1980s.
The lyrics of "The Chicken Song" are nonsensical and humorous, with lines such as "Hold a chicken in the air, stick a deckchair up your nose, buy a jumbo jet, and then bury all your clothes!". The song also makes specific references to the group Black Lace, who performed the songs "Agadoo" and "Do the Conga", with lyrics like "those two wet gits, with their girly curly hair".
The song was released as a single in 1986 and reached number one in the official UK Singles Chart for three weeks, becoming just like the songs it mocked. It also reached number one in Ireland. The success of "The Chicken Song" is a testament to the catchy and memorable lyrics written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which have endured in popular culture.
Rob Grant and Doug Naylor's lyrics for "The Chicken Song" have left a lasting impact on British popular culture. The song's humorous and nonsensical lyrics, combined with its catchy melody, have made it a memorable and beloved novelty song that continues to be remembered and referenced in popular culture. The song's success also led to it being featured in other media, such as on the television show "Top of the Pops."
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It was performed by Michael Fenton Stevens and Kate Robbins
"The Chicken Song" is a novelty song by the British satirical comedy television programme Spitting Image. The song was performed by Michael Fenton Stevens and Kate Robbins, with music written by Philip Pope. Stevens and Robbins sang the lead vocals on the song, which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1986.
Michael Fenton Stevens is an English actor, comedian, and writer, born in London, England, on 12 February 1958. Stevens was a founder member of The Hee Bee Gee Bees and has appeared in various television shows and films, including Mr Bean, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Nighty Night, Mike Bassett: Manager, and Rogue Agent. He has also appeared in pantomime productions and Royal Shakespeare Company productions.
Kate Robbins, on the other hand, is an English actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. She is known for her role in the ITV soap opera Crossroads, where she played a pop singer recording a single. Robbins also provided almost all the female voices on the television show Spitting Image and sang the lead vocals on "The Chicken Song". In addition to her acting and singing career, Robbins has also written theme tunes for television shows, including the first theme tune for Surprise, Surprise, performed by Cilla Black. She has also appeared in other television shows such as Dinnerladies, Dead Ringers, and After Life. Robbins represented the United Kingdom in the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest as part of the band Prima Donna.
The performance of "The Chicken Song" by Michael Fenton Stevens and Kate Robbins, along with the catchy music composed by Philip Pope, contributed to its success and made it a memorable novelty song from the British satirical comedy television programme Spitting Image.
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It was released in 1986
"The Chicken Song" is a novelty song by the British satirical comedy television programme Spitting Image. The song was released as a single in April 1986, reaching number one in the official UK Singles Chart for three weeks. It was written by Philip Pope, who also composed the music and produced the song. The lyrics were penned by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor.
The song is a parody of summer holiday disco songs such as "Agadoo" and "Do the Conga", which were popular during the mid-1980s. It specifically references the group Black Lace, describing them as "those two wet gits with their girly curly hair". The song was featured heavily in the 1986 series of Spitting Image, with characters often humming it or, in one instance, the puppet of Pope John Paul II playing it on a banjolele.
The song's lyrics are nonsensical and humorous, with lines such as "Hold a chicken in the air, stick a deckchair up your nose" and "Buy a jumbo jet and then bury all your clothes". The song even instructs listeners to "skin yourself alive, learn to speak Arapahoe, climb inside a dog, and behead an Eskimo". These bizarre and comical instructions became a hit with audiences, and the song's popularity grew.
The success of "The Chicken Song" can be attributed to its catchy melody, humorous lyrics, and effective parody of the summer holiday disco genre. It became a defining novelty song of the 1980s, with its impact still remembered today. The song's release in 1986 marked a significant moment in British satirical comedy and popular culture, showcasing the talent and creativity of its writers and composers.
The song's music video also gained traction, featuring celebrity impersonations of well-known figures such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Tina Turner singing the song's lyrics. This added to the song's popularity and viral nature, solidifying its place in British pop culture history.
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It was a parody of summer holiday songs
"The Chicken Song" is a novelty song by the British satirical comedy television programme Spitting Image. The song was written by Philip Pope, Rob Grant, and Doug Naylor. It was released in April 1986 as a single and reached number one in the official UK Singles Chart for three weeks.
The song is a parody of summer holiday disco songs such as "Agadoo" and "Do the Conga", which were popular during the mid-1980s. The lyrics and melody are designed to be humorous and light-hearted, with references to sticking a deckchair up your nose and holding a chicken in the air. The song also takes aim at the group Black Lace, referring to them as "those two wet gits with their girly curly hair".
The song was featured in series 3, episode 6 of Spitting Image, playing recurrently in the background and being hummed by characters. At one point, the puppet of Pope John Paul II even plays it on a banjolele. The song's popularity led to it being released as a single, which topped the charts and became a summer hit itself.
The success of "The Chicken Song" can be attributed to its catchy melody, humorous lyrics, and its ability to parody the summer holiday songs of the time. It captured the light-hearted and fun atmosphere of the season, while also adding a layer of satire and comedy that resonated with audiences. The song's legacy lies in its ability to entertain and surprise, offering a unique twist on the traditional summer holiday disco song.
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Frequently asked questions
Philip Pope wrote the music for the Chicken Song.
Rob Grant and Doug Naylor wrote the nonsensical lyrics for the Chicken Song.
Philip Pope is a composer and his most famous works include 'Spitting Image', 'The Fast Show', 'Not the Nine O'Clock News', and 'The Chicken Song'.
