Lily Tomlin - This Is a Recording
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Free Music Notes for This Is a Recording
Free Music Review: Is this the telephone operator to whom you are listening?
Hit: 5 Stars
Lily Tomlin's "This Is a Recording" explores the wacky world of her comic creation Ernestine, the world's most obnoxious telephone operator, who first began counting ringie dingies on the NBC top ranked comedy Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Tomlin's one-woman show was recorded at the famous Ice House in Pasadena (I still have my "Pat Paulsen at the Ice House" album around here someplace) in 1971. Most of the album has Tomlin in character as Ernestine, dealing with problems from an "Obscene Phone Call" to the Pepsi C.E.O. and sometime actress "Joan Crawford." However, there are some moments when Tomlin steps out of character, which I happen to think are the best part of the album which begins with her hysterical biographical background on Ernestine and the impact of the telephone on the operator's life ("Alexander Graham Bell"). If you remember that "This Is a Recording" was originally a record, then you should appreciate that at the end of both sides of the record Tomlin does a couple of wicked takes on dealing with Ma Bell as a poor consumer in "Peeved" and "I.B.M." Of course, most of the time we have Ernestine in her full glory, dealing with not only unfortunate ordinary folks in "Mr. Veedle," "Strike," and "The Bordello," but also more well known types in "The Mafia and the Pope" and the best track on the album where she butts head with J. Edgar Hoover of the "F.B.I." The Fickled Finger of Fate Award goes to Laugh.com for reissuing not only "This Is a Recording," but other great comedy albums from the past (including finally getting the first Smothers Brothers album out). I am much more a fan of Lily Tomlin in general than Ernestine in particular, but what is impressive is how she could take this fairly limited character and make a sustained evening of comic inventiveness out of her.Free Music Review: ...and she later became the President's secretary...
Hit: 5 Stars
I just got done watching Lily Tomlin's debut at the end of the third season of "The West Wing" as a new candidate for replacement of the beloved Mrs. Landingham, President Bartlet's personal secretary. I've been building a DVD collection of that series. But you know, I couldn't help but wish that during that season's run, someone like Saturday Night Live would have "Mrs. Fitterer" saying "one ringy-dingy", etc, in the outer office outside the Oval Office. That would have underlined Tomlin's greatness as a performer, though--when someone plays you on a different comedy show. But as far as I know, it didn't happen.
Anyway, I recall when this album came out that my eventual ex owned it when we were dating, and there was one time on "Laugh In" where Earnestine said; "Half a ringy-dingy (snort) ooh, I love those", obviously in reference to those partial rings when Ma Bell's ring pulse kicks in late in the first ring. My then-girlfriend began answering the phone that way when she was expecting a call from me; "Three-and-a-half ringy-dingies". Only one time it wasn't me, to her embarrassment. It was a prospective employer--she was job hunting at the time.
That's how this album imprinted itself upon society in those days--the percentage of young women who could do a Lily Tomlin impression was probably almost as high as the way their guys learned to play guitar during the previous decade because of the Beatles. So much so that Tomlin's "Little Edith Ann" sketches from "Laugh In" (with Tomlin in this huge rocking chair) kind of got lost in the shuffle. It probably was a real pain to real switchboard operators back then.
Free Music Review: Welcome back Ernestine !
Hit: 5 Stars
It's been a long time since I chortled away listening to Miss Lily Tomlin doing her character Ernestine "Dimes are my bread and butter" the saviour of the Telephone Company.
The highlight of the album would have to be listening to the Queen of the Telephone Company interrupting the Queen Bee of Hollywood Miss Joan Crawford, (Vice President of the Pepsi Cola Company) who is speaking long distance to someone in Paris.
Ernestine has lost her dime in a Pepsi Cola machine and she wants it back - pronto.
One can imagine a startled Crawford asking "Where's Paris ?" as we hear the response from Ernestine "still in France,I think," then snorts.
Bowls me over every time.
It's wonderful to have Ernestine on CD thirty years after vinyl, and each of my work mates were presented with a copy from moi, to celebrate having Ernestine and Vito back in our lives.
(We are, I might add,all receptionist /telephonists ourselves).
Not being American, I did have to remind a few who Mrs Mitchell was - we certainly remember Watergate - Martha the Mouth was reknown back then.
The discussion between Ernestine and the Bordello Madame is hilarious -"nobody has more familar equipment than yours?" - and the rare opportunity to hear Ernestine grovelling "Your Eminence, your Magnificence", when believing she is talking to the Pope (it was a different kind of Godfather).
From standup comedy to Laugh In, hit movies (Nine to Five being one) and more recently,the immortal West Wing, Lily Tomlin has come a long way baby - but I'll always love Ernestine.
Free Music Review: This is a classic comedy CD
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a Lily Tomlin classic. Ernestine the telephone operator from "Laugh In" on her very own album. Hilarious. Lily went on to win Emmy and Tony awards for her brilliant multi-character TV specials and Broadway shows but before all of that was Ernestine. This album won a Grammy for best comedy recording of 1971 and it deserved it. Finally it is on CD. Buy this CD to hear why Lily & Ernestine became an overnight sensation on December 29, 1969 on NBC.
This is humor without using four letter words. It is innuendo perhaps, but not dirty or blue. Ernestine threatens everyone from Joan Crawford to J. Edger Hoover ( "Jedger" ) She eavesdrops, reveals taped conversations, counsels housewives, rigs a pay phone to take a trip to Mexico and snorts. All in a days work if you're omnipotent, "that's potent with an omni in front of it". Find out why and how Ernestine Tomlin was immediately promoted to District Representative. Buy "This Is A Recording" and get hooked on Lily.
Free Music Review: A Side Splitter!
Hit: 5 Stars
After all these years, this comedy routine ranks as my all time favorite. Though dated, it easily stands the test of time, with Tomlin at her very best. My personal favorite is her dialogue with "Miss J as in Joan, Joan Crawford". It never fails to get me going. If you like good, old fashioned, non-vulgar comedy, this is a must have item. Tomlin never disappoints.
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