Pink Panther Punk (Kid Stuff, KSS-117, 1981)
Well it’s not too hard to figure out where the idea for this came from. In fact maybe the real head scratcher is why, after the surprise success of Chipmunk Punk, there weren’t way MORE kiddie record labels trying to figure out a way to cash in on the clearly lucrative Novelty Punk children’s market. While Chipmunk Punk at least skirted around the edges of mainstream New Wave, Pink Panther Punk can be noted by its insistence on COMPLETELY missing the mark; the LP is a weird mix of between-song skits that lead into covers of somewhat contemporary songs by AOR faves Pink Floyd, Billy Joel & the Doobie Brothers (with Blondie’s “Call Me” providing the sole Wave-O moment) alongside equally crummy originals like “Rock And Roll Panther”, “Panther on the Prowl”, and “It’s Punk” all written by producer John Braden. Despite top billing the pink one himself only sings a song or two, and though perpetually silent in the cartoons he’s vocally imagined here as a charmless Tommy Chong-esque stoner. Pretty much like you always figured I’m sure.
Link Removed
I’m gonna download this and give it a listen. I was wondering if you had a record that my little brother had as a child. This record included the songs, “Tippy The Tiger”, “What’s In The Elephant’s Trunk”, “Gerry The Big Giraffe” and “The Unicorn”. The Unicorn song was dull, but the others were hilarious. I used to laugh my head off at this one. If you could post that record I would be forever thankful.
– threerandot (Power Records Plaza)
No I don’t have it but I found some info on it here
…and here’s the data (from that same page) about a few albums it was on.
Puff The Magic Dragon, Peter Pan, 1980’s.
Contents: Puff the magic dragon / Lenny the leopard / Chip the chimpanzee / The grumpy old crocodile / Tippy the Tiger / Jerry, the giraffe / The mean old grizzly bear / Zebra stripes / Hippi and Lippi / What’s in an elephant’s trunk / The lion with the mangy mane
Children’s Favorites, Peter Pan, 1988
Contents: Little Red Riding Hood / Three little pigs / Goldilocks and the three bears / That’s in an elephant’s trunk / Gerry the giraffe / Hippi and Lippi (the hippos) / Chimp the chimpanzee / Zebra stripes / Lenny the leopard / Mary and her little lamb / Tippy the tiger / The grumpy old crocodile / The mean old grizzly bear
…and the email of someone who was offering to burn it to CD in 2003:
KellyG629@aol.com
Good luck; maybe you can track it down either through that link or through a search with of album title.
I kinda like “Panther on the Prowl”
But I agree Kid Stuff records was notorious for totally missing the mark. I also believe they were notorious for totally disregarding the need to give credit or pay royalties.
I have a copy of their LP “Pinball Wizard and Other Elton John Favorites”, in which they completely omit any credit to The Who for Pinball Wizard. (No credit is given to bernie Taupin either) The songs are done in a book and record format, with a woman first reading the lyrics to you, and then a cheapo house choir sings each song (So Elton John isn’t even involved with this rendition of Pinball Wizard.)
I seriously doubt that they ever paid a dime to Elton John for using his name or the songs that were really his.
Not hard to believe at all — have you ever heard their Fat Albert Halloween record? It’s just a straight pressing of the audio from a (mostly visual) TV special, so about half of it is just “hair raising” sounds of the kids running around.
On the other hand the Kid Stuff “Mostly Ghostly” Halloween record is so damn cheap & freakish that it’s truly great. Cake & Polka Parade has some clips & they’re worth checking out if you like this kind of thing.
I’m embarassed to say that I still have this. Mom got it for me years ago because she knew I liked The Pink Panther. I’ve only played it once or twice and never played it again. Chipmunk Punk was the better album in my opinion.
Threerandot – I used to have that cassette when I was a kid too – tippy the tiger…etc., and I’m desperately looking for it for my sister’s kids. I cannot remember the name of the album – do you know what it is? And Jason…that link doesn’t work any longer. I’m glad someone else knows about this because I was starting to think I made it up!
i love the kid stuff record label! i blogged about “e.t. i love you, and other extraterrestrial songs for children” over at waxidermy. you can find a link to the review (with some samples) here. i’d never seen the pink panther one before tho…what a treat!
Thank You for letting me relive my childhood.