17 de abril de 2011

Typewriters in Music

I am planning a series on typewriter sounds, and as a prequel searched for songs featuring typewriters. Here are the results, for your entertainment only:

We start with a recent song of a young Canadian artist, Meb. It's called Anne Niverre and was made for the december episode (2008?) of Urler.tv on the theme Anniversaire. A very nice song also featuring an ukelele. Anyone recognize the typewriter brand?


Next comes Jerry Lewis' classic interpretation of Leroy Anderson's "The Typewriter" in the 1963 film "Who's minding the store?".


Greatly interpreted here:


See also a rare brilliant version on German TV 1973:

In case you wonder: at the very end the host calls "Jerry, Jerry" and he responds "Besetzt!" ("Busy!").

Going more rock, here is one of my favourites: Procol Harum's "Typewriter Torment", here in a live version from 1995. Note the excellent lyrics.


Next is the Bo Katzman Gang from Switzerland, who in 1983 released their hit "I'm in love with my typewriter". The song was composed in Basel and features a Hermes Baby (I heard this on Swiss radio).


Ten years earlier, Brian Eno is clacking away in "China My China" (1974):


Here is Tom Tom Club's funky "Wordy Rappinghood" (1981), sending in what sounds like a heavy office machine:


Too funky? Here is Dolly Parton, "9 to 5", which surely hasn't lost any relevance in today's working world:


Ok, let's chill out. Yann Tiersen's "Pas si simple", which is part of the soundtrack of "Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain" (2001):


The secretary and typewriter theme mustn't be missing. Here is the song "A Secretary is Not a Toy" from the 1967 film version of Frank Loesser's "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying", directed by David Swift. Also a child of its time!


That's all folks, or is it? Thank you for your hints.

update: "Evas Apfel Konzert in Weimar, April 2010" (Too sexy...)


update: Marian Call performing her "The Nerd Anthem" (two versions, featuring two different typewriters!):



Here is the second one:



update! Serge Gainsbourg, "Laetitia", featuring his Remingtion portable typewriter:


update 6-6-2011:
Stereo Total, "Dactylo Rock":


and the video version:

2 comentarios:

  1. I'm guessing Remington Ten-Fourty? (in Anne Niverre)

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  2. Marian Call, from Alaska, uses an Underwood #3 in a couple of her songs. For example:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5A16mESGMg

    This machine was supposedly owned by Madeline L'Engle, and I'm not inclined to argue with my redhead friend's story...

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