Note on Alternative Lyric: "Penny Lane-y"
+ The visual is a very toony, VERY good re-creation of the cover of
the Beatles album, "Abbey Road". "Penny Lane" is the name of one
of the Beatles' songs from the "Magical Mystery Tour" album. Wakko
voices the line here. Very fitting considering that Jess Harnell
got the part of Wakko by using his impression of the Beatle, Ringo
Starr. (SS, NV)
DYN Scratchy is bare-footed, much like Paul was on the cover. Will
this start a spate of "Scratchy is dead" rumors? Transposing the
characters onto the album cover yields: Scratchy = John Lennon, Dot
= Ringo, Wakko = Paul, and Yakko = George. (NV)
- Wakko should have been barefooted, going by his position on the
album cover, but at least they got the walking out of step part...
(WENDOID)
"A Hard Day's Warners" ---
+ Extensive spoof of Beatles' 1964 flick, "A Hard Day's Night".
Other Beatles films spoofed en passant. (Jon, SS)
+ It starts in black & white (and red noses) with the Warners
running from fans while singing a parody of "A Hard Days Night"
("Running from our Fans"). In the opening of the Beatles' movie, "A
Hard Day's Night" (which BTW, was filmed in B&W), the Beatles are
running from their fans, trying to catch their train. (JW, SS)
+ Direct ref to the movie: The sibs run into their dressing room
Scratchansniff (like the Beatles' road manager in the movie) yells
at them a bit, then makes them reply to their fan mail. (JW, SS)
+ The fan mail scene: In A Hard Day's Night, it is Ringo that gets
the load of mail. Yet ANOTHER connection between Wakko and Ringo!
The others blame it on his nose, say that Ringo has a large family,
then say that it must have cost him a fortune in stamps...
(WENDOID, JW, SS)
+ The Warners meet up with a dire fan, but fast-talk her into
thinking that they aren't them. GIRL: "What to they look like?"
WAKKO: "They look exactly like them." In the movie, a woman stops
John Lennon in the hall. She insists that he's "him". WOMAN: "You
look just like him." JOHN: (looking in mirror) "Do I?" (JW, SS)
+ They hold a press conference in "A Hard Day's Night" as well.
Notice the reporters in the cartoon all have British accents. The
reporters ask rediculous questions and the Beatles give equally
rediculous answers as the Warners do here. (JW, SS)
+ "They Want To Laugh" = "Can't Buy Me Love" (RF)
+ The bit during the second song with the succession of freeze-
frames of the Warners (and Mr. Director) making funny faces was taken
from the end credits to the Monkees' TV show, where Mike, Micky,
Davy, and Peter were shown in similar poses and angles behind the
credits. I'm going to insist that it's a Monkees ref for one reason:
The color backgrounds. (RD)
+ This scene is also remeniscent of the end credits in "A Hard Day's
Night". Two poses were exact from the movie: Yakko, holding up his
hands up to his eyes like binoculars (John Lennon) and the one of the
back of Yakko's head (George Harrison). The brightly colorful
backgrounds cause me to point this reference at the Monkees' bits
(which were stolen from the Beatles to begin with...) "A Hard Day's
Night" was enitirely in black & white; this short was not. Which is
probably why they went with the background color ref from the Monkees'
tv show. (SC, SS)
Notes on gag credit:
"Surlaw Eht T'nsaw Luap, Surlaw Eht Saw Okkay"
+ It's backwards: "Paul wasn't the walrus, Yakko was the walrus."
This refers to the Beatles song "I Am The Walrus", from "Magical
Mystery Tour" hence the backwards lettering of the gag credit.
(JEO, Lari, SS)
+ In the Beatles' later years, odd lyrics, forwards and backwards,
began appearing in their songs saying things like "Paul is the Walrus"
and later, "The walrus is dead". Clues even popped up in pictures on
the Beatles' album covers. The story, (which turned out to be an
elaborate hoax), was that Beatle, Paul McCartney, had died in a car
accident years earlier and was replaced without the public even
knowing it. These odd clues were supposedly trying to tell the fans
what couldn't be said in person. (SS)
+ This is also parodying another of the Beatles' songs, "Glass
Onion" from The Beatles (the white album). Here are the lyrics in
question, as best as I can remember them: "I've told you about the
Walrus and me. You know that we're as close as can be. Well, here's
another clue for you all: The Walrus is Paul." (Mat)
- In the film Magical Mystery Tour, the Beatles sing "I Am the Walrus"
while wearing animal costumes. It was actually John who was wearing
the walrus costume in that scene. He wrote the line about "the walrus
was Paul" partly as sarcasm -- all of "Glass Onion" is a complaint
about people who read too much into Beatles songs, actually sorta like
"Please Please Please Get A Life Foundation" now that I think about it --
and partly as a conciliatory gesture toward Paul, because they were
fighting a lot around that time. (BH)
Compiled by many active Animaniacs (and presumably Beatles) fans.
So Whadda 'bout Yakko and Dot?
Well, this is supposed ta be a page regarding mostly Wakko and Ringo, but I couldn't pass these up:
Yakko --
--In "A Christmas Plotz" (ep. #49): Yakko and a Dancin Girl
Yakko: (ta dancin' girl) Say, why don't you stop by the water tower and I'll show you my stamp collection!"
Dancin' Girl: But Yakko, you don't have a stamp collection."
-- In "A Hard Day's Night": John, Paul and Some Dancin' Girls
John: (referrin' ta dancin' girl) She's gonna show me her stamp collection.
Paul: (grabbin' another DG by the hand) So's mine.
Dancin' Girl: (ta Paul) Oh, but I haven't brought any stamps.
Since both the Beatles and the Warners parodied the Marx brothers, these coulda possibly come from that. Still, it's funny.
Dot --
--Dot's famous line, "I can't help it if I'm cute!" Whether ya personally think so or not, Dot always tries ta be the cutest of the Warners.
--On a similar note, a non-Beatle "A Hard Day's Night" co-star remembers a car trip ta the studio on a perticular day of filmin': "...there were crowds of kids going all the way down the streets and there was a great crowd pressing against the car and John [Lennon] was sitting in the back and he said, 'Push Paul out first, he's the prettiest.'"
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Even MORE Anibeatle References!
--- In "Garage Sale of the Century" (ep. #12): "When Wakko pushes the button on the remote to get two people to rotate through 180 degrees, the two people appear to be Yoko Ono and Julian Lennon. (A gratuitous Beatle reference?)"
Courtesy of: Duncan Richer
--- In "Noah's Lark" (ep. #33): "Noah's line '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. All good children go to heaven. ect' is from the Beatles' song "You Never Give Me Your Money" off of Abby Road."
Courtesy of: Cam Davie
---In "Spellbound" (ep. #38): "In Merlin's incantation for making blueberry pie, Yoko Ono is mentioned."
---In episode #73, featurin' "A Hard Day's Warners": "The theme song's variable verse is "Penny Lane-y". Yakko, Wakko, Dot, and Dr. Scratchansniff (in that order, left-right) are crossin' a cartoony lookin' Abbey Road. Could it be a mistake? Wakko's in Paul's spot (as in the Beatles' "Abbey Road" album cover) not Ringo's, which is occupied by Dot. Then again, in an episode that Wakko was, for whatever reason, unable ta take advantage of a drum opportunity, Dot would cover for him. Hmmm...
---In episode #91, featuring "Back In Style", the Warners even appeared with a close facsimile of the Beatles. Here's the discussion on it from the New Animaniacs Cultural References Guide...
+ The rock group cartoon was a parody of The Beatles, who just happened
to have their own cheaply-animated series on ABC in the mid-60s. The
music had the same Beatle-esque feel of "A Hard Day's Warners". The
song they're singing is a parody of Day Tripper (LC, TB)
- The animation looked almost identical to the animation for the old
Beatles cartoon show. Only the hair color and who played what
instrument was changed. Heck, I could even tell which one was which
Beatle at a glance. I've seen quite a bit of the animated Beatles,
and this was definitely a parody of it. Also remember that the
Beatles in the animated Beatle series looked nothing like the animated
Beatles in Yellow Submarine. Maybe that's what's throwing people off.
(D&D)
+ A reliable source has informed me that the Beatles caricatures that
wear kilts were a ref to the long gone Bay City Rollers, a cheesy
Beatles impersonator of the mid-70's who wore kilts. (EOC)
Is Wakko Really A Long Lost Beatle?
You tell me. So far, here are all the similarities that I have found:
ITEM #1: Both the Warners and the Beatles were on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in the 60's (accordin' ta "The Warner's 65th Anniversary Special", purposely ep. #65).
ITEM #2: The Warners did a parody of the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night", called "A Hard Day's Warners" (ep. #73).
ITEM #3: In "Little Drummer Warners", after Wakko is done his drum performance and the Warners have finished their song, the three simultaneously take a low, deep bow. Even Wakko, still behind his drum set. This is the same type of bow that the Beatles always used in conclusion ta a performance. Even Ringo, behind his drumset.
ITEM #4: Wakko, uses drums while chasin' girls, "puchline drumbeat" in jokes, drumrolls, instruments for the Warner's songs, or ANY use of drums are needed:
"De-Zanitized" (ep. #1)
"Taming Of The Screwy" (ep. #5)
"King Yakko" (ep. #10)
"Nothing But The Tooth" (ep. #18)
The Warners are racing around Rasputin in little Shriners cars, "Slow down!" "Why?" asks Yakko, "Everyone's Russian around here." PUNCHLINE DRUMBEAT.
"Sir Yaksalot" (ep. #26)
"Survey Ladies" (ep. #43)
In a music store, Dot says, "Let's get Scratchy this music box. It plays Bach. Wakko replies: "Yeah, but does it play forward?" PUNCHLINE DRUMBEAT.
"When Mice Ruled The Earth" (ep. #47)
Brain says: "Here we are Pinky. The dawn of time!" Pinky yawns: "Narf Brain, wake me up at the noon of time." PUNCHLINE DRUMBEAT. Pinky's startled: "What was that?" Brain remarks: "Engine noise."
"Mobster Mash" (ep. #48)
Wakko uses drums twice. First when the Warners sing the parody of "The Godfather" theme and again when the Warners act like Beatniks.
"Lake Titicaca" (ep. #48)
Wakko plays the drums for this song.
"Little Drummer Warners" (ep. #49)
"Shall I play for you, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum? On my drum?" Wakko sings.
"Dot's Quiet Time" (ep. #55)
Where Yakko and Wakko are playin' Civil War soldiers.
"Deduces Wild" (ep. #72)
Dot tells Sherlock Holmes, "You're incouageable." ta which Yakko replies, "No, he's in London." PUNCHLINE DRUMBEAT.
"Rest In Pieces" (ep. #72)
Slappy says, "Now that's what I call embalming," as one of Walter Wolf's bombs backfires on himself. PUNCHLINE DRUMBEAT.
"This Pun For Hire" (ep. #77)
Wakko pounds on the bongo drums upon seein' Minerva Mink.
"From Burbank, With Love" (ep. #87)
In episode 65, Dot was the drummer, but Wakko was singin' lead and also, technically still on percussion: a tambourine. Hey, sometimes a tambourine was the only percussion Ringo did in a song.
ITEM #5: Wakko is reminiscent of Ringo in certain expressions and mannerisms:
That innocent, dopey look.
Both at times, the odd guy out.
Often considered the "clowns" of their groups.
ITEM #6: Does Wakko really sound like Ringo? Definitly if ya watch earliest episodes. It's natural for a cartoon character's voice ta evolve, but since Animaniacs moved ta WB, Wakko's voice changed drastically! (His voice sounds younger and raspier now.) Wakko also seems more intelligent in the newer cartoons. Is Jess Harnell tryin' ta move away from the Ringo impression?
Wakko's voice in episodes rangin' about 1 - 20: Ringo Starr, definitely, definitely, Ringo. Definitely.
Wakko's voice in episodes rangin' about 20 - 69: George Harrison? Ringo?
Wakko's voice in later episodes: Hmmm, not George or Ringo. Maybe the tiniest bit of John Lennon, though.
ITEM #7: But George tended ta be the snacker of the group, not Ringo.
ITEM #8: Also, both George and Wakko are considered the quiet ones.
ITEM #9-A: In the Beatles' movie, "A Hard Day's Night, the Beatles give their train seatmate -- this grouchy, stuck up, man -- a hard time. The man, gettin' fed up, turns ta Beatle, John Lennon, who smiles sweetly at him, "Give us a kiss." says John.
ITEM #9-B: In the Animaniacs cartoon, "Plane Pals" (ep. #22), the Warners give their plane seatmate -- this grouchy, stuck up, man -- a hard time. The man, gettin' fed up, turns ta Wakko Warner, who smiles sweetly at him, "How's about a kiss?" says Wakko.
ITEM #10: Wakko's main catch phrase is "Faboo", explainin' somethin' that he finds pretty gosh darn swell. Could "Faboo" possibly be derived from the popular "Beatle" slang, "Fab", which had the same meanin'?
ITEM #11: Ringo's widely known for imitatin' Marx brother, Groucho. Wakko's widely known for imitatin' Marx brother, Harpo.
ITEM #12: Check out Animaniacs comic #31, in the story "101 Darnations", there is a John Lennon and Paul McCartney parodies, and look at this last page of the story. Wakko is on the drums and everything!
This sorta in a way was prety cool
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Reporter: Ringo, how do you feel about fans eating grass that you walked on?
Ringo: I just hope they don't get indigestion
Animaniacs and The Beatles?
Hybrid Mode
