If you are of the Boomer generation, you remember him as a flash in the pan, an off beat performer who had a moment in the sun. This clip brought back memories of him and Miss Vicki's appearance, his bride to be, on what I believe was the Tonight Show with the late Johnny Carson. I wonder how many other of the 1960s momentarily famous are still lurking in the shadows awaiting documentary renewal. I get the feeling this will be/is the fate of many 60s/70s era bands/performers - to be the equivalent of a remember when newsreel.

[vimeo.com]

I'm ashamed to say I do remember lol.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-03-01 19:24 by steffialicia.

He was marketed as a freak show attraction but the guy was a true talent. I saw a doc on him that was posted here some time ago that totally changed my ideas about him, and the recent few minutes of him entertaining in the campground at the Monterey Pop Festival in 66 was fantastic, this was at the very end of the outtakes reel from the festival. Never really appreciated him much back in the day but my opinion has swung 180 degrees from then. A bit of an acquired taste but the guy oozed talent in a Peewee Herman kind of way. Great singer with incredible range. Its just too bad he never was taken seriously as he could have really gone places without the freak show aura.

jb

As a kid, I can recall seeing him for the first time on Laugh-In. There was nothing even close to what he was doing at the time. It was so strange, that it was hilarious.

His act was a bit of a freak show, and yet (I may be wrong about this) I don't remember anyone who appeared with him initially on television being openly disrespectful to him.

He was really great in the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival doc Message To Love, doing "There'll Always Be An England"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-03-01 23:05 by loog droog.

I saw this doc. Good. But yes, the 'King For a Day' at the Monterey Pop Festival is an eye opener. A lot of people, myself included, like the music from the 20s and 30s now. Tiny was just a strange messenger for that music.

Droog, if you got a link to that footage at Isle of Wight festival, I would love to see it.

PS: i cannot see the King for a Day video in my region evidently but I wonder if this was the same thing I saw a couple months ago on Youtube. Its good to see the guy get some recognition.

About people dissing him back in the day, the very fact he was on Laugh In was sort of a disservice as he was presented in full on freak show style. I also recall the openly derisive Carson show stuff, though Carson always maintained an aura of respect for his guests. I think he was on Ed Sullivan as well, and totally presented as some kind of weirdo (which, in the day, was hard to avoid because basically he was kind of a weirdo, one with talent, but a weirdo nonetheless). Even today, ask pretty much anyone about Tiny Tim and I think you will find that is his lasting legacy.

thanks
jb



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-03-02 00:52 by jbwelda.

I only remember him for one songs.......strange guy but funny....always thought he was from England maybe because of his style which remembers me of George Formby

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In a sense he was ahead of his time. Leon Redbone did the same shtick a few years later, but from a much tamer angle. People also forget how big the 1920s were in the mid-60s. Hell, they gave 'Winchester Cathedral' rock and roll song of the year at the Grammys in '67. 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips' had that vintage appeal, coupled with the absolute weirdness of Tiny Tim.

He was a great guest on Howard Stern. He mentioned his favorite products. One of his, S&W kidney beans are the best. If he could have controlled himself, his weight, his mental imbalance, he could have survived to be a perennial guest.

Hey jb, I looked for a clip of him from Message To Love but couldn't find it (although you see a few seconds of footage from it in the King For A Day trailer.)

It's actually a pretty good film. It's like the UK Woodstock--only it took almost 30 years to come out.

Regarding the 1920's fad during the 60's, there's a early Richard Lester film called "That's Trad, Dad" (re-titled "Ring-A-Ding Rhythm" with added footage in the U.S.) which revolves around the early 60's U.K. fad for traditional jazz music.

[www.youtube.com]

Watching the way Lester films the performance by The Temperance Seven you'll note a lot of the visual wit and energy that he employed while making A Hard Day's Night.

Seeing teenage kids going wild for 20's music seems like a scene from an alternate universe. That full blown mania never caught on over here. But just a few years later, as was stated, the New Vaudeville Band hit big in America, not to mention songs like "Hello, Hello" by the Sopwith Camel that channeled the "Good Time Music" of the Lovin' Spoonful and added the rinky-tink piano sound that John Phillips used on some of those Mamas and the Papas tunes.

The 1920's were only 40 years earlier back in the 60's. This year Sticky Fingers and Who's Next are FIFTY years old... who will keep that spirit alive and become their Tiny Tim?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-03-02 10:11 by loog droog.

Well the truth is, I pretty much hate that "Rudi Vallee with a megaphone" twenties style music and how it has been used over and over again in popular culture and music. Yet, I really dig Tiny Tim. Its weird, but it doesn't have anything to do with liking olde tyme music, at least in my case. TT totally transcends that trash.

Droog, thanks for looking. I had heard of the Isle of Wight festival back then, even tried to go over there for it once. I knew it was famous for hosting Hendrix but didnt know about TT.

jb