Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia
Encyclopedia
"Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" (also known as "C vs. I", meaning "the experts versus the intellectual elite") is a song by the Cuban Boys
. The song consists almost in its entirety of a sampled
loop
from "Whistle Stop" by Roger Miller
which was featured in the Disney
movie Robin Hood
. The sample was first featured on the Internet
as part of "The Hampster Dance
" song on the website of the same name.
The song's closing lines are of an announcer of a children's radio show:
This last line, usually omitted on radio play, is itself a sample from Kermit Schafer's 1950s "recreation" of a supposed on-air blooper by 1920s children's radio presenter, "Uncle Don
". In fact, this faux pas is an urban legend
.
Another notable quote within the song is taken from the 1950s dramatization of Jules Verne
's Journey to the Center of the Earth
: "Don't be too happy. After a couple of months of this you'll be smacking your lips at the thought of salt beef."
The song was first aired on John Peel
's BBC Radio 1
show on April 7, 1999 and quickly became one of the most requested songs on his show, surpassing even "God Save the Queen
" by the Sex Pistols
.
After being included on a free sampler CD
on the industry magazine The Tip Sheet
, the song caught the attention of numerous large record label
s including EMI
, Parlophone
and RCA
, thanks mostly to the efforts of Jonathan King
. The band eventually signed for EMI. They were given £
25,000 to record a video for the song which ended up featuring a giant fibreglass melon
covered in trifle
and a live-action hamster singing along.
Originally scheduled for release as a single in November 1999, the release date was threatened to be pushed back to some time in January 2000 until the song was played on Jo Whiley
's afternoon radio show. It received much the same attention as when it had been played on Peel's show. The decision was made to move the release to December 13 to put it in line for the Christmas number 1 slot. It managed to get to number 4, being beaten by Westlife
's "I Have a Dream". The song did however top John Peel's Festive Fifty for that year.
Because of the relative obscurity of the Cuban Boys both before and after the single, they are generally considered to be a one-hit wonder
.
The people behind the Cuban Boys went on to score further one-hit wonder successes with a remake of "Rhinestone Cowboy" with Glen Campbell
, a novelty kids band called the Barndance Boys
, and the US club hit "I Am Gothic" under the name Spray
.
Cuban Boys
The Cuban Boys are a British band and production team, currently composed of Skreen B and Ricardo Autobahn; the band formerly also included B.L. Underwood and Jenny McLaren . Their music is characterised by fast electronic beats, heavy reliance upon samples and the repetition of the words "The...
. The song consists almost in its entirety of a sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
loop
Music loop
In electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...
from "Whistle Stop" by Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
which was featured in the Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
movie Robin Hood
Robin Hood (1973 film)
Robin Hood is an 1973 American animated film produced by the Walt Disney Productions, first released in the United States on November 8, 1973...
. The sample was first featured on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
as part of "The Hampster Dance
The Hampster Dance
The Hampster Dance or Hampsterdance is one of the earliest examples of an Internet meme. Created by Canadian art student Deidre LaCarte for a Geocities page, the dance features rows of animated hamsters and other rodents dancing in various ways to a sped-up sample from the song "Whistle Stop" by...
" song on the website of the same name.
The song's closing lines are of an announcer of a children's radio show:
- "And this is your Uncle Dan saying good night.
- Good night, little kids, good night.
- We're off? Good, well that oughta hold the little bastards."
This last line, usually omitted on radio play, is itself a sample from Kermit Schafer's 1950s "recreation" of a supposed on-air blooper by 1920s children's radio presenter, "Uncle Don
Uncle Don
Uncle Don was a children's radio program which aired on WOR radio from 1928 to 1947. The host was Uncle Don Carney, a former vaudevillie performer who was born Howard Rice in 1897...
". In fact, this faux pas is an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
.
Another notable quote within the song is taken from the 1950s dramatization of Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's Journey to the Center of the Earth
Journey to the Center of the Earth
A Journey to the Center of the Earth is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the center of the Earth...
: "Don't be too happy. After a couple of months of this you'll be smacking your lips at the thought of salt beef."
The song was first aired on John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show on April 7, 1999 and quickly became one of the most requested songs on his show, surpassing even "God Save the Queen
God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols song)
"God Save the Queen" is a song by the English punk rock band The Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's second single and was featured on their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. The song was released during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977...
" by the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
.
After being included on a free sampler CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
on the industry magazine The Tip Sheet
The Tip Sheet
The Tip Sheet was a weekly magazine and CD insert for UK music industry insiders. Jonathan King founded it and was managing editor until his imprisonment in 2001. His brother, Andy, took over the position, helped by Joe Taylor....
, the song caught the attention of numerous large record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s including EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
and RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
, thanks mostly to the efforts of Jonathan King
Jonathan King
Jonathan King is an English singer, songwriter, impresario and record producer. He is also the author of three novels, Bible Two and The Booker Prize Winner , and Beware the Monkey Man , and an autobiography, 65 My Life So Far .King first came to prominence as an...
. The band eventually signed for EMI. They were given £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
25,000 to record a video for the song which ended up featuring a giant fibreglass melon
Melon
thumb|200px|Various types of melonsThis list of melons includes members of the plant family Cucurbitaceae with edible, fleshy fruit e.g. gourds or cucurbits. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit...
covered in trifle
Trifle
Trifle is a dessert dish made from thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or gelatin, and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers with fruit and sponge on the bottom, and custard and cream on top....
and a live-action hamster singing along.
Originally scheduled for release as a single in November 1999, the release date was threatened to be pushed back to some time in January 2000 until the song was played on Jo Whiley
Jo Whiley
Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
's afternoon radio show. It received much the same attention as when it had been played on Peel's show. The decision was made to move the release to December 13 to put it in line for the Christmas number 1 slot. It managed to get to number 4, being beaten by Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
's "I Have a Dream". The song did however top John Peel's Festive Fifty for that year.
Because of the relative obscurity of the Cuban Boys both before and after the single, they are generally considered to be a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
.
The people behind the Cuban Boys went on to score further one-hit wonder successes with a remake of "Rhinestone Cowboy" with Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
, a novelty kids band called the Barndance Boys
Barndance Boys
The Barndance Boys was a musical formation made as a country and folk novelty act in 2003. It was the brainchild of John Matthews to collect band kids in a fun band churning dance music...
, and the US club hit "I Am Gothic" under the name Spray
Spray (band)
Spray is a 21st century synthpop duo from England, consisting of Jenny McLaren and Ricardo Autobahn. Following the demise of their previous band, the Cuban Boys , McLaren and Autobahn released the album Living In Neon on Ninthwave Records in the USA. This was followed in 2003 by the extended single...
.