Meet the Raisins!
Encyclopedia
Meet the Raisins! is a 1988
animated
television special
directed by Will Vinton
, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins
. The show was broadcast November 4, 1988, on the U.S. television network CBS
during primetime. It was the Raisins' second appearance in a primetime special and their first dedicated feature. Meet the Raisins! would be followed by a sequel in 1990, Raisins: Sold Out!.
The 24-minute special shortly followed its similarly titled soundtrack album
released on August 8, 1988 on Atlantic Records
. Aired during the characters' peak in popularity, Meet the Raisins! is presented in a mockumentary
style depicting the Raisins' musical career. It was nominated for the 1989 Primetime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Animated Program
.
s musical documentaries with its use of anthropomorphic
food characters. Through its historical perspective, the special also provided an opportunity to elaborate on the personalities and introduce names of the simple yet popular characters. It follows the California Raisins' humble beginnings, rise to musical success, fall from stardom, and eventual comeback. This includes "home movie" clips, scenes of the group's early days as the Vine-Yls, concert footage, and interviews with the people behind the success of the California Raisins including manager Rudy Begaman. The group is also shown performing various hit songs.
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine," the group's signature song, reached #84 on the Billboard
Hot 100 in 1988. The soundtrack received praise from Allmusic's Peter Fawthrop who named it an AMG Album Pick.
on March 14, 1989. It was re-released on September 12, 1990 with a California Raisin plush doll.
The special will be released on DVD
November 15, 2011. Included in the set will be the sequel to the claymation special, Raisins: Sold Out!: The California Raisins II along with all 13 episodes of the animated series, The California Raisin Show
and 4 original TV ads.
animated
television special
directed by Will Vinton
, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins
. The show was broadcast August 29, 1990, on the U.S. television network CBS
during primetime. It was the sequel to the Emmy-nominated special Meet the Raisins! in 1988.
This special has the band hiring a slick-talking new manager in an attempt to make a comeback. Under his guidance, the Raisins try their hand at various new musical genres, including Disco Polka, Country Rap, and Demolition Rock, to humorous effect. The group's troubles begin to manifest, however, upon the replacement of singer A.C. with their manager's young protege.
gave the special a mediocre C+ review. She described it as "a lot like traditional Saturday-morning cartoon fare: harmless, but not especially enriching."
.
The special will be released on DVD
November 15, 2011. Included in the set will be the original claymation special, Meet the Raisins! along with all 13 episodes of the animated series, The California Raisin Show
and 4 original TV ads.
1988 in television
The year 1988 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1988.For the American TV schedule, see: 1988-89 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
directed by Will Vinton
Will Vinton
Will Vinton is an American director and producer of animated films. He was born in McMinnville, Oregon, near Portland. He has won an Oscar for his work, and several Emmy Awards and Clio Awards for the work of his studio.- Education :...
, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins
The California Raisins
The California Raisins were a fictional rhythm and blues musical group as well as advertising and merchandising characters composed of anthropomorphized raisins based on black caricatures. Lead vocals were sung by musician Buddy Miles...
. The show was broadcast November 4, 1988, on the U.S. television network CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
during primetime. It was the Raisins' second appearance in a primetime special and their first dedicated feature. Meet the Raisins! would be followed by a sequel in 1990, Raisins: Sold Out!.
The 24-minute special shortly followed its similarly titled soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
released on August 8, 1988 on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Aired during the characters' peak in popularity, Meet the Raisins! is presented in a mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
style depicting the Raisins' musical career. It was nominated for the 1989 Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for Outstanding Animated Program
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour)
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program is a Creative Arts Emmy Award which is given annually to an animated series which is judged to have been the best...
.
Plot
Meet the Raisins! spoofParody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
s musical documentaries with its use of anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
food characters. Through its historical perspective, the special also provided an opportunity to elaborate on the personalities and introduce names of the simple yet popular characters. It follows the California Raisins' humble beginnings, rise to musical success, fall from stardom, and eventual comeback. This includes "home movie" clips, scenes of the group's early days as the Vine-Yls, concert footage, and interviews with the people behind the success of the California Raisins including manager Rudy Begaman. The group is also shown performing various hit songs.
Reception
The special gained praise for its witty, family-friendly humor as well as its impressive claymation.Award nominations
- 1989 Primetime Emmy AwardPrimetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination for Outstanding Animated ProgramPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour)The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program is a Creative Arts Emmy Award which is given annually to an animated series which is judged to have been the best...
Soundtrack
Meet the Raisins! is the official soundtrack to the CBS television special of the same name. It consists of rock & roll and R&B hits largely from the Motown era."I Heard It Through the Grapevine," the group's signature song, reached #84 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 in 1988. The soundtrack received praise from Allmusic's Peter Fawthrop who named it an AMG Album Pick.
Track listing
- "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursSigned, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" is a soul single by American musician Stevie Wonder, recorded for Motown's Tamla label. Released in June 1970, the song spent six weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number three on the U.S. Pop chart...
" - "ShotgunShotgun (song)"Shotgun" is a 1965 single by Junior Walker & the All Stars, produced by Berry Gordy Jr. and Lawrence Horn. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B Singles chart for four non-consecutive weeks and was a Top 10 Pop smash, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100...
" - "Green OnionsGreen OnionsGreen Onions is the debut album by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, released on Stax Records in October of 1962. It reached number 33 on the Pop Albums chart in the month of its release...
" - "Ain't Too Proud to BegAin't Too Proud to Beg"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a 1966 song and hit single by The Temptations for Motown Records' Gordy label, produced by Norman Whitfield and written by Whitfield and Edward Holland, Jr. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Chart, and was a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts for...
" - "At the HopAt the Hop"At the Hop" is a hit rock 'n' roll song written by Arthur Singer, John Medora and David White and originally released by Danny & the Juniors. The song was released in the fall of 1957, and reached number one on the US charts on January 6, 1958, thus becoming one of the top-selling singles of 1958...
" - "Get a JobGet a Job (song)"Get a Job" is one of the best known doo-wop songs of the 1950s. Recorded by The Silhouettes in October 1957, the song reached the number one spot on the Billboard pop and R&B singles charts in February 1958....
" - "Cool JerkCool Jerk"Cool Jerk" is a popular song written by Donald Storball and originally performed by The Capitols. Released in 1966, it reached the number two position on the American R&B chart and number seven on the pop chart...
" - "Tears on My PillowTears on My Pillow"Tears on My Pillow" is a doo-wop song written by Sylvester Bradford and Al Lewis in 1958. The composition was first recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials on End Records and was that group's debut recording under that name. Their original recording of the song became a Billboard Top 10 Pop...
" - "Tutti FruttiTutti Frutti (song)"Tutti Frutti" is a 1955 song by Little Richard, which became his first hit record. With its opening cry of "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bop-bop!" and its hard-driving sound and wild lyrics, it became not only a model for many future Little Richard songs, but also one of the...
" - "Papa Oom Mow Mow"
- "Sh-BoomSh-Boom"Sh-Boom" is an early doo-wop song. It was written by James Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd F. McRae, and James Edwards, members of the R&B vocal group The Chords and published in 1954. It was a U.S...
" - "I Heard It Through the GrapevineI Heard It through the Grapevine"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles...
"
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine I Heard It through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles... " |
Hot 100 | 84 |
Releases
Meet the Raisins! was released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
on March 14, 1989. It was re-released on September 12, 1990 with a California Raisin plush doll.
The special will be released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
November 15, 2011. Included in the set will be the sequel to the claymation special, Raisins: Sold Out!: The California Raisins II along with all 13 episodes of the animated series, The California Raisin Show
The California Raisin Show
The California Raisin Show is an animated television series based on the claymation advertising characters The California Raisins. The show is based on an Emmy Award-winning claymation special, Meet the Raisins!, which originally aired on CBS in 1988...
and 4 original TV ads.
Raisins: Sold Out!: The California Raisins II
Raisins: Sold Out!: The California Raisins II is a 19901990 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
directed by Will Vinton
Will Vinton
Will Vinton is an American director and producer of animated films. He was born in McMinnville, Oregon, near Portland. He has won an Oscar for his work, and several Emmy Awards and Clio Awards for the work of his studio.- Education :...
, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins
The California Raisins
The California Raisins were a fictional rhythm and blues musical group as well as advertising and merchandising characters composed of anthropomorphized raisins based on black caricatures. Lead vocals were sung by musician Buddy Miles...
. The show was broadcast August 29, 1990, on the U.S. television network CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
during primetime. It was the sequel to the Emmy-nominated special Meet the Raisins! in 1988.
This special has the band hiring a slick-talking new manager in an attempt to make a comeback. Under his guidance, the Raisins try their hand at various new musical genres, including Disco Polka, Country Rap, and Demolition Rock, to humorous effect. The group's troubles begin to manifest, however, upon the replacement of singer A.C. with their manager's young protege.
Reception
Valerie Monroe of Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave the special a mediocre C+ review. She described it as "a lot like traditional Saturday-morning cartoon fare: harmless, but not especially enriching."
Releases
As was its predecessor, Raisins: Sold Out! was released in VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
.
The special will be released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
November 15, 2011. Included in the set will be the original claymation special, Meet the Raisins! along with all 13 episodes of the animated series, The California Raisin Show
The California Raisin Show
The California Raisin Show is an animated television series based on the claymation advertising characters The California Raisins. The show is based on an Emmy Award-winning claymation special, Meet the Raisins!, which originally aired on CBS in 1988...
and 4 original TV ads.