Cover of Tiny TimThis one is for you Stephen T. McCarthy.
Bizarre, funny, and misunderstood. Tiny Tim was seen more as a silly singer of novelty tunes than the the talented artist that he was. Sure, he capitalized on his outre status--why not? If it sold records and got him gigs, why not take advantage of what people expected. All people are strange if you really think about it and Tiny Tim was honest about it.
Here's a story: Back in 1980 I went on a short tour with a very funny magician named Chuck Windley. We were playing dates in the Northeast United States during the Christmas season. After setting out from Charlotte, North Carolina, we pulled an all-nighter travelling to New England. With the coming of daylight we reached New York City. As we entered the Holland Tunnel, Chuck driving his mid-seventies model Cadillac pulling a battered trailer filled with show equipment, we were giddy and blurry-eyed from a long night of driving and laughing and just being plain silly. When we emerged from the other side of the tunnel in the gray haze of early morning, the first person we saw on the street was Tiny Tim.
Yes, it was him as big as life. There was no mistaking this. Another burst of laughter erupted inside the Caddy. It was too strange and wonderful. We were strange because people are strange. And life is often strange like a dream.
I liked Tiny Tim...still do....I think I used him for a post on the last A to Z.
ReplyDeleteIt's true Arlee, we are all strange in our own differences; some stranger than others.
ReplyDeleteI've meet some really out of the box characters and their strangeness has thrown me for a loop - haha!
Tina Tim caused curiosity and in my opinion curiosity is compelling! Interesting voice he had!
http://bettyalark.blogspot.com
I've only ever heard one Tiny Tim song in my whole life and do not remember what the circumstances were because I was too little. It may have been on a TV show though. The song was 'Sunshine Cake' and for some reason it cracked me up. Thanks for the happy memory, even though it isn't even fully formed. :)
ReplyDeleteYou done good, BOIDMAN!
ReplyDeleteI still really like your Tiny Tim story as I can easily imagine it in my mind and indeed it must have seemed very much as if you had somehow driven into a dream.
Poor Tiny! Like most other people, all I had ever heard was 'Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips' and I thought that was all there was to Tiny Tim. Like most other people, I also thought of Tiny as truly what you get when scraping the bottom of the "music barrel".
I'll never ever forget the surprise I felt the first time (October 24, 2009) I listened to his debut album fully expecting the worst. But by track 8 on the album there was no denying it: I had become a major Tiny Tim fan!
And, as you know, I still think my all-time favorite quote comes from Tiny Tim's 1970 interview with Harold Ramis.
Lastly, speaking of people being strange, I have to say that I think I like Tiny's version of the song 'People Are Strange' even better than the Doors' original. At one point in that song he makes some strange noise with his voice that I swear is humanly impossible! It sounds more like a computer glitch or something.
Tiny Tim what an absolute original! Strange, misunderstood, talented and unjustly mocked. Also, at one time, a walking/talking encyclopedia of early American music.
Boid, you served good "T" today.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Ah Lee I remember Tiny Tim, he also hit the healines over here.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Tiny Tim was a sweet soul.
ReplyDeleteThe video is the perfect reminder that every day should be Earth Day.
I must be a bit thick, have had a repressed childhood or it didn't reach my shores - but what is this version of Tiny Tim you refer to?
ReplyDeleteBex
www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com
Amazing story, I'll bet that was surreal. Nice tribute to STMc as well as TT
ReplyDeleteDelores -- Tiny Tim was a unique and underrated talent.
ReplyDeleteAlark -- What seems normal to one person maybe be totally strange to another. It all makes for an interesting world.
Tracy -- Tiny Tim cracked a lot of people up, mostly because he was so different.
StMc -- Thanks to you I've done a tribute to Tiny even though it was kind of a tiny tribute.
Yvonne -- Tiny Tim was quite a sensation when he first hit the scene.
Paula -- This video was way ahead of its time.
Bex -- Tiny Tim was a novelty singer who first gained fame with his ukelele accompanied version of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips". He was a serious artist of his musical craft but not taken seriously by most because of his appearance and sound.
Faraway Eyes-- I had to do Tiny Tim for Stephen. And Tiny fit in well with my theme.
Lee
Man, Tiny Tim! I remember seeing him on Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson. Surreal. When "Men In Black" movie showed T.T. as an alien from a faraway planet, here in disguise, it all fit.
ReplyDeleteYou have some crazy great adventures to your credit, Arlee!
Susan -- I consorted with some unique people which made for some interesting adventures.
ReplyDeleteLee