ex lion tamer seeks same

My life has become something of a circus these past few days, what with all the goings on and shenanigans and grease-painted harbingers of pure evil showing up in tiny cars and such. (OK, I made that last part up. There has been no clown invasion, and for that I am very thankful.) Still, when life decides to launch you out of a cannon in the center ring, one has to simply execute a triple somersault and hope that the carnies weren’t too drunk when they set up the catch net.

Keeping with the prevailing situation, here’s a three ring set of festively flamboyant instrumentals for you listening enjoyment:

Bad Manners – Can Can (from Gosh It’s…Bad Manners, 1981) – Kick those legs high, rude boys and rude girls! This is a ska-i-fied rendition of “The Infernal Galop” from Jacques Offenbach’s 1858 opera, Orpheus in the Underworld. The tune was also put to use in the videogame Mr. Do, joining Gyruss (Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor) and Pengo (Gershon Kingley’s Moog synthesizer showpiece “Popcorn”) in the “highbrow musical appropriation by a videogame” club.

Sounds Incorporated – In the Hall of the Mountain King (from Sounds Incorporated, 1983) – Grieg’s legendary piece gets a 60’s surf and sax update from this British Invasion combo. Sounds Incorporated were one of the acts in tone-deaf, homicidal visionary Joe Meek’s stable. They performed a similarly manic version of “The William Tell Overture” in 1964’s Pop Gear performance film, and I was struck by how much their onstage antics (loads o’ leaping) and “nutty” style reminded me of a prototype version Madness.

The Toy Dolls – Sabre Dance (from Covered in Toy Dolls, 2002) – Here’s a plugged-in version of the Fraternal Order of Plate Spinners’ official anthem (originally part of Aram Khachaturian’s 1942 ballet Gayane). While there was an era where a skilled plate spinner could command top dollar at the venue of his or her choice, the cancellation of the Ed Sullivan Show in 1971 proved to be a hit from which the industry would never recover. Is this what we call “progress,” people? If so, then I want no part of it, buster.