Filed Under Sketch Comedy
The Mr. Show Theme and Other Things that Make Me Drool (Metaphorically)
While doing a massive bookmark clean from Firefox yesterday, I found a little old gem which describes how the theme to the sketch show Mr. Show developed. It’s a short write-up from Eban Schletter, who while writing most of Mr. Show’s music, wasn’t around for the early days. The composer for the first four episodes was Mark Rivers - who’s since written themes for Freak Show and Moral Orel, as can be heard on his myspace page.
Mark ended up doing a few alternate themes - including one with lyrics that is apparently lost for good. But two of the others are on the page for listening in mp3 format, including one that was a suggestion from Mr. Show co-creator Bob Odenkirk that’s based in Mexican circus music. Listening to both, I have a hard time picking one that makes me forget the original. In fact, the alternative theme sounds a little sinister to me. Well, as sinister as something that can come of an out of an accordian (? - I don’t know anything about music).
The curious thing to me is I think I have almost Pavlovian reactions to the real theme. Mr. Show never really failed to deliver for me, so I have all these associations with the song and anticipating being ready to laugh real hard. I fear if anyone was to play the theme right before something like, oh, a Carlos Mencia show, I’d probably end up enjoying far more than I should.
Does anybody else out there have a sight or a sound that evokes a readiness to laugh? Or for that matter, something the other way around, that instantly brings up your guard?
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Yes, Mr. Show is the gold standard for sketch comedy in the last decade, hands down. Mark Rivers was also a writer/producer for the ill-fated but hilarious Late World with Zach.