22 replies to this topic

[SteveJRogers]

John and Dan clearly have Jake and Elwood's mannerisms in the song, and while it is a "Bee" performance, can this be considered more of a "Blues Brothers" bit (before the characters were even invented) or was this just a random "Okay, you want to do a Blues sketch, here you go" bit with the Bees motif

I side with, yeah that was a performance by the Blues Brothers rather than John & Dan in the Bee getup. Too simillar to what ended up as the BB template not to be, or bee as the case is heh!

[Odupianist]

This is the first televised Blues Brothers performance as far as I know. John and Dan performed from time to time to entertain the audience while waiting before, but this was the first time it was on TV. I think by the "King Bee" skit, they had the Blues Brothers costumes ready, but they were not ready to reveal them. They wanted to, but they didn't think they were ready. Afterwards, they decided they were, and that they had an image and they needed to use it. I consider this a Blues Brothers performance for that reason.

[JacobSteinAFM]

I wouldn't consider it an official Blues Brothers appearance since the suit and shades first existed a couple years before that. But the King Bee sketch is definetely a part of the Blues Brothers' history.

[Odupianist]

A couple years? I find that hard to believe.

[JacobSteinAFM]

Odupianist said:

A couple years? I find that hard to believe.

According to the Belushi biography, the Blues Brothers already existed before SNL. I think they also mention this in the movie documentary.

[bbcentral]

They did gigs in real life before SNL, I think they said they played with Willie Nelson at the Lone Star Cafe?

[Odupianist]

I thought they did the gigs (precostume) on SNL in between skits to entertain the audience, got costumes, performed gigs outside (or vice versa on the 'got costumes' part), then took it on SNL. I thought they decided SNL wasn't ready for the costume yet, so they did King Bee, then did the costumes.

[Guitarman5151]

The story I heard was that John hated the bee suits and they told him if he wanted to do a number on the air that he had to do it in the bee suits and he wanted to do one that bad the he did it that time. Even though he hated them.

[Cropper Classic]

bbcentral said:

They did gigs in real life before SNL, I think they said they played with Willie Nelson at the Lone Star Cafe?

I believe Chris is correct.

They actually had the shades and suits BEFORE the King Bee skit and prior to performing on SNL they did some "small" scale performances.

[Vinnie Blues]

Elwood wore the glass and hat from the Blues Brothers on that skit. Check this from YouTube (one of my favs) :

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FcIeo3nRT7Q

Most of the Blues Brothers style was already in it : the spoken introduction, musical arrangements, energy and rhythm, vocals and harp, the humor. In my opinion, it's a Blues Brothers thing. I've always wondered why they hadn't sung it afterwards in full Blues Brothers regalia. Maybe they had been too much traumatized by the Bee costumes ! Any ideas ?

[Odupianist]

They did do small BB performances before King Bee, BUT they weren't ready to reveal their full ensemble to the world on SNL. So they went with the Bee outfits.

[Cannibal]

Yeah, it's definitely an official Blues Brothers performance.
Guitarman5151 has it right. I saw an interview with Dan once where he said basically the same thing. I'm pretty sure it was Lorne Michaels who insisted on the bee suits. John and Dan had been developing the act for some time and wanted to take it on the air. Lorne said they could do it but they had to wear the bee costumes. The performance was a hit, which gave John and Dan a little more cloute to develop the Blues Brothers thing further. After that performance they said they would never do it that way again because it cheapened and ridiculed what they were really trying to do. Lorne Michaels didn't have much choice because the fans wanted more.

[Vinnie Blues]

Thanks Cannibal for this input. I fully agree with you. I only wish they would have performed it later in full Blues Brothers regalia.

It's well known that the cast hated the bee costumes. John and Dan were right to think the bee costumes could make their act ridicule, as in their minds, they were into a real blues act.

[Cannibal]

Yeah, I think Lorne just didn't quite see their full vision. They wanted to put together a real blues act and Lorne wanted some kind of parody. I like how that was a solid and serious performance in spite of the costumes.

[SteveJRogers]

Cannibal said:

Yeah, I think Lorne just didn't quite see their full vision. They wanted to put together a real blues act and Lorne wanted some kind of parody. I like how that was a solid and serious performance in spite of the costumes.

I second that notion. Lorne wanting the comedic effect of "King Bee" being sung by actual bees rather than the real blues act John and Dan were creating.

[Vinnie Blues]

Fortunately for us BB fans, John and Dan clang to their idea in front of Lorne Michaels ! Otherwise there would have never a Blues Brothers movie - probably. Thanks to everyone input here, real instructive.

[boon blues]

me n peewee covered king bee last week (just so i could play some cliche blues licks!) and how blue can a man get bb king (same reason lol) if john and dan had sung michael row your boat ashore in bb fashion, with the same gusto! i might have covered that as well lol:-D

[Vinnie Blues]

I love 'How Blue Can You Get' by BB King. I've learnt it too. I love the spoken bit he makes on that song :

I gave a brand new Ford
But you said I want a Cadillac !
I bought you a 10-dollar dinner
You said thanks for the snack !
I let you live in my penthouse
You said it was just a shack !
I gave you seven children
And now you wanna give 'em back !

With such a spouse, for sure you can get the blues ! LOL

[Vinnie Blues]

I would have loved the brothers to perform 'I'm a King Bee' in full Blues Brothers regalia.

Another song I would have loved them to perform - to pieces : 'Sex Machine' by James Brown. The more I listen to that song, the more I wish the brothers could have covered it. James Brown sang it with another guy who replies to him and I could hear Jake and Elwood doing the same. I can also imagine Jake's temper matching that song to perfection. *sigh... would have been so great...*

[Guitarman5151]

Vinnie Blues said:

I love 'How Blue Can You Get' by BB King. I've learnt it too. I love the spoken bit he makes on that song :

I gave a brand new Ford
But you said I want a Cadillac !
I bought you a 10-dollar dinner
You said thanks for the snack !
I let you live in my penthouse
You said it was just a shack !
I gave you seven children
And now you wanna give 'em back !

With such a spouse, for sure you can get the blues ! LOL

That kinda sounds like my Ex-wife!:lol: