Silly Songs with Larry

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Silly Songs with Larry is a regular feature segment in

Archibald Asparagus, Oscar the Polish Caterer, and the French Peas Jean-Claude and Philippe, or an ensemble is featured in Larry's place. The Silly Songs have proven to be a very popular part of the show and have also prompted the release of several "sing-along" and compilation videos of these segments, some wrapped with new material that threads them into a fresh context. Some of the silly songs have been nominated for a GMA Dove Award.[1]

Segment structure

Sometimes a Silly Song is introduced with a static picture of Larry. Then, an unseen narrator, sometimes Archibald, says the following: "And now it's time for Silly Songs with Larry, the part of the show where Larry comes out & sings a silly song." However, this format is used loosely; sometimes it is renamed, adapted to the context of the episode, or eschewed altogether.

The Silly Song, if present, always appears in the middle of an episode, usually at a

stage set
, behind which electrical outlets and ceramic tile can be seen.

On a few occasions, the song is stopped and replaced before it can even begin. Sometimes when this occurs, the brief images that are shown of the original song are intentionally more outlandish than usual, leaving the audience to wonder what it might have been. Examples of this occurring include

.

The segment typically ends, unless pre-empted or replaced by another character, with the same unseen narrator saying "This has been Silly Songs with Larry. Tune in next time to hear Larry say/sing...."

History

Are You My Neighbor), the segment has returned.[3]

Mike Nawrocki has written and directed a majority of the silly songs for the past 20 years. Kurt Heinecke has served as producer and composer for nearly all of the silly songs of the past 20 years.[4] Christian songwriter Steve Taylor wrote the 2009 silly song entitled "Sippy Cup."[5]

Many of the Silly Songs such as ''The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything'', ''His Cheeseburger'', ''The Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps'', and ''Belly Button'' have been nominated for several GMA Dove Award including best music video of the year.[1]

The segment was briefly discontinued after the original series ended in 2015 and were not featured in the Dreamworks spinoff series VeggieTales in the House (2014-2016) or VeggieTales in the City (2017). On his podcast (entitled The Holy Post) in late spring of 2019, Phil Vischer announced that the silly song segment will be returning with new songs in the new series The VeggieTales Show (which premiered in October 2019).[6]

Songs

VeggieTales (1993-2015)

The VeggieTales Show (2019–present)

  • “The Agitated Song” (A Lifetime Supply of Joy) Written by Guy Vasilovich in 2020 - As the cast takes a brief intermission from the play of Paul and Silas, Larry becomes extremely agitated at Archibald for leaving the story on a cliffhanger. Bob then forces Larry to perform a silly song for the audience during intermission, but Larry becomes extremely agitated at the cast and sings the shortest silly song in VeggieTales history.[9]
  • “Amazing Glazed” (It’s Cool to be Kind) Written by Mike Nawrocki in 2020 - Larry sings a western ballad about Billy the Doughnut puppet. Billy is in love with Mary-Joe Cruller. However, Mary-Joe literally has a hole where her heart should be.
  • "Wanna Wallaby" (Little Things Matter) Written by Phil Vischer in 2020 - Larry sings about his desire to be an Australian Wallaby, but his excessive kicking has Archibald intervene and end the song.
  • "Oh Pluto" (Being Gentle Makes You Great) Written by Phil Vischer in 2020 - Larry sings about where the planet Pluto has gone, until Archibald intervenes after the song ends, stating that Pluto is a dwarf planet.
  • "Tooth Sweater" (The Giving-est Day) Written by Phil Vischer in 2021 - Larry sings about tooth sweaters, sweaters that cover your teeth. Bob later interrupts the song, stating that other parts of Larry's body aren't covered up, like his eyes. When Larry covers them up with eye sweaters, it causes him to lose his vision and make chaos in the silly song's set.
  • "Sleep Singing" (The Good Shepherd) - written by Mike Nawrocki in 2021- Larry, Jimmy, and Mr. Lunt all sing about Bob's activities while he sleepwalks, which include singing, eating from the trash, and dancing. Bob later wakes up from his trance, and wonders what happened in his sleep.
  • "Alligator Family" (“The One and Only You”) - written by Phil Vischer in 2021- After being attacked by an alligator in the previous sketch of the show, Bob gets the alligator in the crate and is about to take him to a zoo. However, Bob is interrupted by Larry who wants to keep the alligator and make it a part of his family.

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Indie

[10]
US
Kid

[10]
And Now It's Time for Silly Songs with Larry
  • Released September 18, 2001
  • Labels: Action Music
13 2
25 Favorite Silly Songs!
  • Released: July 16, 2011
25

Videos

Title Year
A Very Silly Sing-Along!
1997
Silly Sing-Along 2: The End of Silliness?!?
1998
The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown
2001
If I Sang A Sly Song 2012
Silly Songs With Larry: The Complete Collection 2015

References

  1. ^ a b "Past Winners | The 50th Annual GMA Dove Awards". Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  2. ^ Vischer, Phil (2008). p. 105-106.
  3. ^ Vischer, Phil (2008). p. 107.
  4. OCLC 799058621
    .
  5. ^ VeggieTales: Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah's Umbrella (Audio Commentary), archived from the original on 2021-12-19, retrieved 2019-08-16
  6. ^ More Details on 'The VeggieTales Show', archived from the original on 2021-12-19, retrieved 2019-08-16
  7. ^ VeggieTales – Credits Song, retrieved 2019-05-08
  8. ^ "Rock Monster lyrics by VeggieTales from The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A Veggietales Movie soundtrack". www.stlyrics.com. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
  9. ^ The VeggieTales Show (March 26, 2020). "Larry's First Silly Song - The VeggieTales Show | A LifeTime Supply of Joy". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  10. ^
    Rovi Corporation
    . Accessed on August 2, 2013.

Further reading