Ragamuffins/Woodstock Slappy is the 59th episode of the original Animaniacs. It originally aired on March 1, 1994.
Theme Song
Last line
Yakko: "Citizen Kane-y..."
Tower Escape
Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Ltd.
Plot
The Warners escape the water tower on a giant condor.
Trivia
- This is the final tower escape sequence from this series.
- Clips from this sequence would later be used in the show's extended theme song opening.
Ragamuffins
Animation by StarToons
Plot
An early Warners film from 1929 is shown where the siblings disguise themselves as pastry chefs to get their hands on some food, but the boss won't let them eat.
Crew
- Written by Tom Minton
- Directed by Barry Caldwell and Jon McClenahan
Trivia
- "I Am The Very Model of A Modern Major General" is heard when The WB Kids are disguised as the Marx Brothers.
- "Shortnin' Bread" plays prominently throughout this cartoon to further support the "food" theme.
- When The WB Kids are in rags, "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is heard.
Goofs
- The narrator says this film is from 1929, but "We're in the Money" plays, which wasn't even composed until 1933.
Woodstock Slappy
Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Ltd.
Plot
In 1969, Slappy and Skippy go out to Woodstock, NY, to get some rest, but find themselves in the middle of Woodstock: the biggest music and arts festival ever assembled. Slappy attempts to disrupt the festivities to gain some much-needed peace and quiet. Features the "Who's on Stage" routine, patterned after the iconic Abbott & Costello routine "Who's on First."
Crew
- Written by John P. McCann and Tom Ruegger
- "Slappy's Polka" Written by Sherri Stoner
- Directed by Audu Paden
Songs
- "Going up the Country"
- "What Am I Singing For?"
- "Crackers and Cheese"
- "Would You Still Cheer?"
- "Can You Hear Me?"
- "Slappy's Polka"
- "Star-Spangled Banner"
Trivia
- The narrator in the intro is based off of anchor Walter Cronkite.
- Dr. Scratchansniff has a cameo lasting only four frames in the escape scene to the Magic Bus. This would later be referenced in the "Please Please Please Get a Life Foundation" cartoon.
- The musical artists referenced/shown in this short include Bing Crosby, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, The Who, Yes, The Band, Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Simon & Garfunkel ("The Sound of Silence"), Janis Joplin, Buffalo Springfield ("For What It's Worth"), John Lennon, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe McDonald, Melanie Safka, and Joe Cocker.
- Jimi Hendrix played a guitar-heavy rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock. Slappy closes the cartoon with an accordion version accompanied by parody lyrics.
- The following songs are parodied in the short:
- "Going up the Country" by Canned Heat
- Piece of My Heart by Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin (Featured as a very loud scream)
- "The "Fish" Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" by Country Joe and the Fish(parodied as "What Am I Singing For?")
- Brand New Key by Melanie (performed as Crackers and Cheese)
- "With a Little Help from my Friends" by Joe Cocker (performed as "Would You Still Cheer?")
- "See Me, Feel Me" by The Who (performed as "Can You Hear Me?")
- Skippy says The Band is performing later, although it would be more accurate to say "tomorrow" since The Who performed day two and The Band performed day three.
- Skippy has a Hair poster in his bedroom.
- Stephen Foster's Beautiful Dreamer and Symphony 6 by Beethoven is BGM in this cartoon.
- "Slappy's Polka" was written and performed by Sherri Stoner for this cartoon.
Quotes
- Slappy: Skippy, what’s the name of that group playing on stage?
- Skippy: Who.
- Slappy: The name of the group.
- Skippy: Who.
- Slappy: The group on stage!
- Skippy: Who!
- Slappy: The group playin’ on stage!
- Skippy: Who!
- Slappy: You’re startin’ to sound like an owl, Skippy.
- Skippy: Who is on stage.
- Slappy: That’s what I’m asking you. Who is on stage?
- Skippy: That’s what I said!
- Slappy: You said Who?
- Skippy: I sure did.
- Slappy: Who is onstage?
- Skippy: Yes.
- Slappy: Who is?
- Skippy: Yes.
- Slappy: Oh, so the name of the band is Yes.
- Skippy: No, Aunt Slappy, Yes is not even at this concert!
- Slappy: Wait. Let’s try this again. Do you see the band on stage?
- Skippy: No, I don’t see The Band, that’s a different group entirely!
- Slappy: On stage, Skippy! Look, see the band?
- Skippy: No I don’t!
- Slappy: Get rid of those John Lennon glasses and look! There, there’s the band!
- Skippy: No, that’s not The Band! The Band is performing later on. Who is onstage.
Goofs
- The Woodstock Festival was actually played in Bethel, New York. Though, it is possible Slappy's terrible singing at the end of the cartoon drove them to relocate to Behel.
- The Who didn't play on stage at Woodstock during the afternoon. They played at 5:00 in the morning, just before sunrise.
- Earlier in their career, The Who would destroy their instruments as the finale of large shows. They had stopped doing this by the time they played Woodstock, however, and bass guitarist John Entwistle almost never participated in the destruction.
- Melanie Safka is singing a parody of "Brand New Key," a song which would not come out until 1971.
- The Who's frontman is given a Liverpool accent when they were actually from London.
Gallery
Chase Ending
Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Ltd.
Plot
The Warners return to the water tower via a lasso from Wakko's gag bag. When Ralph pulls the rope, a horse falls on him. The Warners just shrug and go back into the tower.
Trivia
- This the final chase ending.
Cast
Voice Actors: | Character(s): |
Sherri Stoner | Slappy Squirrel |
Nathan Ruegger | Skippy Squirrel |
Frank Welker | Narrator, Rock Singers |
Rob Paulsen | Yakko Warner, Rock Singers |
Jess Harnell | Wakko Warner, Country Joe McDonald, Additional Voices |
Tress MacNeille | Dot Warner, Melanie Safka, Additional Voices |
Jim Cummings | Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker, Additional Voices |
Transcript
References