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Difference between revisions of "Homer's Barbershop Quartet/References"

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== Cultural references ==
 
== Cultural references ==
*The record that [[Comic Book Guy]] had at the swap meet, ''[[Melvin and the Squirrels]]'' is a spoof of ''{{w|Alvin and the Chipmunks}}''.
+
*When [[Mayor Quimby]] says "Ich bin ein Springfield Swap Meet patron" it is a parody of what President [[John F. Kennedy]] said in Berlin in 1963, "{{W|Ich bin ein Berliner}}".
*The song "[[Baby on Board]]" was first heard in Ishtar, the flop 1987 motion picture comedy starring [[Dustin Hoffman]] and {{w|Warren Beatty}}.
+
*[[Moe]] is selling oyster shells that resemble [[Lucille Ball]].
*A deleted scene of this episode showed Skinner going back to his mother. She asks him if he was with a woman, he says no, then she asks for a bath, followed by mad laughing and a close-up of their ''{{w|Psycho}}''-parody house. This is the first time Skinner would be involved in a knock-off joke based on the movie Psycho.
+
*[[Principal Skinner]]'s prisoner number was 24601, which was {{W|Jean Valjean}}'s prisoner number in ''{{W|Les Misérables}}''.
*The cover of ''[[Bigger Than Jesus]]'', the Be-Sharps' second album, features the group walking on water--a triple parody:  
+
*The "junk" items Homer pulls out of the box include the {{W|United States Declaration of Independence}}, a copy of ''[[Action Comics|Action Comics #1]], {{W|Inverted Jenny}} stamps and a {{W|Stradivarius}} violin.
**a direct parody of the art on [[The Beatles]] album ''{{w|Abbey Road}}'',
+
*The album ''[[S' Wonderful S' Marvelous S' Krusty]]'' is a reference to the album ''{{W2|'S Wonderful!|album}}'' by {{W|Ray Conniff}}.
**a reference to {{w|Jesus' walk on water}}, and  
+
*''[[Melvin and the Squirrels]]'' is a parody of ''{{W|Alvin and the Chipmunks}}''. The "rodent invasion" to which he refers is a parody of the {{W|British Invasion}}.
**a reference to {{w|John Lennon}}’s remark that the Beatles were {{w|More popular than Jesus}}.
+
*Homer mentions [[Joe Piscopo]] leaving ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' to conquer Hollywood.
*After Wiggum was replaced by Barney, an angry mob was shouting "Wiggum forever, Barney never." The same thing happened to the Beatles when they replaced {{w|Pete Best}} with [[Ringo Starr]], the fans said "Pete forever, Ringo never".
+
*Homer mentions that the song "{{W|Achy Breaky Heart}}" by {{W|Billy Ray Cyrus}} was seven years away.
 +
*The various performances in the beginning are a reference to The Beatles performances in {{W|Hamburg}} and [[Liverpool]].
 +
*{{ap|Nigel|Homer's Barbershop Quartet}} says that [[Chief Wiggum]] is "too [[Village People]]".
 +
*The scene where Homer abandons Wiggum in the wild parodies ''{{W|The Howling}}''.
 +
*The performance at Moe's Tavern is a reference to the Beatles performance at the {{W|Cavern Club}} for 292 performances from 1961 to 1963 and the Moe's Cavern is reference to The Cavern Club.
 +
*After Wiggum was replaced by Barney, an angry mob was shouting "Wiggum forever, Barney never." The same thing happened to the Beatles when they replaced [[Pete Best]] with [[Ringo Starr]], the fans said "Pete forever, Ringo never".
 +
*The song "[[Al Capone's Vault]]" is about the primetime special aired live on April 21, 1986 ''{{W|The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults}}'' hosted by [[Geraldo Rivera]].
 +
*Grampa changes the radio station from The Be Sharps to [[Paul Harvey]]'s retelling of the early life of [[Roy Cohn]].
 +
*There is a picture of [[Charlie Chaplin]] on the wall in Homer's hotel room.
 +
*The song Lisa is referring to when she tells Homer "You beat out {{W|Dexys Midnight Runners}}" for a Grammy is ''{{W|Come on Eileen}}''. Homer shows an inability to predict the future when he responds "Well, you haven't heard the last of them."
 +
*The cover of ''[[Bigger Than Jesus]]'', the Be-Sharps' second album, features the group walking on water—a triple parody:  
 +
**a direct parody of the art on [[The Beatles]] album ''{{W|Abbey Road}}'',
 +
**a reference to {{W|Jesus' walk on water}}, and  
 +
**a reference to [[John Lennon]]'s remark that the Beatles were {{W|more popular than Jesus}}.
 +
*Apu says that "[[A Be Sharps Surgeon General Warning]]" is worse than the song about {{Ch|Mr. T}}. Homer then says "I pity the fool who doesn't like he.", copying Mr. T's catchphrase.'
 +
*The shot of the band listening to Barney and [[Kako|his new Japanese conceptual artist girlfriend]]'s new song ''[[Number 8]]'' (itself a parody of the Beatles' ''{{W|Revolution 9}}'') is a recreation of [http://mccartney.com/?p=12928 photograph of the Beatles with Yoko Ono in 1969].  
 
*The final scene where the Be Sharps sing on top of Moe's Tavern is a parody of an impromptu concert that the Beatles had on top of an office building. Right when the episode blacks out and the credits appear, Homer says: ''"I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition,"'' an actual quote by [[John Lennon]] spoken right after they played "Get Back" on the rooftop.
 
*The final scene where the Be Sharps sing on top of Moe's Tavern is a parody of an impromptu concert that the Beatles had on top of an office building. Right when the episode blacks out and the credits appear, Homer says: ''"I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition,"'' an actual quote by [[John Lennon]] spoken right after they played "Get Back" on the rooftop.
*The performance at Moe's Tavern is a reference to the Beatles performance at the {{w|Cavern Club}} for 292 performances from 1961 to 1963 and the Moe's Cavern is reference to The Cavern Club.
+
*The Be Sharps are performing onboard for the {{W|Liberty Weekend}} concert celebrating the centennial of the [[Statue of Liberty]] opening to the public. Among the battleships President [[Ronald Reagan]] and First Lady [[Nancy Reagan]] were onboard {{W|USS John F. Kennedy|USS ''John F. Kennedy''}}.
*The various performances in the beginning are a reference to The Beatles performances in {{w|Hamburg}} and [[Liverpool]].
+
 
 +
=== Songs ===
 +
*The original Be Sharps sing "{{ap|Hello! Ma Baby|Homer's Barbershop Quartet}}", written by {{W|Joseph E. Howard}} and {{W|Ida Emerson}}.
 +
*The original Be Sharps sing "[[Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby]]", originally by Les Applegate.
 +
*[[Grampa]] sings a parody of [[Frank Sinatra]]'s parody of "[[Old MacDonald Had a Farm]]".
 +
*[[Groundskeeper Willie]] sings "{{ap|Downtown|song}}", by {{W|Petula Clark}}.
 +
*[[Jasper Beardley]] sings "[[Theme from A Summer Place]]", the theme song for the film ''{{W2|A Summer Place|film}}''.
 +
*[[Chief Wiggum]] sings "[[Talk to the Animals]]", from the film ''{{W2|Doctor Dolittle|1967 film}}''.
 +
*[[Barney]] sings "[[Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral]]" by {{W|James Royce Shannon}}.
 +
*The Be Sharps sing "[[Sweet Adeline]]", written by {{W|Henry W. Armstrong}} and Richard Husch Gerard.
  
 
== Trivia ==
 
== Trivia ==
*This was [[David Crosby]]'s second appearance on the show, and the second appearance of a Beatle on the show.
+
*The chalkboard gag reads 'I will never win an [[Emmy Award|Emmy]]', even though [[Nancy Cartwright]] did while voicing [[Bart]] in "[[Separate Vocations]]" in 1992, over a year before this episode aired.
 +
*The [[First Church of Springfield marquee]] calls "The Be Sharps" by name, before the group had come up with the name.
 
*The famous Disneyland barbershop quartet, the [[Dapper Dans]], provided the singing voices for the [[Be Sharps]].
 
*The famous Disneyland barbershop quartet, the [[Dapper Dans]], provided the singing voices for the [[Be Sharps]].
*Apu's new name (de Beaumarchais) is French for 'of the good market', an obscure reference to the [[Kwik-E-Mart]].
+
*Apu's new name (de Beaumarchais) is French for 'of the beautiful market', an obscure reference to the [[Kwik-E-Mart]].
 
*This is the first episode to be dedicated in memory of someone, in this case [[Michael P. Schoenbrun]].
 
*This is the first episode to be dedicated in memory of someone, in this case [[Michael P. Schoenbrun]].
  
 
== Continuity ==
 
== Continuity ==
*Principal Skinner recognizes an old prison helmet of his from Vietnam with the number '24601'; this is the number tattoed on Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, and his only identification. The same number is also [[Sideshow Bob]]'s prison number in Black Widower.
+
*Some bands from previous episodes appear at the Grammy award party in the flashback:
 +
**{{Chs|Spinal Tap}}
 +
**{{Chs|Aerosmith}}
 +
*[[Leon Kompowsky]] also appears at the Grammy party.
 
*In ''[[The Simpsons: Hit & Run]]'', one of Apu's 3 costumes is his quartet outfit from this episode.
 
*In ''[[The Simpsons: Hit & Run]]'', one of Apu's 3 costumes is his quartet outfit from this episode.
  
 
== Goofs ==
 
== Goofs ==
*After the "replacement Homer" malfunctions, the next scene shows Santa's Little Helper burying him in the yard. Santa's Little Helper did not become the Simpsons' pet until the Christmas special (and first episode), "Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire". Answer: ''He could have been a different dog and either killed or ran away before Santa's Little Helper came around.''
 
 
*The sign outside the Church in 1985 credits the group as "The Be Sharps" before they even decided on the name.
 
*The sign outside the Church in 1985 credits the group as "The Be Sharps" before they even decided on the name.
*M.C. Hammer appeared at the 1985 Grammys but he didn't get famous until the 1990s.
+
*When the group (with Barney) performs at the [[Statue of Liberty]], Chief Wiggum's voice can clearly be heard.
*When the group (with Barney) performs at the Statue of Liberty, Chief Wiggum's voice can clearly be heard.
+
*Homer refers to Joe Piscopo leaving Saturday Night Live in 1985 when setting the scene for the story, but Piscopo left the show in 1984, before the show underwent a cast overhaul for season 10 (and again in seasons 11 and 12).
* Homer refers to Joe Piscopo leaving Saturday Night Live in 1985 when setting the scene for the story, but Piscopo left the show in 1984, before the show underwent a cast overhaul for season 10 (and again in seasons 11 and 12).
+
*In the final shot of the episode, Chief Wiggum is drawn off-model, and [[Lou]] disappears.
*When Homer sends the kids to bed, from one angle, his phone has no numbers.
 
*While Homer says he had five and a half weeks at the top at the end of the episode, only one scene said it was 1985—and the John F. Kennedy airport scene said it was 1986.
 
*In the final shot of the episode, Wiggum is drawn off-model, and Lou (the black cop with the Popeye arms) disappears.
 
 
*Homer and Marge's bedroom had photos of Bart and Lisa when they were 10 and 8 years old. However, the story takes place when Bart and Lisa were only three years old and one year old respectively.
 
*Homer and Marge's bedroom had photos of Bart and Lisa when they were 10 and 8 years old. However, the story takes place when Bart and Lisa were only three years old and one year old respectively.
*After finding out Marge was pregnant with Lisa he pulled out all but four hairs, but in this episode Homer was seen with his hair before the second pregnancy.
+
*After finding out Marge was pregnant with Lisa, he pulled out all but four hairs, but in this episode, Homer was seen with his hair before the second pregnancy.
*The replacement Homer dummy looks like modern day bald Homer despite Homer having hair back in 1986.
+
*When Comic Book Guy shows Bart and Lisa a sample of ''[[Melvin and the Squirrels]]'', behind it is another record when Comic Book Guy takes it out, but when Comic Book Guy says, "''Melvin and the Squirrels''. Part of the rodent invasion in the early 60s", another record of ''Melvin and the Squirrels'' appears.
*When Comic Book Guy shows Bart and Lisa a sample of Melvin and the Squirrels, behind it is another record when Comic Book Guy takes it out, but when Comic Book Guy says, "Melvin and the Squirrels. Part of the rodent invasion in the early 60s", another record of Melvin and the Squirrels appears.
+
*The 1985 Grammy Awards was the 27th, not the 29th.
 +
*In a shot of the church congregation during the Be Sharps' performance, a woman sitting in a pew above Marge on screen has the bottom half of her body missing.
 +
*After the "replacement Homer" malfunctions, the next scene shows Santa's Little Helper burying him in the yard. Santa's Little Helper did not become the Simpsons' pet until the Christmas special (and first episode), "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]".
 +
*When Homer returns to the Power Plant, he returns to a role as Safety Inspector, which he was not promoted to until 1990 in Homer's Odyssey.
 +
*In the final scene, The Human Fly's glove changes color a few times between red and white.
 +
*Even though Homer has a full of head of hair in 1985, the Be Sharps album covers and Marge's "replacement Homer" depict him as being bald.
  
 
{{Season 5|R}}
 
{{Season 5|R}}

Latest revision as of 11:01, October 28, 2024

References/Trivia


Season 5 Episode References
081 "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
082
"Homer's Barbershop Quartet"
"Cape Feare" 083


Cultural references[edit]

Songs[edit]

Trivia[edit]

Continuity[edit]

Goofs[edit]

  • The sign outside the Church in 1985 credits the group as "The Be Sharps" before they even decided on the name.
  • When the group (with Barney) performs at the Statue of Liberty, Chief Wiggum's voice can clearly be heard.
  • Homer refers to Joe Piscopo leaving Saturday Night Live in 1985 when setting the scene for the story, but Piscopo left the show in 1984, before the show underwent a cast overhaul for season 10 (and again in seasons 11 and 12).
  • In the final shot of the episode, Chief Wiggum is drawn off-model, and Lou disappears.
  • Homer and Marge's bedroom had photos of Bart and Lisa when they were 10 and 8 years old. However, the story takes place when Bart and Lisa were only three years old and one year old respectively.
  • After finding out Marge was pregnant with Lisa, he pulled out all but four hairs, but in this episode, Homer was seen with his hair before the second pregnancy.
  • When Comic Book Guy shows Bart and Lisa a sample of Melvin and the Squirrels, behind it is another record when Comic Book Guy takes it out, but when Comic Book Guy says, "Melvin and the Squirrels. Part of the rodent invasion in the early 60s", another record of Melvin and the Squirrels appears.
  • The 1985 Grammy Awards was the 27th, not the 29th.
  • In a shot of the church congregation during the Be Sharps' performance, a woman sitting in a pew above Marge on screen has the bottom half of her body missing.
  • After the "replacement Homer" malfunctions, the next scene shows Santa's Little Helper burying him in the yard. Santa's Little Helper did not become the Simpsons' pet until the Christmas special (and first episode), "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".
  • When Homer returns to the Power Plant, he returns to a role as Safety Inspector, which he was not promoted to until 1990 in Homer's Odyssey.
  • In the final scene, The Human Fly's glove changes color a few times between red and white.
  • Even though Homer has a full of head of hair in 1985, the Be Sharps album covers and Marge's "replacement Homer" depict him as being bald.
Season 5 References
Homer's Barbershop Quartet Cape Feare Homer Goes to College Rosebud Treehouse of Horror IV Marge on the Lam Bart's Inner Child Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood The Last Temptation of Homer $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) Homer the Vigilante Bart Gets Famous Homer and Apu Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy Deep Space Homer Homer Loves Flanders Bart Gets an Elephant Burns' Heir Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song The Boy Who Knew Too Much Lady Bouvier's Lover Secrets of a Successful Marriage