The Music of "The Office"

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 8:48 pm

Having not seen a frame of the show, I rented the DVD of "The Office" BBC series.

This show has some detractors -- I think because it might hit a bit close to the bone, but in my humblest of opinions it's gotta be some kind of television landmark. It mines comedy from stark reality, which is the best and least tapped vein for humor. The show is also more like a little movie than a conventional TV show -- the sort of mock verite/mock doc style seems to me half Robert Altman, half Christopher Guest.

Anyhow, any of you folks who've seen it on either side of the Atlantic -- what is that terrific song that opens and closes the show, and who's it by? I suspect I'm going to be embarrassed when it turns out to be something I should have recognized, but I gots to know and the credits don't list it.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 9:57 pm

Hey Bob

Its called Handbags and Gladrags an was written by a guy called Mike D'Abo who went on to join Manfredd Mann I think and was covered in the 60's by Chris Farlowe and in the early 70's by Rod Stewart, who does a fantastic version and it is how I know of the song - say what you want about Rockn Rod but his early solo stuff and his stuff with the Faces is ace!

Not sure whos version they use in the show tho?

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 12:45 am

Thanks, Mikey --

Well, whoever's playing piano on the version in the show is doing a wonderful job. The recording has sort of a The Band feeling to it. (The Band-esque???)

Also, good to know that Rod Stewart recorded more than one good song. (I've always been of the opinion that the world would have been a better place if he'd retired immediatley after recording "Maggie May.")

DrJ · Post by **DrJ** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 1:59 am

The version in the show was a sound-a-like put together by sessioneers. The loathsome Stereophonics had took in into the top 3 in these parts two years ago.

The success of the Office in the US surprises me, the Golden Globes were particularly surreal last week. If you haven't seen it, you have to get round to the movie "Office Space".

DrJ

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 5:07 am

I saw a bit of the first series of The Office. It's a bit too close to the bone for me, which should be taken as a compliment. In my thankfully shortlived life in supermarket retail management I met far too many real life mangers like the character so briliantly realised by Ricky Gervais. That said I do mean to sit down someday and watch the shows on dvd. I have'nt seen the any of the Globes coverage, but I'd love to have seen that twit Anniston missprouncing Ricky's name, apparently she had been expecting one of her co-stars from that wretched Friends show to win. Result!

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 6:03 pm

Im a huge fan of The Office and watched every episode. Im glad it went out on a high before they did it to death and ran out of ideas. Some of it was so excruciatingly embarrassing it made you squirm watching it! You know a show is good when you react like that! Superb cast, superb acting , superb script and totally original. One of the best programmes in a long long time

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 7:09 pm

DrJ wrote:The version in the show was a sound-a-like put together by sessioneers. The loathsome Stereophonics had took in into the top 3 in these parts two years ago.

The success of the Office in the US surprises me, the Golden Globes were particularly surreal last week. If you haven't seen it, you have to get round to the movie "Office Space".

DrJ

Well the succes of the "The Office" such as it is (BBC America isn't exactly a mass outlet out here), shouldn't surprise you too much. Apparently offices are pretty much alike all over the English speaking world anyway. The only difference here is that Rick Gervais's character would probably not be smart enough to appreciate Python -- which remains something of a geek phenom over here. He'd be doing more Saturday Night Live or Steve Martin shtick -- or, more likely and even more frightening, "shock jock" Howard Stern -- he'd definitely be a fan of Stern, which says something about Stern AND the character.

In fact, I'd bet huge $$ (don't have a English pound symbol here) that U.S. version is already in the works. And, depending of who they get to do it, it might actually be good -- though hardly necessary. Hopefully, it would be better than the U.S. redo of "Cracker" (my other favorite recent English series)

Back to the music...Which version where they sound-aliking? The Chris Farlowe (who I've actually never heard of), the Rod Stewart or the Stereophonics (also unknown to me)? Personally, I don't find anything "loathsome" about the way it is on the show.

And, yup, I've seen "Office Space" -- and, while I like the movie a great deal (Mike Judge is a definite force for entertainment goodness) -- the differences between it are somewhat instructive on the differences between semi-mainstream U.S. cinema and semi-mainstream English TV. "Office Space" was pretty much abandoned by the studio and was sort of ignored by critics -- probably because Mike Judge isn't much of a cinematic stylist outside of animation -- but became a cult hit on video -- it works better on TV anyway.

Still, I think "The Office" is in a whole other category. I've always been fond of the title of comedian Rick Reynolds show, "Only the Truth is Funny." I'm not sure that's true, but it's one way to go -- probably the best way -- and (at least in the first four shows) "The Office" sticks so rigorously to that principle it attains the level of something that may just be "art" --- whatever that is. Right now, I can't think of any other sitcoms I'd say that about.
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bobster · Post by **bobster** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 7:34 pm

martinfoyle wrote:I have'nt seen the any of the Globes coverage, but I'd love to have seen that twit Anniston missprouncing Ricky's name, apparently she had been expecting one of her co-stars from that wretched Friends show to win. Result!

\

Fell asleep during most of it myself. Anyone know how she pronounced it?

Come to think of it, being a stupid American myself, I'm not 100% sure how it should be pronounced. I'm guessing it should be "Gurr-vay" but who knows....You European folks have this funny habit of randomly leaving letters out or adding them in. Pronouncing "Magdalene" as "Maudlin" and aluminum as "al-loo-min-ee-um". And let's not even get started on Spanish-based words....(In California, we only HALF mispronounce Spanish words. It's a point of pride.)

DrJ · Post by **DrJ** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 10:15 pm

There is a US version in the works, as well as Gervais and Marchant being on board it's being Exec.Produced by Greg Daniels, who's ex-Simpsons, so it mightn't be totally shite. But it probably will be.

DrJ

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:47 am

Here's an extract from the Telegraph's write up on The Office's Globe's success
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... glob27.xml

-And the winning comedy is . . . The what?
By Oliver Poole in Los Angeles
(Filed: 27/01/2004)

As the gold envelope was opened and the winner of the Golden Globes best television comedy was read out, a momentary hush descended over the suite at the Beverly Hilton hotel.

The glittering gathering of Hollywood's most famous celebrities - among them Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep - could be seen asking each other: "The what?"

Eastwood was caught on camera mouthing to his wife "Who are these guys?" Even after people rose to applaud as Ricky Gervais and the cast of The Office made their way from their table stuck at the back of the auditorium to the stage, many could be seen turning to their neighbours to find out if they had any clue as to what this obscure British television programme was.

It was meant to be sophisticated and glamorous Sex and the City for best comedy and Matt LeBlanc, Joey in Friends, who is being prepared for his own spin-off series when the sit-com finishes its final season this year, for best television comedy actor.

Instead it was the BBC's study of a stationery wholesale company in Slough and Ricky Gervais, a Reading-born former pizza delivery man, who went home with the gold trophies, the first time a British series and its comedy star has won the awards.

On accepting the award for best series, Gervais, 42, was clearly as bemused as everyone else. "They gave us a long list of people to thank but I said we are not going to win anyway," he said.

"I'm not from these parts, I'm from a little place called England. We used to run the world before you."

When he made his second appearance on stage, to accept the best comedy actor award from a stunned Jennifer Aniston, the Friends star who had done a double-take when opening the envelope and seeing her cast member Le Blanc was not on it, Gervais looked almost frightened.

Mr Ga-vaze, as Ms Aniston had announced him, stared down at the audience in front of him. "Danny De Vito. Michael Douglas. This is ridiculous," he said, and then looking at his second statuette of the night: "Two bookends. Excellent."

Afterwards, he told reporters: "Here I am, this fat bloke from Reading sharing a room with Jack Nicholson. It's absolutely fantastic - a highlight of my career."

When asked how it would change him, he said: "I don't want any more work. I'm going to live off this for about 10 years then do some bad stuff when I really need the money."

The reality is likely to be very different. Sunday night's ceremony was watched by 250 million people worldwide and has made him a name to remember for the most powerful people in the entertainment industry.

Previously, The Office was a little known cult comedy shown on BBC America, a cable channel watched by a small percentage of the American public.

So niche is BBC America that it is only available in 40 million homes in a country of more than 250 million people, in most of them as part of a package that involves an additional charge for access to a cluster of fringe cable channels. The channel has never given out exact figures for The Office's viewership, merely insisting it is their "most popular comedy".

Friends, on the other hand, is expected to attract more than 40 million viewers when its final two-part episode airs in the United States in May.

The Office's success can be explained partly by rave reviews in newspapers like the New York Times and the Washington Post and the archaic nature of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hosts the Golden Globes and chooses the winners.

and here's a pretty spot on Gervais profile from friday's Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858, ... 90,00.html

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 7:34 am

Gervais is pronounced 'jer-vayse' (rhymes with 'her-gaze')...

Did anyone else in Region 2 see the brilliant Ricky Gervais show that was on before The Office was born...brilliant!

The american version of The Office will undoubtedly be shit...just like the Bill Cosby version of One Foot in the Grave, or countless others. Why do they feel the need to translate things...as far as I know the UK has only translated a couple of US comedies, all of which were more popular here in their original format. Golden Girls, Married with Children and Whos the boss became Brighton Belles, Married for life and The upper hand. But the fact that these 'comedies' were about as funny as rubbing your genitals against a cheese-grater, in either format means that it doesn't matter as much.
Classic comedies should NEVER be translated...Cheers, Taxi, The Simpsons, Frasier, Seinfeld (to think that they actually CONSIDERED making a uk version of this) would be crap in Uk versions, just as One Foot in the Grave, Monty Python, Blackadder, Porridge, Fawlty Towers would be shit in US version...

ARE YOU INSENSED THAT PRODUCERS THINK THAT YOU CAN'T HANDLE OR APPRECIATE UK VERSIONS? WE'RE NOT THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 2:23 am

Wow, didn't realize it had actually one two Golden Globes. Amazing to see something truly special actually win an award.

Well, there have been a couple of English imports which made important US television. The most significant being "All in the Family" which was based on a show called "'Till Death Do Us Part". It doesn't necessarily hold up well today, but it genuinely revolutionized US television in the early seventies. Before that discusses of politics, race and words any stronger than "darn" were utterly verboten on most US TV, so I'm glad we ripped off that one.

Overall, though, I don't see much point in redoing something unless you've got something new to add to it. "The Office", for example, could work, but it should be reimagined from the ground up so that someone could watch both versions and see too entirely different, though related, shows on the same theme.

Also, you've got to understand that the US TV market is a beast which basically demands at least 100 episodes for a real success, because of the need daily shows in synidcation. The artistically preferable English pattern of doing about six shows a year won't cut it out here. Even our special cable shows like "The Sopranos" -- which aren't really going for syndication -- usually do about 12 or 13 per season.

Another factor is that there is a belief -- real or imagined -- that U.S. audiences will avoid shows with British accents. This is obviously a bunch of hooey if it's easily understandable "the Queen's English" a la Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson & co. (Certainly didn't hurt Cary Grant's career.) On the other hand, "The Office" did have me turning on my subtitles button a few times. So I know some folks would be turned off, sadly. We Americans are a disgustingly unwilling to deal with anything even slightly foreign too much of the time. Makes me mad, but it's a real reality.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Post by **ReadyToHearTheWorst** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 3:03 am

bobster wrote: ...Which version where they sound-aliking? The Chris Farlowe (who I've actually never heard of), the Rod Stewart or the Stereophonics (also unknown to me)?

Chris Farlowe - great lost voice of the British Blues boom of the 60s. Had a few minor hits, including a UK number 1 with the Stone's Out of Time, then disappeared. Last I heard he was running a shop selling Nazi memorabilia (!).

Rod Stewart - from the same fertile scene as the above, who's best work was the laddish, good time pub rock/country/folk of The Faces (est mort). Currently to be seen in a lounge 'singing' standards.

Stereophonics - Welsh.

Not familiar with the Chris Farlowe original of Handbags & Gladrags, but The Office version (and also the recent Stereophonics' for that matter) follow the same basic arrangement that Rod recorded back in '69, with Ian McLaggen on joannah.

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:42 am

Hmmm - I like the Stereophonics, and their version of the song.

Also if its not a too rude thing to say Dr J I love your dancing banana!!

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:00 am

yeah, the Office got two Globes. it was kinda fun to watch.

i'm one of those who can't stand the Office. I know it's funny, but i can't even watch the commercials for it. way too close.

i adore BBCAmerica. i wanna be one of those bints on the commercials who says 'i'm a bbc american.'

how horrible a word is 'bint' anyway? i only know it 'cause spike says it.

we hear about layoffs at the office sometime *this month*. oh joy. i hope i'm not cranky and pissy all month long. it's like having pms that never ends. just tell us already!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 7:04 am

laughingcrow wrote:WE'RE NOT THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

You are - you're Scottish!

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:04 pm

We're not all Rob Roy!

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:35 pm

I saw one eppy of this while travelling last year and I thought it was great. Would love to see more, but don't have cable so, oh well.

And I dinna have trouble with yoorr accent, Crow. Of course, this is just writing....

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:43 pm

selfmademug wrote:I saw one eppy of this while travelling last year and I thought it was great. Would love to see more, but don't have cable so, oh well.

And I dinna have trouble with yoorr accent, Crow. Of course, this is just writing....

No excuse, SMM! I don't either! Should be easily rentable in Boston....(well maybe not as much as in Hollywood, but still...)

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:43 pm

I'll bet you have a nice accent, Crow.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:44 pm

ReadyToHearTheWorst wrote:
bobster wrote: ot familiar with the Chris Farlowe original of Handbags & Gladrags, but The Office version (and also the recent Stereophonics' for that matter) follow the same basic arrangement that Rod recorded back in '69, with Ian McLaggen on joannah.

Thanks for all the info! But what's a joannah...is this rhyming slang?

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:49 pm

Well if it's on DVD here I'll get it, cause I just signed up for Netflix!

Cool!

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:52 pm

SMM,

The Complete First Series of The Office is available on DVD in North America.

Series Two comes out in April.

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 3:25 am

Bobster - it's cockney rhyming slang - Joanna(h) = piano. I once saw Ian McLagen in Billy Bragg's Blokes band and thought he was a woman. Honestly. He was wearing sparkly earrings, his hair relatively long and a shirt which looked like a blouse. Ok, so I didn't have my glasses on or contacts in but still....

Put me firmly in the "Huh???" camp regarding The Office. Never seen a full episode, never want to, and the less seen of Ricky Gervais the better.

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 5:53 am

.....and the less seen of Ricky Gervais the better

So, you probably think he's bit of a Gareth Hunt.