Chico Marx Playing Piano

Pete Galati · January 3rd, 2007, 10:51 PM

Blazer · January 3rd, 2007, 10:56 PM

That was skillful, I'm impressed.

charlie chitlin · January 3rd, 2007, 10:59 PM

Groucho was a very good guitar player, and Harpo...well...you know.
I'm not sure about Zeppo.

trandy16 · January 3rd, 2007, 11:00 PM

Amazing...what a truly gifted artist he was.

It will be a long time before we see another one like him....if ever.

Home Grown Tele · January 4th, 2007, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlie frey

Groucho was a very good guitar player, and Harpo...well...you know.
I'm not sure about Zeppo.

Zeppo was a singer. And like the rest of the brothers, a very talented one at that.

'caster oil · January 4th, 2007, 12:56 AM

OK, I like the MB... what does this have to do with Teles?

cowboytwang · January 4th, 2007, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'caster oil

OK, I like the MB... what does this have to do with Teles?

It's incredibly musical and great showmanship, that has everything to do with Teles. Also this is in the "Bad Dog Cafe" or "off topic" section, so anything goes(well almost anything)!

Telewringer · January 4th, 2007, 03:09 AM

Hey now this is cool. I have got every Marx Brothers movie on DVD,
and one of the highlights is to watch Chico do his Piano thing.
As many Piano snobs put it Chico was not a gifted concert pianist
that would be playing in Canagie Hall like lets say Victor Borge who
was indeed of that playing level and also into comedy, however Chico was a genius putting together these great song interludes that offered a great visual feast for anyone to watch with amazement. Chico Rocked !
Bye the way indeed Groucho could play pretty decent guitar.

Tremo · January 4th, 2007, 03:22 AM

I hear that Larry Fine was pretty good on violin.

Pete Galati · January 4th, 2007, 04:00 AM

Larry Fine did play the violin in that one 3 Stooges, to get Curley all worked up to do things like fight! Didn't know he actually played though.

My familly used to sit and watch The Marx Brothers movies together when they'd come on TV. A lot of the humor was too adult, and it'd zip right over my head, but watching Harpo and Chico do their musical things was always a highlight.

There's an interesting writeup on him in Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chico_Marx

Looks like I've been pronouncing his name wrong, my entire life!

Pete

Mojohand40 · January 4th, 2007, 09:05 AM

That's great! I was watching a Marx Brothers movie this last weekend "Night at the Opera" that I had recorded from AMC (?) or Turner Classics. They did a marathon of MarX Bros' stuff for New Years Eve.
Anyway, My son (11 yrs old) takes Piano classes and when Chico played we rewound it and watched it like four times. He was greatly impressed.
His funniest comment was: "Dad, you know what my teacher would say? USE PROPER FINGERING!"
we laughed.
Which movie is that posted clip from?

charlie chitlin · January 4th, 2007, 10:22 AM

Is it time for an "Actors who also play music" thread?

tpaul · January 4th, 2007, 10:29 AM

In his autobiography, "Harpo Speaks," Harpo reports that he and Chico were both supposed to be learning piano as kids, but Chico got really good at it, whereas Harpo was never really interested and only learned to play two songs. However, they looked nearly identical as teens, and were always being mistaken for each other. This came in handy when Harpo wanted to get gigs playing piano in the local bars, because he'd get Chico to go to the audition. Chico would get the job, then Harpo would go to the gig and play the same two songs over and over all night until they threw him out! Chico never had time to play gigs, he was always too busy gambling.

It's a great book if you're interested in the Marx Brothers.

PapaBeef · January 4th, 2007, 10:37 AM

I've been a huge Marx Brothers fan since the first time I saw them. They were the best.
I also think Larry Fine was very under appreciated. I don't know how good a violinist he was. But without him, the stooges would have been...
Well, i guess they'd still be good. But they wouldn't have been the same.
Possibly, the most impressive musician/ actor of all time was Barney Rubble.
I've seen him play drums, piano, guitar & a few other instruments. And the guy was good on all of them.How else do you think that short,fat & often unemployed guy could ever end up married to a babe like Betty?

bo · January 4th, 2007, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tpaul

In his autobiography, "Harpo Speaks," Harpo reports that he and Chico were both supposed to be learning piano as kids, but Chico got really good at it, whereas Harpo was never really interested and only learned to play two songs. However, they looked nearly identical as teens, and were always being mistaken for each other. This came in handy when Harpo wanted to get gigs playing piano in the local bars, because he'd get Chico to go to the audition. Chico would get the job, then Harpo would go to the gig and play the same two songs over and over all night until they threw him out! Chico never had time to play gigs, he was always too busy gambling.

It's a great book if you're interested in the Marx Brothers.

I loved that book! I also think Harpo is being nice to his brother. Watch the sequence in "A Night At The Opera" when Harpo sits down at the piano for a few seconds after Chico plays. He played the same type of stuff three times faster! I couldn't believe it.

Jelly · January 4th, 2007, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'caster oil

OK, I like the MB... what does this have to do with Teles?

Geez, now we've got the topic police in Bad Dog, too?

Skully · January 4th, 2007, 04:42 PM

I recall reading that Chico mostly faked it with his left hand on piano.

One of my favorite Jonathan Richman songs is "When Harpo Played His Harp." from "Modern Lovers 88."

WHEN HARPO PLAYED HIS HARP
by Jonathan Richman

G C G
When Harpo played his harp it was a mystery
G Em C D
All the laughing stopped back to the balcony
C
Chico, Chico, sure to please
Em G
Now lets watch him shoot the keys
C D
But when Harpo played his harp, all was still

When Harpo played his harp it was a dream it was
If someone else can do it how come nobody does
Groucho, Groucho, fast as light
Some talk like him, but not quite
And when Harpo played his harp, all was still

<Chorus>
G Em C D
Harpo, Harpo, this is the angels
G Em C D
Where did you get that sound so fine?
G Em C D
Harpo, Harpo, we gotta hear it
C G
Oooh, one more time
G Em C D
Harpo, Harpo, we're in the galaxies
G Em C D
Where did you get that sound so fine?
G Em C D
Harpo, Harpo, we gotta hear it
C Em C G
Oooh, one more time, oooh one more time

Do you remember what he would do sometimes before he'd play
He'd look up to the sky and look the angels way
Harpo, Harpo, when you start
Tears of joy inside my heart
When Harpo played his harp, all was still
<Chorus>

blue metalflake · January 4th, 2007, 04:51 PM

The Marx Bros are among my favourite movies, and I always thought that Chico's piano piece was one of the best bits.

January 3rd, 2007, 10:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,104 2 Photos	Chico Marx Playing Piano

January 3rd, 2007, 10:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
Blazer Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3,570	That was skillful, I'm impressed. __________________ "I reject your reality and subsitute my own." - Adam Savage, Mythbusters

January 3rd, 2007, 10:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
charlie chitlin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucktown, Pa Age: 47 Posts: 2,601	Groucho was a very good guitar player, and Harpo...well...you know. I'm not sure about Zeppo. __________________ Dig yo'self http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...6-bf3537901a07

January 3rd, 2007, 11:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
trandy16 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Camdenton, Missouri Posts: 391	Amazing...what a truly gifted artist he was. It will be a long time before we see another one like him....if ever. __________________ "Won't you pour me a Cuban Breeze...Gretchen?..."

January 4th, 2007, 12:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
'caster oil Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 692 1 Photos	OK, I like the MB... what does this have to do with Teles? __________________ "Capo on the fourth fret." Keef

January 4th, 2007, 03:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
Telewringer Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Lincoln NZ Posts: 122	Hey now this is cool. I have got every Marx Brothers movie on DVD, and one of the highlights is to watch Chico do his Piano thing. As many Piano snobs put it Chico was not a gifted concert pianist that would be playing in Canagie Hall like lets say Victor Borge who was indeed of that playing level and also into comedy, however Chico was a genius putting together these great song interludes that offered a great visual feast for anyone to watch with amazement. Chico Rocked ! Bye the way indeed Groucho could play pretty decent guitar.

January 4th, 2007, 03:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
Tremo Banned Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Silicon Valley, CA, USA Posts: 3,803	I hear that Larry Fine was pretty good on violin.

January 4th, 2007, 04:00 AM	#10 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,104 2 Photos	Larry Fine did play the violin in that one 3 Stooges, to get Curley all worked up to do things like fight! Didn't know he actually played though. My familly used to sit and watch The Marx Brothers movies together when they'd come on TV. A lot of the humor was too adult, and it'd zip right over my head, but watching Harpo and Chico do their musical things was always a highlight. There's an interesting writeup on him in Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chico_Marx Looks like I've been pronouncing his name wrong, my entire life! Pete

January 4th, 2007, 09:05 AM	#11 (permalink)
Mojohand40 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 633 4 Photos	That's great! I was watching a Marx Brothers movie this last weekend "Night at the Opera" that I had recorded from AMC (?) or Turner Classics. They did a marathon of MarX Bros' stuff for New Years Eve. Anyway, My son (11 yrs old) takes Piano classes and when Chico played we rewound it and watched it like four times. He was greatly impressed. His funniest comment was: "Dad, you know what my teacher would say? USE PROPER FINGERING!" we laughed. Which movie is that posted clip from?

January 4th, 2007, 10:22 AM	#12 (permalink)
charlie chitlin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucktown, Pa Age: 47 Posts: 2,601	Is it time for an "Actors who also play music" thread? __________________ Dig yo'self http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...6-bf3537901a07

January 4th, 2007, 10:29 AM	#13 (permalink)
tpaul Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingston, NY Posts: 816	Chico and Harpo In his autobiography, "Harpo Speaks," Harpo reports that he and Chico were both supposed to be learning piano as kids, but Chico got really good at it, whereas Harpo was never really interested and only learned to play two songs. However, they looked nearly identical as teens, and were always being mistaken for each other. This came in handy when Harpo wanted to get gigs playing piano in the local bars, because he'd get Chico to go to the audition. Chico would get the job, then Harpo would go to the gig and play the same two songs over and over all night until they threw him out! Chico never had time to play gigs, he was always too busy gambling. It's a great book if you're interested in the Marx Brothers.

January 4th, 2007, 10:37 AM	#14 (permalink)
PapaBeef Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: EN JAY Posts: 412	I've been a huge Marx Brothers fan since the first time I saw them. They were the best. I also think Larry Fine was very under appreciated. I don't know how good a violinist he was. But without him, the stooges would have been... Well, i guess they'd still be good. But they wouldn't have been the same. Possibly, the most impressive musician/ actor of all time was Barney Rubble. I've seen him play drums, piano, guitar & a few other instruments. And the guy was good on all of them.How else do you think that short,fat & often unemployed guy could ever end up married to a babe like Betty? __________________ What I mean is, sometimes I just don't know what I mean. Ya know what I mean?

January 4th, 2007, 04:42 PM	#17 (permalink)
Skully Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Glamorous NoHo Posts: 4,035	I recall reading that Chico mostly faked it with his left hand on piano. One of my favorite Jonathan Richman songs is "When Harpo Played His Harp." from "Modern Lovers 88." WHEN HARPO PLAYED HIS HARP by Jonathan Richman G C G When Harpo played his harp it was a mystery G Em C D All the laughing stopped back to the balcony C Chico, Chico, sure to please Em G Now lets watch him shoot the keys C D But when Harpo played his harp, all was still When Harpo played his harp it was a dream it was If someone else can do it how come nobody does Groucho, Groucho, fast as light Some talk like him, but not quite And when Harpo played his harp, all was still <Chorus> G Em C D Harpo, Harpo, this is the angels G Em C D Where did you get that sound so fine? G Em C D Harpo, Harpo, we gotta hear it C G Oooh, one more time G Em C D Harpo, Harpo, we're in the galaxies G Em C D Where did you get that sound so fine? G Em C D Harpo, Harpo, we gotta hear it C Em C G Oooh, one more time, oooh one more time Do you remember what he would do sometimes before he'd play He'd look up to the sky and look the angels way Harpo, Harpo, when you start Tears of joy inside my heart When Harpo played his harp, all was still <Chorus> __________________ Myspace.com/skullysounds

January 4th, 2007, 04:51 PM	#18 (permalink)
blue metalflake Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: ireland Age: 55 Posts: 2,364 10 Photos	The Marx Bros are among my favourite movies, and I always thought that Chico's piano piece was one of the best bits.