The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra
Encyclopedia
The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra is a comedy
album recorded by The Firesign Theatre
and released in early 1974 by Columbia Records
.
. This began something of a second wind that would continue with Everything You Know Is Wrong
and In the Next World, You're on Your Own
before the group finally ended its association with Columbia.
Philip Proctor
plays detective Hemlock Stones (Sherlock Holmes
) and David Ossman
plays Flotsam (Watson), his "patient doctor and biographer".
The lighthearted tale is full of puns
, including a running gag in which Flotsam, eager to chronicle the adventure, tries to write down everything Stones says but mishears it all as something similar-sounding; for example, "rattan-festooned" is written down as "rat-infested." Allusions also are made to Sherlock Holmes's use of cocaine
("Stones, you snowball!"), his violin
playing, and other familiar story elements.
The members of the group take different attitudes towards this album. In the liner notes to Shoes for Industry: The Best of the Firesign Theatre David Ossman
is cheerful when discussing it and says that "I always thought it was the closest thing to the relentlessly pun-filled one-acts we did in clubs." In fact, an earlier bootleg version, By the Light of the Silvery, is not only closer to the spirit of their nightclub performances, but is strikingly reminiscent of The Goon Show
, which was one of the group's main inspirations. It bears almost no resemblance to the version that was finally committed to vinyl.
Phil Austin
, on the other hand, says "The Sherlock Holmes album didn't do anybody any good . . . the general public was by that point beginning to tire of psychedelia anyway, and we were unfortunately always going to be associated with that."
The review in 1983's The New Rolling Stone Record Guide tends to agree with Austin and calls this album "A halfassed comeback containing only one good joke."
It has been re-released on CD at least once
short story
"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
," written by Arthur Conan Doyle
in 1924.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
album recorded by The Firesign Theatre
The Firesign Theatre
The Firesign Theatre is an American comedy troupe consisting of Phil Austin, Peter Bergman, David Ossman and Philip Proctor. Their brand of surrealistic humor is best known through their record albums, which acquired a cult following in the late 1960s and early '70s.The troupe began as live radio...
and released in early 1974 by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
Side one - London
- "Chapter 1 - Not Quite The Solution He Expected"
- "Chapter 2 - An Outrageously Disgusting Disguise"
- "Chapter 3 - Where There's Smoke, There's Work"
Side two - Chicago
- "Chapter 4 - Where Did Jonas Go When The Lights Went Out?"
- "Chapter 5 - Pickles Down The Rat Hole!"
- "Chapter 6 - The Electrician Exposes Himself!"
Detailed track information and commentary
Following a rather disjointed string of solo projects and anthologies, this was the group's first album to consist entirely of a single cohesive narrative since I Think We're All Bozos on This BusI Think We're All Bozos on This Bus
I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus is the fourth comedy recording made by The Firesign Theatre for Columbia Records. It was released in 1971 and is the last of a tetralogy, comprising their first four albums...
. This began something of a second wind that would continue with Everything You Know Is Wrong
Everything You Know Is Wrong
Everything You Know Is Wrong is a comedy album by the Firesign Theatre released in October 1974 on Columbia Records.-Detailed track information and commentary:...
and In the Next World, You're on Your Own
In the Next World, You're on Your Own
In the Next World, You're on Your Own was the last comedy album recorded by The Firesign Theatre for Columbia Records. It was released in 1975.-Detailed track information and commentary:...
before the group finally ended its association with Columbia.
Philip Proctor
Philip Proctor
Philip Proctor is an American actor, voice actor and a member of The Firesign Theatre. He plays Rocky Rococo and Nancy in the Nick Danger series. He is from Goshen, Indiana...
plays detective Hemlock Stones (Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
) and David Ossman
David Ossman
David Ossman is an American writer and comedian, best known as a member of The Firesign Theatre.-Career:...
plays Flotsam (Watson), his "patient doctor and biographer".
The lighthearted tale is full of puns
Puns
Puns may refer to:*Partido de Unión Nacional Saharaui, the Sahrawi political party* Pun, figure of speech* Phoenicians...
, including a running gag in which Flotsam, eager to chronicle the adventure, tries to write down everything Stones says but mishears it all as something similar-sounding; for example, "rattan-festooned" is written down as "rat-infested." Allusions also are made to Sherlock Holmes's use of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
("Stones, you snowball!"), his violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
playing, and other familiar story elements.
The members of the group take different attitudes towards this album. In the liner notes to Shoes for Industry: The Best of the Firesign Theatre David Ossman
David Ossman
David Ossman is an American writer and comedian, best known as a member of The Firesign Theatre.-Career:...
is cheerful when discussing it and says that "I always thought it was the closest thing to the relentlessly pun-filled one-acts we did in clubs." In fact, an earlier bootleg version, By the Light of the Silvery, is not only closer to the spirit of their nightclub performances, but is strikingly reminiscent of The Goon Show
The Goon Show
The Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
, which was one of the group's main inspirations. It bears almost no resemblance to the version that was finally committed to vinyl.
Phil Austin
Phil Austin
Phil Austin is a comedian and writer. He was born in Denver, Colorado and later grew up in Fresno, California, attending Fresno High School...
, on the other hand, says "The Sherlock Holmes album didn't do anybody any good . . . the general public was by that point beginning to tire of psychedelia anyway, and we were unfortunately always going to be associated with that."
The review in 1983's The New Rolling Stone Record Guide tends to agree with Austin and calls this album "A halfassed comeback containing only one good joke."
Issues and reissues
This album was originally released simultaneously on LP and 8 Track.- LP - Columbia KC-32730
- 8 Track - Columbia CA-32730
It has been re-released on CD at least once
- 2001 - Laugh.com LGH1076
Title
The title is derived from the Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short-stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.- Plot summary :...
," written by Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
in 1924.