Marblehead Johnson
{{Short description|1996 single by the Bluetones}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Marblehead Johnson
| cover = Marblehead Johnson.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Bluetones
| album =
| B-side =
- "The Simple Things"
- "Nifkin's Bridge"
- "Are You Blue or Are You Blind?"
| released = {{start date|1996|9|16|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:21
| label = Superior Quality
| writer =
| producer = Hugh Jones
| prev_title = Cut Some Rug/Castle Rock
| prev_year = 1996
| next_title = Solomon Bites the Worm
| next_year = 1998
}}
"Marblehead Johnson" is a song by English indie rock band the Bluetones, released as a standalone single in 1996. It peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart in late September 1996. It was also included on the band's 2006 compilation, A Rough Outline: The Singles & B-Sides 95 – 03. The song was written as a tribute to Bill Hicks.
Music video
The members of the Bluetones spent the day wearing full prosthetic fat suits. The usually skinny guys carry on regular band activities like rocking out, having a kick-around, going for a drive, walking, making tea etc., but now as four hundred pound men. Frontman Mark Morriss said they got the idea for the video while watching the French and Saunders sketch where the two comediennes play big fat men.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/thebluetonesgetfatmakingofmarbleheadjohnsonfatsuits|title=The Bluetones – Making of Marblehead Johnson|date=1996|access-date=3 September 2020}}
Mark sports a Liverpool Football Club jersey over his padded fat suit. As well as donning the suits and masks, the boys also wore slip-on rubber fat hands to complete the illusion of them being overweight. Eds and Adam's suits also came with rubber man boobs and fat bellies that can only be seen briefly in the making-of featurette.
Dom and Nic, who were responsible for the Bluetones' Bluetonic promo, also directed this video.
Track listings
UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Marblehead Johnson|others=The Bluetones|year=1996|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Superior Quality Recordings|id=BLUE 006CD}}
- "Marblehead Johnson"
- "The Simple Things"
- "Nifkin's Bridge"
- "Are You Blue or Are You Blind?" (not listed on artwork or disc)
UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Marblehead Johnson|others=The Bluetones|year=1996|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=Superior Quality Recordings|id=BLUE 006X}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Marblehead Johnson|others=The Bluetones|year=1996|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Superior Quality Recordings|id=BLUE 006MC}}
- "Marblehead Johnson"
- "The Simple Things"
Japanese CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Marblehead Johnson|others=The Bluetones|year=1996|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=POCM-1193}}
- "Marblehead Johnson"
- "The Simple Things"
- "Nifkin's Bridge"
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1996) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-10-05.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=13|issue=40|page=16|date=5 October 1996|access-date=3 July 2021}}
|39 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Scotland|4|date=19960928|rowheader=true|access-date=}} |
| {{single chart|UK|7|date=19960928|rowheader=true|access-date}} |
| align=left|UK Indie (Music Week){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-10-05.pdf|title=Independent Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=5 October 1996|page=37|issn=0265-1548|via=World Radio History}}
|align=center|1 |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|United Kingdom
|16 September 1996 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} |Superior Quality |{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-09-14.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=29|date=14 September 1996|access-date=3 July 2021}} |
|---|
| scope="row"|Japan
|11 November 1996 |CD |A&M |{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/145522/products/200881/1/|title=マーブルヘッド・ジョンソン {{!}} ブルー・トーンズ|trans-title=Marblehead Johnson {{!}} Blue Tones|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=30 August 2023}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- https://archive.org/details/thebluetonesgetfatmakingofmarbleheadjohnsonfatsuits
{{The Bluetones}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Music videos directed by Dom and Nic
Category:Song recordings produced by Hugh Jones (producer)
Category:Songs written by Adam Devlin
Category:Songs written by Eds Chesters
Category:Songs written by Mark Morriss