Somebody out there who is a bigger cartoon expert than me, can probably tell me (and probably will) where this track comes from. It’s not the “Meet The Flintstones” theme we’ve heard over and over again on endlessly rerun episodes of The Flintstones in syndication. Was it from the first season? The pilot? Some kind of early experiment or first draft?

Then again, The Flintstones is notorious for revisionism. The original end title theme song said “We’ll have a GAY old time” but it was later changed to “We’ll have a GREAT old time” when someone realized that two barefoot guys dressed in fur and hanging out in a cave together seemed, well, a little gay.

(This was the only piece of Flintstones art I could find online that wasn’t pornographic. Somebody has waaaay to much time on his hands.)

Anyhow, it’s good to hear the Rubbles finally get their due.

To hear this stone age toe-tapper, click on the bar below…

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

Next week, tune in for the best of the worst record ever…

I know, I know. I haven’t been posting much lately and D.J. David B. has been pulling all the weight with his great music finds. I’ll start up again soon, though. Busy working on LOTS of books that you’re gonna love. Will be signing two new books Comic Arf (Fantagraphics) and Clean Cartoonists’ Dirty Drawings (Last Gasp) in San Diego. And announcing a big one. The schedule is below and I would love to see you!

Thursday July 24th

Clean Cartoonists’ Dirty Drawings
Last Gasp booth #1614
1:30 to 2:30

Comic Arf
Fantagraphic booth #1716
6:00 to 7:00
Signing with Craig are Tim Lane (Abandoned Cars) and Jim Woodring (The Portable Frank)

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Friday July 25th

Drawing Demo: Spotlight on Dean Yeagle
Room 30CDE
3:30-4:30

Comic-Con special guest Dean Yeagle has had his cartoons regularly published in Playboy for the past nine years. Most of his career has been in animation, and he has had his own animation studio for the past 22 years. He’s also recently designed and drawn the first two issues of the Return of the Gremlins comic, for Dark Horse and Disney, written by Mike Richardson. Earlier this year he had a one-man gallery show in Paris, and he also publishes his own books with his pinup character Mandy, which, you may rest assured, he’ll have for sale at Comic-Con. Join Dean and moderator/interviewer Craig Yoe (Comic Arf) to see some of Dean’s work and ask questions about Playboy, animation, comics, and how to draw pretty girls for fun and profit!

Comic Arf
Fantagraphic booth #1716
5:00 to 6:00
Signing with Craig are Zak Sally (Sammy the Mouse) and Jim Woodring (The Portable Frank)

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Saturday July 26th

Comic Arf
Fantagraphic booth #1716
11:00 to 12:00
Signing with Craig are Blake Bell (Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko) and Kim Deitch (Deitch’s Pictorama

Clean Cartoonists’ Dirty Drawings
Last Gasp booth #1614
1:30 to 2:30

The Launch of Abrams ComicArts
Room 3
3:00-4:00
Abrams, the premiere art book publisher, debuts its launch of a new comics imprint, Abrams ComicArts. The panel consists of authors and representatives of each book on the initial list, including Jaime Hernandez (creator of Love and Rockets), Jordan Crane (designer), Craig Yoe (The Art of Mickey Mouse), Denis Kitchen (cartoonist, writer, editor, publisher), Brian Fies (Mom’s Cancer), and Charles Kochman (executive editor, Abrams ComicArts) and will include a slide show and Q&A.

“Wait, is it Tuesday again? I must have overslept! Quick, where are my pants? Where are my socks? I’ve got to put a comics tune on the Arf blog or Craig Yoe will fire me!

“There’s no time to do any research. I’ll just do another version of the Batman Theme. That oughta hold the bastards.

“Oops! Did I just say that out loud?”

Never mind. This is actually an excellent recording by Les and Larry Elgart of the theme from the incredibly popular Batman TV show, circa 1966.

Can you cross your eyes and see Batgirl in 3D?

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there was never a bigger phenomenon before or since. Everybody wanted to jump on the Batwagon with their version of the classic Neal Hefti composition. For one thing, it’s a sure way to make quick cash. For another, it’s a remarkably easy song to play. (”Na na na na na na na na, Batman!”)

Les and Larry don’t take the easy way out, though. They play their asses off on this track. Listen…

To hear this bombastic bat-tune, click on the bar below…

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

Next week, it’s that modern stone age family…

When I tell people what I do for a living (that is, share my collection of comics-related music with the world) they always say, “Hey, what about Alley Oop?” Yeah, it’s kind of the most obvious comics-oriented record and probably the biggest comics-related hit next to “Sugar Sugar” (which I presented way back on February 5th.

Of course, Alley Oop the comic strip, ran for years and years.

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The original version of the song by the Hollywood Argyles (actually Gary Paxton, of “Monster Mash” fame) has been played to death. There were two more versions in the charts at the same time, one by Dante and the Evergreens and another by the Dyna-Sores (ouch). But this nifty recording is by the Royal Guardsmen, known primarily for “Snoopy and the Red Baron,” a different (but equally great) comic strip song. So there are actually TWO comics connections this week. How about that?

(click to read the comic)

As I’ve said many times – to anyone who’ll listen – this song includes my all-time favorite lyric in all of rock and/or roll: “He’s a mean motor scooter and a bad go-getter.” I think that says it all.

To check out this prehistoric gem, click on the bar below…

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

Be here next week, same bat-time, same bat-channel…

It’s a bit after the fact but I wanted to acknowledge the passing of a legend and pay tribute to the late, great Bo Diddley – one of the founders of rock ‘n roll. And like all good founders, Bo knew the importance of cartoons and comics.

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In interviews, Bo said that his song “Road Runner” was inspired by a road runner he saw scooting across the New Mexico desert where he was living.

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But if that’s the case, why the “beep beep” refrain? It’s pretty obvious to me that was Bo saw was a Road Runner CARTOON and he was inspired by Chuck Jones and not the wonder of nature.

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Sadly, I’ll never get to ask him that question now.

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Whether Mr. Diddley was a cartoon fan or not, he was truly one of the greats and he will be missed. His influence will be felt for years to come. And I’ll think of him every time I knock on someone’s door with that shave-and-a-haircut… two-bits rhythm.

For some high-speed rock ‘n roll, click on the bar below…

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

Next week, tune in for a tune about a crazy cave man…

Even though it is the height of Summer you should be think of the Autumn.  That means Thanksgiving, elections, football, and going to the movies.

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Since June is almost over lets hope you all were able to submit something. If not here are a few last minute ideas.

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Director Tex Avery and animator Preston Blair turned out some of the sexiest cartoons of all time! A 1943 theater audience in Iselin, N.J., clapped, whistled, and yelled, until the beleaguered manager showed one of their hot toons three times!

Disney artist John Hench on the popularity of Mickey: “…Mickey Mouse…is made out of a series of circles…circles are things we have fun with - babies, women’s behinds, breasts!”

Felix the Cat was one of the earliest animated cartoon characters (dating back to 1919), the very FIRST character to appear on television (in a decidedly unanimated role as a test pattern) and the first balloon in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927. So then why has it taken this long for Felix to make hit first appearance on DJ David B’s Comics Tunes Tuesday? I am so ashamed.

It is believed that Felix was created by cartoonist/animator Otto Messmer, although producer Pat Sullivan claimed credit.

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Felix, the first TV star.

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(This parade was actually in Toronto, but you get the idea.)

This 1958 cartoon theme song should resonate with all you Arf-loving baby boomers who grew up messmer-ized by Felix as he rooted around in his bag of tricks to find a way out of a jam with The Professor and Poindexter.

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It’s a long road from the silver screen of 1919 to the internet of 2008, but you finally made it, Felix. That’ll do, cat. That’ll do.

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To relive this musical memory, click on the bar below…

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)