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1955. It was a year of bubble gum pop and saddle shoes. Elvis was making the ladies croon, and girl groups were spinning on the jukeboxes of America. Ice cream cones cost a nickel, and the comforting glow of nuclear weapons first began to warm our hearts. It was a time of innocence, where daddy knew best and a woman’s place was in the kitchen or she got the belt. And nobody, nobody, put Baby in the corner. It was the perfect time for America to meet the Chipmunks.
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Dave Seville: I just found ‘em in a basket in front of my house one day. I kept ‘em, cause you know. At the time I had a pet snake. But then they started singing to me and I don’t know. That weirded me out. You can’t eat singing food or feed it to others. I think that’s in the Bible or something. Or is that do not commit adultery? I always get those confused. Simon: You know, I never really quite understood our place in the universe. I used to go to the park and see other little chipmunks scurrying about and I had to wonder. How come we were the only ones who walked upright and wore tennis shoes? Were we supposed to be some sort of evolved species? I was always taught that evolution was a complicated and cosmic ballet, taking billions of years to hone and perfect. Apparently, all you really need is a good kick in the ass. And a record deal. |
Theodore: I think we were about 5 or so when Dave figured we might be able to make it. He was a songwriter, though he never really took off. He was nervous about bringing us to the record company on account of that cartoon with the singing frog. Record executive, Lionel Spitz: I was immediately taken with them. The second they walked into the room, I knew. I had the next big thing right front of me. I was particularly impressed with Alvin. He had such a raw sexuality to him, even though he was, you know, a child-like rat. I remember the first thing he did when he walked in was get busy with my secretary’s leg. And she was screamin’ and cryin’ and jumpin’ up and down. And I’m thinkin’ damn. Not even Elvis got that sort of reaction right out of the gate. Theodore: Yeah...Alvin had that problem initially. Alvin: It wasn’t a problem. It’s natural for a chipmunk to explore his own sexuality. I have certain animal tendencies. A natural heat. You can’t extinguish that sort of thing. The best you can do is hold on and enjoy Mr. Alvin’s Wild Ride. Simon: Did he say that? He’s such an idiot. You know I ran into that secretary years later at the Super Stop and Shop. I heard she’s a roadie for Quiet Riot now. Which is really great although I seriously would have bet money that they died in a plane crash or something. Who am I thinking of? Is Whitesnake still alive? |
It was during that fateful meeting that the boys recorded their first hit: The Witchdoctor. With it’s edgy, clever, and irreverent lyrics that poked fun at pagan medical practices, the Witchdoctor was catapulted to the top of the charts. A TV show soon followed, as well a Christmas Album. Next Home |
