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The Old Philosopher--Eddie Lawrence

Posted by Bruce Kahl on June 22, 2001

In Reply to: Re: Bunky posted by Bruce Kahl on June 22, 2001

: : : : : What was the origin of "Is that your problem, Bunky?" I have a fuzzy memory of a recorded comedy routine: a creaky male voice, possibly with music, delivering a sort of pep talk that sounded like a parody of sales pitches for home remedies. Was this a radio or TV routine? Name of performer? A search on Google reveals only that many people say "Is that your problem, Bunky (sometimes Binky)?" when posting on bulletin boards, especially the ones about making your computer behave.

: : : : I have that same fuzzy memory -- there was a TV ad featuring a man's funny little voice. It seems that the same guy did a cartoon voice. Maybe our resident ad expert will know.

: : : Maybe he won't notice that "sales pitches for home remedies" makes little sense. You don't buy home remedies, you make them. Well, a goose-grease poultice is a home remedy if you have geese, but someone might sell goose grease to the gooseless. I should have said "patent medicines."
: : It was a novelty song from (I'd guess) the late '50s. It was a hyper salespitch that started with something like "you say you've" (list of disasters here)... "Is that what's troubling you, Bunky. Well then" (and into some patriotic sounding music) ending with "Never give up... that ship." My memory of it is fuzzy, so I went to a couple of Lyrics websites, and they were, as usual, totally useless. Does anybody know a lyrics site that atually can find lyrics?

: Lyrics sites move around a lot since they dont pay royalties to the owners.
: I will not use "fuzzy" to describe my faint recollection of that song.

My VAGUE remembrances were enhanced by a musician friend of mine.
Eddie Lawrence and Dickie Goodman in the mid fifties released a slew of comedy records--"The Untouchables", "Flying Saucer" and the one with Bunky was by Eddie Lawrence entitled "The Old Philosopher".
Lots of hits but no lyrics yet.