I think the joke is right at the beginning with the sound of the heart monitor which sounds like the start of the song, it's no more sophisticated than that, just an excuse for some silliness
I think there are 3 or 4 jokes here. Bryan Ferry's resemblance to Mao Tse Tung in that fantastic TOTP debut appearance by Roxy Music, in his black eye-liner etc. I also liked to think that Roxy emerged as a big time band at the exact moment of Mao's death. Mao instantly reincarnated as Byan Ferry. But the actual dates don't match up. Either way, definitely in my top 10 all time comedy sketches, just as the original is in my top 10 all time TOTP performances. Virginia Plain! An absolute banger! 😃🤩😆
Love the way Arthur Matthews playing Paul Thompson keeps looking up at the studio monitor and making faces - like so many drummers did on TOTP back in the day
and the way that members of the audience have not got a clue how to dance to this type of music but still pretend as if they do, just like back in the day
Me too and... what could we want more? 😂 I always come back for this laugh 😂 For me, I'm pleased enough with this basic comparison of Bryan Ferry's weird singling (back in the days) with... Chinese accent. What a perfect blend! 👌 I'm sure Chairman Mao would be very happy with this too 😂 The best nonsense! Best end to the 1st season!
I always come back to this one now and again and it never fails to make me chuckle. I once met Kevin Eldon and told him how much I loved it, and he told me that they spent huge amounts of time literally recreating the entire track to pull this off.
I was randomly watching some old Top of the Pops and for the first time saw and heard Roxy Music's Virginia Plain and was like "wait a moment!" Prior to this, I thought that this was just a parody of the New Wave in general.
The original scene opens with a piece of Philip Glass' 'Nixon in China', cut here. It also duplicates very well a Roxy Music performance on 'Top of the Pops', BBC 'almost never live music' Top Twenty records TV series that ran for many years. - and for some reason seeing this always hits me with a tearful sense of nostalgia rather than comedy...
I am caught between the two "big" parodies. See the Brian Eno played by Matt Lucus is more ...Brian eno ( shooting stars) Kevin Eldon is more Brian ferry like with out the really chinese accent as oppsed to the vic reaves version ( just to say....I was not offened by his voice....its fucking comdy..sad I have to say this)
I think the Big Train version is better, less slapstick. *Brian Eno is played by Johnny Vegas in the Vic and Bob version, Matt Lucas of course plays the drums :)
just discovered, there is this awful cover band, they go by the name of "Roxy Music" and they have released a video in which they deliberately take the piss out of Big Train and Virginia Plain. If I ever bump into them they'll be Stranded!
blasphemy alert! blasphemy alert! after listening to this a few times, beginning to like it more than the original! anyone know where I can visit a cheap exorcist?
@@Stefing It's the final "Virginia Plain", the way he sings it and his mouth movements that gets me every time, along with dead-pan expression on his face! he is living it, not just acting it!
This nails the 70s TOTP slightly self conscious over compensating 'wacky' drummer and how there was always a couple of female members of the audience pushed to the front because they look good for the camera but they often just weren't into whoever is on stage. And of course Mark Heap is Eno. Of course he is. Preferred Johnny Vegas though.
Best version of Virginia Plain, Big train were the best, love em
I saw this on the show when it was first broadcast and have never forgotten it.
I love how they make absolutely no attempt to explain the joke.
I think the joke is right at the beginning with the sound of the heart monitor which sounds like the start of the song, it's no more sophisticated than that, just an excuse for some silliness
I think there are 3 or 4 jokes here.
Bryan Ferry's resemblance to Mao Tse Tung in that fantastic TOTP debut appearance by Roxy Music, in his black eye-liner etc.
I also liked to think that Roxy emerged as a big time band at the exact moment of Mao's death. Mao instantly reincarnated as Byan Ferry. But the actual dates don't match up.
Either way, definitely in my top 10 all time comedy sketches, just as the original is in my top 10 all time TOTP performances.
Virginia Plain! An absolute banger! 😃🤩😆
Love the way Arthur Matthews playing Paul Thompson keeps looking up at the studio monitor and making faces - like so many drummers did on TOTP back in the day
and the way that members of the audience have not got a clue how to dance to this type of music but still pretend as if they do, just like back in the day
Kevin Eldon is a blooming genius.
Mark Heap makes for a very fitting Brian Eno.
The man doesn't age either, sure he has a portrait in the attic at this point
I’ve always found this hilarious but have never, ever figured out why.
Me too and... what could we want more? 😂
I always come back for this laugh 😂
For me, I'm pleased enough with this basic comparison of Bryan Ferry's weird singling (back in the days) with... Chinese accent. What a perfect blend! 👌 I'm sure Chairman Mao would be very happy with this too 😂
The best nonsense! Best end to the 1st season!
For me it's the incongruity of it
I always come back to this one now and again and it never fails to make me chuckle. I once met Kevin Eldon and told him how much I loved it, and he told me that they spent huge amounts of time literally recreating the entire track to pull this off.
I think this just about the best 2 minutes and 53 seconds that there's ever been on British television .. Can't. Stop. Watching.
Absolutely superb
I'm still a big fan of the actor Kevin Eldon
Ever since TMWRNJ, still cry laughing at that. I always say " the actor Kevin Eldon" and still laugh while saying it awesome
@@ChikyeungtinsiMe too.
He guest stars in a particularly good episode of 'Saxondale' with Steve Coogan and Ruth Jones.
this is pure genius - probably the best thing to watch if you are felling a bit down.. love it so so much --
I was randomly watching some old Top of the Pops and for the first time saw and heard Roxy Music's Virginia Plain and was like "wait a moment!"
Prior to this, I thought that this was just a parody of the New Wave in general.
Totally bloody brilliant!!!!!
The original scene opens with a piece of Philip Glass' 'Nixon in China', cut here.
It also duplicates very well a Roxy Music performance on 'Top of the Pops', BBC 'almost never live music' Top Twenty records TV series that ran for many years.
- and for some reason seeing this always hits me with a tearful sense of nostalgia rather than comedy...
Without the setup, the gag is lost.
Nixon in China was John Adams , not Glass
So glam...vibrato.
Graham Linehan...this was magic!!
Brill, ace and skill, like Roland Rat Spaghetti Hoops.
Love Mark Heap as Eno
Taken back to nights in Portsmouth listening to Kev singing this
activate CC for randomly (?) generated lyrics
Ha ha ha! Brilliant! I’m leaving that on for everything now...
‘dr. dome besides I’ve lost good eye’
Brilliant. Should’ve been the original lyrics.
Childhood
stewart lee’s let himself go
I don't think Bryan Ferry and Mao Zedong were ever seen in the same room together were they 🤔
1:59
Arguably better than the original
inarguably better than the original
I don't know about that, but it is incredibly well done!
A rare example of the cover bettering the original
Just like that I’m 16 again.
Is it just me or is Simon Pegg not a dead ringer for Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day?
Second only to Reeves and Mortimer's version...
A rather young looking chap, Simon Pegg.
As a yank! I realized those are the gentlemen from Shaun Of The Dead.
I am caught between the two "big" parodies.
See the Brian Eno played by Matt Lucus is more ...Brian eno ( shooting stars)
Kevin Eldon is more Brian ferry like with out the really chinese accent as oppsed to the vic reaves version ( just to say....I was not offened by his voice....its fucking comdy..sad I have to say this)
I think the Big Train version is better, less slapstick. *Brian Eno is played by Johnny Vegas in the Vic and Bob version, Matt Lucas of course plays the drums :)
the shooting stars version was Johnny Vegas as Eno, Matt Lucas was on drums.
@@watkinscopicat yeah I wrong the above when I was drunk...when you get to my age it all blurs man.....its terrible
Vic and Bob was better
is that possibly Andrew Scott (Moriarty) on guitar?
It's Simon Pegg.
just discovered, there is this awful cover band, they go by the name of "Roxy Music" and they have released a video in which they deliberately take the piss out of Big Train and Virginia Plain. If I ever bump into them they'll be Stranded!
blasphemy alert! blasphemy alert! after listening to this a few times, beginning to like it more than the original! anyone know where I can visit a cheap exorcist?
Me too - the original came on today and I was picturing this... 😈
@@Stefing It's the final "Virginia Plain", the way he sings it and his mouth movements that gets me every time, along with dead-pan expression on his face! he is living it, not just acting it!
This nails the 70s TOTP slightly self conscious over compensating 'wacky' drummer and how there was always a couple of female members of the audience pushed to the front because they look good for the camera but they often just weren't into whoever is on stage. And of course Mark Heap is Eno. Of course he is.
Preferred Johnny Vegas though.