I also have 3 short excerpts available from THE STAR WARS CANTINA COMEDY PARODY ALBUM by Mark Jonathan Davis (© copyright 1997 mark jonathan davis / earthquake entertainment) in WAV format.

0:11 (122KB) Johnny Carson at the Cantina
0:11 (121KB) Bob Hope at the Cantina
0:11 (117KB) Galactic Entertainment Report by Paul Talbert, the 55-Year Old Intern

In the meantime, you can listen to MIDI music from the actual Star Wars Cantina Band. You may need Netscape 3.0, Internet Explorer 3.0, America Online 3.0, or an MIDI Plug-In to listen. Click here to get the plug-in.

2:52 Cantina Band
1:44 Jazzed-up Cantina Band
4:06 "Copacabana" © Barry Manilow

In January 1997, as the Star Wars Special Edition movies were being readied for release to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Star Wars, the Star Wars Cantina Parody Song debuted on the Dr. Demento Show and many other radio stations, including Star 100.7 FM/San Diego, KIIS-FM/Los Angeles, and Z-100/New York City. It was also featured in Entertainment Weekly. The song was written, produced, and performed by Mark Jonathan Davis (mark@ideatown.com). The song featured the music of Barry Manilow's hit, "Copacabana." It used out-takes of sound effects and dialouge from the three Star Wars films, Mark Davis as the lead male vocalist, and backup vocals by Loretta Mendoza. The song became an instant hit and the most requested song during those early months of 1997.

Here's some big news: The Star Wars Cantina parody song is now available on a promotional CD distributed by the Dr. Demento Fan Club. The Star Wars Cantina Song came in as the #2 most requested song of the year on Dr. Demento's Funny Twenty-Five Countdown for 1997.

For information on obtaining "The Star Wars Cantina" on the Demento Society's members-only CD #6, please email: dementosociety@juno.com

Steve Sansweet, speaking on behalf of Lucasfilm on July 19, 1997, answered a few of my questions about the Cantina Song. Lucasfilm did not licence any rights to use audio out-takes from the Trilogy to Mark Davis. The people at Lucasfilm are aware of the song, and think it's cute. They have no plans to sue him, as the song is a parody. Back in 1977, Lucasfilm declined to take legal action against the makers of the short film "Hardware Wars" for the same reason. By coincidence, George Lucas had been quoted as saying he thought "Hardware Wars" was "cute" after he saw it. Steve added that he understood that Barry Manilow may have had some strong concerns about the song, and was far more likely than Lucasfilm to consider taking any legal action.

Mark Davis has commented "I have just found your website, and I am thrilled that you are featuring [the Parody Song] on your page." "The webpage is awesome, and I am very grateful and pleased." He has also provided a correction of the lyrics that I had posted erroneously. Previously, I had listed the lyrics in the second stanza as "a man's right arm, on the floor," and then, "Evazon's arm, on the floor," based on a somewhat dubious but sincere reply to my request for a more accurate reading of the lyrics. That particular respondent (who shall go nameless) indicated that the name of the man who pushes Luke around in the cantina was "Evazon." The line in the final stanza "Why didn't they all just relax" was previously listed as "Why didn't they just relax."

Mark Davis has provided a press release from January 22, 1997:

"THE STAR WARS CANTINA"
HILARIOUS PARODY SONG RELEASED
TO COINCIDE WITH STAR WARS TRILOGY

MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT, TATOOINE - Radio stations around the galaxy are playing "The Star Wars Cantina," a novelty song performed by writer/comedian Mark Davis. The song is a parody of Barry Manilow's 1978 disco hit "Copacabana," and pays timely tribute to the release of the Star Wars Special Edition film trilogy.

"With the new versions of the Star Wars movies coming out," said Davis to himself, because he was typing this, "I thought it would be fun to sing the praises of everyone's favorite films." After spending a few frantic weeks sneaking into advance Star Wars screenings, Mark headed for the recording studio. Three days later, "The Star Wars Cantina" was completed.

"The Star Wars Cantina" tells of the Mos Eisley Cantina, the creature-infested tavern on Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine. There, Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi meet with Millenium Falcon pilots Han Solo and Chewbacca, and the four heroes encounter plenty of trouble and adventure in the seedy sci-fi saloon.

"The Star Wars Cantina" was written, produced, and sung by Mark Davis, who writes, produces and sings promo jingles for NBC. He has been writing and performing parody songs since he began working in radio in the early 1980's. Many of his comedy songs have received national airplay and media coverage, including "Rice Rice Baby," "La Isla Gilligan," and "Jeannie's Diner," which airs on Nick At Nite as a music-video promo for I Dream Of Jeannie.

You can hear "The Star Wars Cantina" on hundreds of radio stations in every corner of the United States universe, from KIIS-FM/Los Angeles to Z-100/New York City. The parody is receiving frequent coast-to-coast airplay on morning shows and station top-request countdowns, thanks to nationwide distribution on the Premiere Radio Networks, Olympia Radio Networks, and the Westwood One Radio Networks. "The Star Wars Cantina" made its debut on the nationally-syndicated Dr. Demento Show.

Additional demo copies of "The Star Wars Cantina" can be obtained by contacting Mark Davis at Earthquake Entertainment.

Please send any inquiries to Mark Jonathan Davis' E-mail address: mark@ideatown.com

Mark Davis announces a new release for May, 1999:

"THE PHANTOM MEDLEY"

As you know, my 1997 parody "The Star Wars Cantina" has been a popular hit in the galaxy, and it's been successful thanks in part to your kind support of my song on your webpages.

Now that "Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace" is coming out next month, I am also proud to announce that my newest Star Wars parody song is coming out, too.

THE PHANTOM MEDLEY features 16 witty ditties about everyone's favorite sci-fi film phenomenon, performed by Mark Jonathan Davis & The X-Swing Fighters. The song will be released to radio stations on May 10th, and will also be available for sale on CD (not available on cassette)!

I would truly appreciate your continued support in promoting my parody song "THE PHANTOM MEDLEY" on your website. Purchase and ordering information for "The Phantom Medley" CD will be found on the following website:

www.mp3.com/mjd
Ideatown creative venture development and content consulting: http://www.ideatown.com
Phantom Medley Website: http://www.ideatown.com/swpm.html
Star Wars Cantina Website: http://www.ideatown.com/swc.html
Mark Jonathan Davis' Music Homepage: http://www.ideatown.com/musicmarkhome.htm

And fan inquiries can be sent to:

mark@ideatown.com

Of course, feel free to keep "The Star Wars Cantina" alive and kicking as well. It's already receiving airplay on radio stations again!

Thank you again for your wonderful support, and please spread the word about "THE PHANTOM MEDLEY".

Until then, have a great weekend, and best wishes.

Mark Jonathan Davis
& The X-Swing Fighters
"The Phantom Medley"
mark@ideatown.com

Listen to excerpts from THE PHANTOM MEDLEY and also from many of the supplementary comedy tracks at:

www.mp3.com/mjd

ANOTHER LETTER to STAR WARS PARODY FANS
from Mark Jonathan Davis

Hello, Star Wars fan, and thank you for your interest in my comedy stuff.

I am proud to announce the release of "The Phantom Medley," my latest parody song about everyone's favorite sci-fi-film phenomenon, Star Wars. "The Phantom Medley" by Mark Jonathan Davis & The X-Swing Fighters features 16 witty ditties about Episode One, and this hilarious medley is now available on CD!

To hear an audio sample of "The Phantom Medley," and perhaps buy yourself a copy of the song on my new digital CD album "Naboo Road," please check out:

http://www.mp3.com/mjd

"The Phantom Medley" is now the most popular downloaded parody on MP3.com, and was featured in the July 9th issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine. A press release, lyrics, and an audio sample are also available at my Official Phantom Medley webpage:

http://www.ideatown.com/swpm.html

You may have also heard my other parody, "The Star Wars Cantina," airing on the radio again recently. Because it's a parody of another song ("Copacabana" by Barry Manilow), I personally can't distribute it or sell it (even for charity) because the music publisher has not yet granted permission.

However, I truly need your help to convince Barry Manilow's music publisher to give the greenlight to releasing "The Star Wars Cantina" on CDs. To find out how you can join the letter-writing campaign, please visit my Official Star Wars Cantina webpage:

http//www.ideatown.com/swc.html

"The Star Wars Cantina" comedy parody song is airing on radio stations in the United States, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, and even Croatia! You can download my song for FREE at sites all over the internet; please check my website for links, lyrics, and other info. In the meantime, please forward this email to any Star Wars fans you know, and also, I hope you will please request my songs by calling your favorite radio station.

And finally, I am proud to announce the return of Shakespeare Man! Yes, KROQ Radio's throat-clearing thespian of the theatre is back on stage and louder than ever. "The Globe Theatre Sessions," a new CD album of powerful (and hilarious) dramatic readings, is now available at:

http//www.mp3.com/shakespeareman

Ahem.

Thank you very much for your continued kind support and interest, and may the force be...aw, you know.

For demographic purposes, please reply to this email, and provide your full name, age, email address, city, occupation, and where and how you first heard my songs.

Mark Jonathan Davis
& The X-Swing Fighters
"The Phantom Medley"
mark@ideatown.com

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I have presented the lyrics to the song below using the following conventions:

Yellow text: Lead male vocalist [Pink text in square brackets]: Female backup vocalists {Lavender text in curved brackets}: Combined lead and backup vocalists (Blue text in parentheses): "Dialogue out-takes" or sound effects

And, just for fun, I thought you might like to know that Mark Davis provided the voice sounds of Yoda, Darth Vader, Jabba The Hut, and the kissing sound effect.

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The Star Wars Cantina
Sung to the tune of "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow
Written by Mark Jonathan Davis
© Copyright 1997 Mark Jonathan Davis / Earthquake Entertainment
Lyrics and Lead Vocal by Mark Jonathan Davis
Backup vocals by Loretta Mendoza

(Leia: "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope")
(Artoo: Beeps)

Her name was Leia, she was a princess,
with a danish on each ear, and Darth Vader (Vader: Breath sounds/Davis SFX) drawing near.
So Artoo Detoo, found Ben Kenobi. (Ben: "Obi-Wan")
He'd have to put the Death Star plans, into the Rebellion's hands.
So Luke and Obi-Wan, had to get to Alderaan,
so they stopped into Mos Eisley, to have a drink with Han...

chorus
At the Star Wars, [Star Wars!], Star Wars Cantina, [Star Wars Cantina]
The weirdest creatures you've ever seen-a!
[Here, at the] Star Wars, [Star!], {Star Wars Cantina,
Music, and blasters, and old Jedi Masters, at the Star Wars!...}

(Greedo: "Oota-do-ta, Solo?")
His name was Solo (Han: "Han Solo"), he was a pilot (Millenium Falcon flying by)
With a blaster at his side (Solo's blaster firing), and a smile twelve parsecs wide,
there with Chewbacca (Chewie: "Roar"), he was a Wookiee.
They met with Luke and Obi-Wan, about the Millenium Falcon.
Docking Bay Ninety-four (Ben: "Ninety-four"), Stormtroopers at the door. (Three knocks on metal)
With a flash of Ben's lightsaber (Saber igniting and swooping), now there's an arm, (Surly man: "Aaaargh!") on the floor...

chorus
At the Star Wars, [Star Wars!], Star Wars Cantina, [Star Wars Cantina]
The weirdest creatures you've ever seen-a!
[Here, at the] Star Wars, [Star!], {Star Wars Cantina,
Music, and blasters, and old Jedi Masters, at the Star Wars!...}

(Ben: "Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.")

His name was Yoda, he was a muppet. (Yoda: "EewOHew!", like Grover/Davis SFX)
Darth Vader was so bad, and by the way he's Luke's dad.
Luke kissed his sister (Leia kissing Luke/Davis SFX); his hand got cut off. (Saber Zap, Luke: "Aaaaagh!")
In that galaxy far, far away, Luke has had a lousy day.
Boba Fett was so mean, Jabba had bad hygiene. (Davis/Jabba: "Ho! Ho! Ho!")
Why didn't they all just relax, back on Tatooine...

chorus
At the Star Wars, [Star Wars!], Star Wars Cantina, [Star Wars Cantina]
The weirdest creatures you've ever seen-a! (Cantina Driod Alarm SFX)
[Here, at the] Star Wars, [Star!], {Star Wars Cantina,
Music, and blasters, and old Jedi Masters, at the Star Wars!...}

(Ben: "The Force will be with you, always")
[Star Wars, Star Wars Cantina,] (Artoo: Beeps and Whistles)
[Star Wars,] (Chewie: Growl) [Star Wars Cantina...]

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Liner Notes for
The Star Wars Cantina Comedy Parody Album:

Dear You:

What with the new versions of the Star wars movies coming out on video, I thought it was about dang time that I actually released "The Star Wars Cantina Comedy Album." You may have alredy heard this stuff when it aired on the radio earlier this year (on stations like KIIS-FM in Los Angeles, Z-100 in New York, and of course, The Dr. Demento Show). Now, I hope you will listen to it on your home stereo system, and perhaps in your car.

Sincerely, MD

© copyright 1997 mark jonathan davis / earthquake entertainment

1. WELCOME
2. "THE STAR WARS CANTINA" PARODY SONG
3. JOHNNY CARSON AT THE CANTINA
4. A DRAMATIC READING BY SHAKESPEARE MAN
5. BOB HOPE AT THE CANTINA
6. GALACTIC ENTERTAINMENT REPORT BY PAUL TALBERT, THE 55-YEAR-OLD INTERN
7. FAREWELL

all material written and produced by mark jonathan davis
lead vocals and all voices by mark jonathan davis
backup vocals by loretta mendoza
additional lyric by larry morgan
music by bryce johnson
engineering by rob "iceman" izenberg, eric "tricky" caver, and larry "no nickname" morgan
recorded at prn/sherman oaks and kroq/burbank
exectutive producer: mark jonathan davis

thanks to gary reisman, adrian rivas, sascha schleumer, barry manilow, tracy austin, todd meehan, james taylor, mom & dad

star wars related phrases, wording, and titles are the exclusive property of lucasfilm, ltd. and are hereby borrowed as a celebration of the imagination and work of mr. george lucas. no infringement upon the exclusive rights held by lucasfilm, ltd. or any other entity is presumed or implied by this work * all profits and proceeds from the sale of this product will benefit homeless charities throughout the galaxy * celebrity voices impersonated * please don't nobody sue us

manufactured/distributed by big misunderstanding records * post office box 1600 * studio city, california 91614
(p) © 1997 mark jonathan davis/earthquake entertainment * made in the usa
warning: all rights reserved. unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws * 00001-2

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This page has been accessed times since July 10, 1997. This page is maintained by Steve Chris Manitsas. Send comments to Manitsas@aol.com "Star Wars Cantina" is the property of Mark Jonathan Davis Star Wars® characters and out-takes are the property of Lucasfilm Limited.