Showbiz Pizza Place Tape 1

Showbiz Pizza Place Tape 1 was the first ever showtape produced for Showbiz Pizza Place's hosting the Rock-afire Explosion. Despite the tape's manufacture date being January 12, 1980, it wouldn't debut at a ShowBiz Pizza Place store until July of that year.(1)

Summary

This tape would be the introduction of the Rock-afire Explosion to first time ShowBiz Pizza customers and staff at the opening of the first stores. Each segment focuses on a main character and sets up their archetype and situation on stage. Heartaches sets up Dook's emotional singing, but doesn't include any dialogue. Roast Beef Sandwich introduces Billy Bob and Looney Bird running Smitty's Super Service Station and their solution to the 1979 Oil Crisis(2) with Gas-O-Hol. This scenario presents Billy Bob's caring personality, and shows Looney Bird's drunken craziness through his use of drinking the Gas-O-Hol. Catch-A-Wave introduces Beach Bear's surfing personality and his goofy voice. Hit the Cymbal shows off Rolfe and Earl's dynamic of insulting eachother- with Rolfe's egotistical showman attitude, and Earl's uncaring sarcastic outlook. Throughout their comedy act, it seems like they're at odds, but it resolves with the reveal they're doing what they can to entertain the audience together. School Days oddly doesn't show much for Fatz, and is rather a section for the center stage to speak with eachother. Sun and Moon also speak with the band despite rarely appearing later on. Mitzi makes zero appearances in this tape outside backup singing, making a proper introduction for her not come till much later.

Segment List

Notably this tape essentially loops its main segments twice, with every other loop containing a Rolfe & Earl skit.
  1. Segment 1
    1. Heartaches
  2. Segment 2
    1. Roast Beef Sandwich
  3. Segment 3
    1. Catch-a-Wave
  4. Segment 4
    1. Rolfe and Earl #1 - Hit the Cymbal
  5. Segment 5
    1. School Days
  6. Segment 6
    1. Heartaches
  7. Segment 7
    1. Roast Beef Sandwich
  8. Segment 8
    1. Catch-a-Wave
  9. Segment 9
    1. School Days

References

  1. https://www.showbizpizza.com/review/rae/1980_spptape1.html
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_oil_crisis

Roast Beef Sandwich and a Pizza

    [Banjo jingle plays for 20s]

    [Banjo and piano plays quietly over speech]

    Billy Bob:
    Howdy folks, I'm Billy Bob. That's three B's, two L's, a I, a Y, and a O. (laughs)
    Its real nice yall could drop in on me today, things gets kinda quiet here at Smitty's Super Service Station sometimes. What with the gas sit-i-ation the way it is n' all.(1) We've had to stop selling gasoline altogether.
    Once it got past twenty five cent a gallon, I didn't have no more friends what could afford it no-how. But... things'll be alright soon- (worrysome)
    Cause, as you can see, I'm making up a new fangled formula down here on the floor. (excitedly)
    Yeah its made of lots of good stuff and its in this little container and its gets all boiled up n' everything, and it comes out this long tube...

    [Billy Bob plays his guitar strings higher then lower in pitch while explaining]

    All the way down into this barrel, and I call it Gas-O-Hol. Yeah, we can use it in our car, or drink it!

    Billy Bob & Looney Bird: (singing)
    And havin' such a wonderful day

    Billy Bob:
    Hey there Looney Bird! (excitedly)

    Looney Bird:
    Hey there Billy Bob! (screaming)

    Billy Bob:
    Folks, I'd like ya to meet my friend here, this here's the Looney Bird!

    [Billy Bob twangs his guitar in a high pitch]

    I can't afford a watchdog, so Looney Bird here moved in to watch over my secret formula!

    [Another guitar twang]

    How much Gas-O-Hol we got so far Looney Bird?

    Looney Bird:
    Just a minute Billy Bob I'll go check and see!

    [Another guitar twang]

    Billy Bob:
    Here's probably gonna measure real accurate like exactly how much Gas-O-Hol we got.

    [Guitar twangs in a worrying fashion]

    [Elongated slurping noises made by Looney Bird]

    [Guitar twangs drunkenly]

    Looney Bird:
    We ain't got too much yet Billy Bob. (worried)

    Billy Bob:
    Oh dear.

    Looney Bird:
    I guess you better put on some more corn squeezin's huh Billy Bob?

    Billy Bob:
    Yeah I guess I better. I just hope the Looney Bird don't become some kinda Gas-O-Holic. Hey Looney Bird, its time for your favorite part of the show! (excitedly)

    Looney Bird:
    You mean its time to go already-?

    Billy Bob:
    No! I mean its time to get down and get funky- sort of.

    [Song: Roast Beef Sandwich]

    Billy Bob: (singing)
    Roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    Roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    John and Jane and all the gang are gonna have themselves a ball
    Eating roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    Roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    Roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    All the fellas and the chicks gettin' calories and kicks
    Eating roast beef sandwich and a- pizza

    Billy Bob & Looney Bird: (singing)
    Chompin' to the music of the jukebox
    Anybody got another dime?
    Chompin' to the music of the jukebox cause
    We're havin' such a wonderful time

    Billy Bob: (singing)
    Just eating roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    Roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    Its terrific daddy-o
    How the kids at school will go
    For a roast beef sandwich and a- pizza

    [Guitar solo]

    Billy Bob & Looney Bird: (singing)
    Chompin' to the music of the jukebox
    Anybody got another dime?
    Hand it down and drop it in the jukebox cause
    We're havin' such a wonderful time

    Billy Bob: (singing)
    Just eating roast beef sandwich and a- pizza
    Roast beef sandwich and a- pizza

    Billy Bob With Looney Bird:(singing)
    Its terrific, its the most
    And its happenin' coast-to-coast

    Billy Bob: (singing)
    Eating roast beef sandwich and a- pizza!

    [Song ends]

    Billy Bob:

    So long everybody! See you next time!

    [Banjo jingle plays for 20s]

    References

    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_oil_crisis

Catch A Wave

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!

    Beach Bear: (singing)
    Don't be afraid to try the greatest sport around!

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave
    Catch a wave

    Mitzi: (singing)
    If you don't you best not put it down

    Dook: (singing)
    You paddle out turn around and raise
    And baby that's all there is to the coastline craze
    You gotta-

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!
    Oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa

    Beach Bear: (singing)
    Not just a fad cause it's been going on so long!

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave
    Catch a wave

    Mitzi: (singing)
    They said it wouldn't last too long

    Dook: (singing)
    They'll eat their words with a fork and spoon
    And watch 'em they'll hit the road and all be surfin' soon
    And when they-

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!
    Oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa

    [Organ Solo]

    [Guitar Solo]

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!
    Oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa

    Beach Bear: (singing)
    So take a tip from a top-notch surfer bear!

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave
    Catch a wave

    Mitzi: (singing)
    But don't you treat it like a toy!

    Dook: (singing)
    Just get away from the shady turf
    And baby go catch some rays on the sunny surf
    And when you-

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!

    Mitzi: (singing)
    Way up high, up on top of the world (Oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa)

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!

    Mitzi: (singing)
    Way up high, up on top of the world (Oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa)

    All: (singing)
    Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world!

    Mitzi: (singing)
    Way up high, up on top of the world (Oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa-oo-aa)