Richard Levinson
“Unchartables Vol. I”
Recorded Live at The Sacred Fools Theater, Los Angeles
"Funny! Great job, man...." -- Chris Miller, writer, "Animal House"
After penning Burt Reynolds’s country novelty hit “Let’s Do Something Cheap and Superficial” many, many, many years ago, songwriter Richard Levinson descended into the dark world of advertising music, writing jingles for shopping malls, restaurants,furniture warehouses, newspapers, plumbing supply distributors, waterbeds, jewelers, car dealers,newspapers, piano stores, supermarkets, sauerkraut, frozen desserts, miniature golf courses, beers, wines, banks, the California Egg Commission, the LSU women’s basketball team and one very large discount brokerage.
To atone for this, he has over the years also written comedy music and satiric songs -- which he quite appropriately calls “Unchartables.” Some of these have appeared in productions by MTV, National Lampoon, Fox/HBO and Disney Television Animation. His songs were also featured regularly on the Dr. Demento syndicated radio show.
A self-described “professional dilettante,” Richard has written for numerous local and national magazines, most of which are now out of business. Along with his occasional performances at the Sacred Fools Theater, he currently acts as musical director for the LA version of “No-Shame Theater,” which is presented Friday nights at the Powerhouse Theater in Santa Monica. He also performs regularly with “The MOHOs,” the sketch comedy group headed by Mary Willard and her lovely husband Fred, who says, "It’s hard to get Richard out of the room, but his songs are hard to get out of your head. They are always catchy, always funny, and always wonderful. "
Bravo! Terrific stuff...
-- Phil Proctor, Firesign Theater
Richard Levinson is like a modern Cole Porter-except way more talented
and clever and not dead!"
--Julie Brown
Hey, there's some clever shit in this album. Richard Levinson performs his songs in the tradition of Tom Lehrer, Phil Ochs, Randy Newman, Roy Zimmerman, and David Frischberg. Welcome to another troubador of musical irreverence.
--Paul Krassner
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