Amanda Knapp
Basketball Jones is a song by Cheech and Chong that first appeared on their 1973 album, Los Cochinos. The song is about a character named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love for basketball. The song has been described by some as horribly offensive and possibly the most racist video ever. However, others argue that it was not racist but rather a product of its time, reflecting the political moods of the 1970s. The song has been featured in various media, including the 1979 film Being There and an episode of The Simpsons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Creators | Cheech and Chong |
| Year of release | 1973 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Type | Song, Animated short |
| Depiction of Black people | Caricature |
| Portrayal of other races | Viet Cong, King Kong, alley cats, men in business suits, a mountaintop guru, The Singing Nun, The Beatles |
| Perception | Racist, not racist, culturally offensive |
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What You'll Learn
'Basketball Jones' was a song by Cheech and Chong
"Basketball Jones" is a song by the comedy duo Cheech and Chong, which first appeared on their 1973 album, "Los Cochinos". The song is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. It is sung in falsetto by Cheech Marin, who also plays the title character, Tyrone.
The song is a parody of the No. 16 Billboard Hot 100 song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness. The album version of "Basketball Jones" includes a mock interview with a basketball coach named "Umgwana Kickbooti", which parodies a Wide World of Sports interview. The song's opening lyric, "Basketball Jones, I got a basketball jones", references "jones" as slang for craving or addiction.
The song was released as a single in August 1973 and reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the only spoof to peak higher than the corresponding original. An animated short film based on the song was created by animator Paul Gruwell to promote the song's release in the United States. In the animation, Shoelaces is depicted as a stereotypical African American who is skilled at "dribbling" (in which he is shown to be drooling) and is given a basketball by his mother as a gift.
The song has been featured in various media since its release, including in the 1979 film "Being There", a 2008 commercial for the television series "House of Payne", and a season 22 episode of "The Simpsons" titled "A Midsummer's Nice Dream". It was also covered by Barry White and Chris Rock in the 1996 film "Space Jam".
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The song featured on the album 'Los Cochinos'
"Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces" is a song by Cheech and Chong that first appeared on the 1973 album Los Cochinos. Sung in falsetto by Cheech Marin, playing the title character Tyrone (as in "tie-your-own") Shoelaces, the song tells the story of Shoelaces' love of basketball. It is a parody of the No. 16 Billboard Hot 100 song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness.
The song is preceded by a mock interview with Jones' basketball coach, "Umgwana Kickbooti", in a parody of a sports interview. The song's opening lyric, "basketball jones, I got a basketball jones", references "jones" as slang for craving or addiction. A "basketball jones", therefore, refers to an all-encompassing love of basketball.
The song has been described as "offensively bad" and "horribly offensive to a particular group of people". It has been criticised as being a "low point" for comedy, even for Cheech and Chong. The song's video features a cartoon caricature of the Tyrone character and has been described as "possibly the most racist video ever". However, others have argued that it was "not really racist" and simply a product of its time, reflecting the political moods of the 70s.
The song has been referenced and featured in various media since its release, including in the 1979 film Being There, a 2008 commercial for the television series House of Payne, and in an episode of The Simpsons.
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The song was a parody of 'Love Jones' by Brighter Side of Darkness
"Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces" is a song by Cheech and Chong that was released in 1973. The song is a parody of the No. 16 Billboard Hot 100 song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness. The song tells the story of Tyrone Shoelaces' love of basketball and references "Jones" as slang for craving or addiction.
The song was also made into an animated short film, which encapsulates the political moods of the 70s and predicts Richard Nixon's impeachment. The short film features a variety of unusual characters, including Cheech and Chong, Viet Cong, King Kong, and The Beatles, all singing along to the song.
The song and the short film have been described by some as "offensively bad" and "racist". However, others argue that it was a product of its time and that it was not necessarily intended to be racist. The song and film may have pushed the boundaries of cultural offensiveness, but they reflect what was considered acceptable in comedy during the 1970s.
The song has also been featured in various media, including a 2008 commercial for the television series House of Payne and an episode of The Simpsons. Despite the controversy, the song was a hit and even outperformed its source song on the Billboard Hot 100.
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The song was deemed offensive by some
"Basketball Jones" is a song by Cheech and Chong that first appeared on the 1973 album "Los Cochinos". Sung in falsetto by Cheech Marin, the song tells the story of the title character Tyrone Shoelaces' love of basketball. The song was deemed offensive by some, with one source commenting that it is:
> "...a song so horribly offensive to a particular group of people, all in the name of comedy, which, in this case, was a low point... even for Cheech and Chong."
The song was a parody of the No. 16 Billboard Hot 100 song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness, and featured prominent musicians such as George Harrison, Carole King, Billy Preston, Darlene Love, Michelle Phillips, and Ronnie Spector. The song and its accompanying animated short film have been described as encapsulating the political moods of the 1970s.
The song's lyrics and animation have been criticised as racist. One source notes that what was considered acceptable in comedy during the 1970s would not necessarily be tolerated in today's more politically correct environment. The song and its accompanying visuals have been described as a "'bad parody' and a "caricature" that tested the boundaries of cultural offensiveness.
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The song was featured in other media, including 'The Simpsons'
The song "Basketball Jones" by Cheech and Chong, featuring Tyrone Shoelaces, has been described by some as "horribly offensive to a particular group of people". The song, a parody of the No. 16 Billboard Hot 100 song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness, was first released on the 1973 album Los Cochinos. The song is about a character named Tyrone Shoelaces (as in "tie-your-own" Shoelaces) and his love for basketball. The term "jones" in the song refers to craving or addiction, implying that Tyrone is so enamoured with basketball that it takes over all his thoughts.
The song has been featured in various media beyond its original release. It was first seen in theatres in late 1973, before showings of Hal Ashby's "The Last Detail" at select screens. The animated short was also watched by the character "Chance" in the 1979 film "Being There". In 2008, the song was featured in a commercial for the television series "House of Payne". More recently, it was included in the season 22 episode of "The Simpsons" titled "A Midsummer's Nice Dream".
The song's music video has been described as "counter-culture animation". It includes a mix of short shots of Shoelaces playing basketball, primarily focusing on unusual and distant people in "the entire stadium" and "around the world" singing along. At the end of the video, Shoelaces grows to a massive size, using the moon as a basketball while various characters, including Cheech and Chong, Viet Cong, King Kong, and The Beatles, sing along.
While the song and its accompanying video may reflect the political moods of the 1970s, it is important to acknowledge that what was considered acceptable in comedy during that era may not be tolerated in today's more politically correct environment.
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Frequently asked questions
"Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces" is a song by Cheech and Chong from their 1973 album "Los Cochinos". The song has been described as "horribly offensive to a particular group of people" and the most racist video ever. However, some people argue that it is not racist but rather a product of its time, reflecting the political moods of the 70s.
Cheech and Chong are comedians and musicians known for their counter-culture humour and music in the 1970s. They have collaborated with several reputable artists, including George Harrison, Carole King, Billy Preston, Darlene Love, Michelle Phillips, and Ronnie Spector.
"Basketball Jones" has been featured in various media since its release. It was played in theatres in 1973 before showings of Hal Ashby's "The Last Detail". The song was also featured in the 1979 film "Being There" and on the TV shows "The Simpsons" and "House of Payne".
