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Basketball Jones is a song by Cheech and Chong, first released in 1973. The song is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. The song was a hit and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has been described as a horribly offensive tune, and some have questioned whether it is racist. The song has made appearances in several films and television shows over the years, including Space Jam (1996), The Simpsons (2011), and California Split (1974).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Title | Basketball Jones |
| Artists | Cheech and Chong |
| Featuring | Tyrone Shoelaces |
| Year of Release | 1973 |
| Song Genre | Comedy |
| Song Context | Parody of "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness |
| Lyrics | References "jones" as slang for craving or addiction |
| Animated Short Film | Yes |
| Animation Director | Paul Gruwell |
| Year of Animated Film Release | 1974 |
| Stereotypical Depiction | Yes |
| Portrayal of African Americans | Stereotypical |
| Racial Sensitivity | Offensive to a particular group of people |
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What You'll Learn
- The song's lyrics and music video portray Tyrone Shoelaces as a stereotypical African American
- The song was performed by comedians Cheech and Chong, who are not black
- The song features backing vocals from respected musicians including Carole King and George Harrison
- The song was a parody of Love Jones by Brighter Side of Darkness, and the term “jones” refers to an addiction
- The song has been featured in several films and television shows, including Space Jam and The Simpsons
The song's lyrics and music video portray Tyrone Shoelaces as a stereotypical African American
The song "Basketball Jones" by Cheech and Chong features Tyrone Shoelaces, a character portrayed as a stereotypical African American in both the lyrics and the music video. The song, released in 1973, is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. The lyrics refer to "'jones'" as slang for craving or addiction, implying that Tyrone is addicted to basketball. The song is sung in a falsetto voice by Cheech Marin, who plays the character of Tyrone.
In the music video, or animated short film, Tyrone Shoelaces is depicted as having a natural skill for "dribbling" or drooling from birth, which leads his mother to give him a basketball as a gift. This portrayal of Tyrone as a dribbler or drooler from birth reinforces the idea that he is inherently skilled at basketball due to his race. The video also includes gospel choir singing and references to "day of the week" panties, which contribute to the stereotypical portrayal of African Americans.
The video features a trip to the "basketball championship," where Tyrone begins preaching to potential teammates, coaches, and cheerleaders. While there are a few short shots of Tyrone playing basketball, most of the video focuses on shots of increasingly unusual and distant people singing along to "Basketball Jones." The video ends with Tyrone growing to a massive size, using the moon as a basketball, while a diverse group of characters, including Cheech and Chong, sing along to the song.
The portrayal of Tyrone Shoelaces as a stereotypical African American has been considered offensive by some. The song and video's focus on Tyrone's love of basketball and natural skill could be interpreted as perpetuating racial stereotypes about African Americans and their athletic abilities. Additionally, the depiction of Tyrone as a dribbler or drooler from birth can be seen as reinforcing negative stereotypes about African Americans.
While "Basketball Jones" was a hit song in 1973 and has had impressive Hollywood cameos, it is important to recognize that what was considered acceptable in comedy during that time may not be acceptable in today's more politically correct and woke environment. The song and video's portrayal of Tyrone Shoelaces as a stereotypical African American is a testament to how some art tested the boundaries of cultural offensiveness in the 1970s.
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The song was performed by comedians Cheech and Chong, who are not black
The song "Basketball Jones" was performed by comedians Cheech and Chong, who are not Black. The song, which was released in 1973, is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. It is a parody of the song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness and uses the slang term "jones" to refer to an addiction or craving. The song was a surprise hit and reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the only spoof to peak higher than the corresponding original.
Cheech and Chong were stoner comedians who often pushed the boundaries of cultural offensiveness in their comedy routines. The song "Basketball Jones" has been described by some as "horribly offensive to a particular group of people" and as testing "the boundaries of cultural offensiveness." It is worth noting that what was considered acceptable in comedy during the 1970s may not be acceptable today in our more politically correct and woke environment.
The song "Basketball Jones" has had a lasting impact and has made several Hollywood cameos. It was featured in the 1974 film "California Split" directed by Robert Altman, as well as in Hal Ashby's "Being There" (1979), where it is watched by the character Chauncey Gardiner in a limousine. The song was also covered by Barry White and Chris Rock in the 1996 film "Space Jam" and appeared in a 2008 commercial for the television series "House of Payne."
The animation for "Basketball Jones" was created by Paul Gruwell in 1974 and has also gained attention over the years. In the animation, Tyrone Shoelaces is depicted as a stereotypical African American and is shown from birth having a skill for "dribbling" (in which he is shown to be drooling). As a result, his mother gives him a basketball as a gift. The cartoon has been described as a classic by some and has been referenced and parodied in more recent pop culture, such as in an episode of "The Simpsons."
While the song "Basketball Jones" may have been a hit and gained cultural significance, it is important to acknowledge that it has also been perceived as offensive by some listeners. The fact that Cheech and Chong, who are not Black, were performing a song with potentially offensive racial stereotypes adds to the complexity of this discussion.
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The song features backing vocals from respected musicians including Carole King and George Harrison
"Basketball Jones" is a song by Cheech and Chong that first appeared on their 1973 album, Los Cochinos. The song is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. The song was backed by respected musicians including Carole King, George Harrison, Billy Preston, Tom Scott, Klaus Voormann, and Darlene Love. The Blossoms and Michelle Phillips performed vocals as cheerleaders on the track.
The song features the opening lyric, "Basketball Jones, I got a basketball Jones", which refers to "Jones" as slang for craving or addiction. In other words, a "basketball Jones" means loving basketball so much that it overtakes all other thoughts. The song was released as a single in August 1973 and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, outperforming its source song by one position.
The song was covered by Barry White and Chris Rock in the 1996 film Space Jam. It has also been featured in several films, including California Split (1974) and Being There (1979), as well as in a 2008 commercial for the television series House of Payne.
The animated short film based on the song, also titled "Basketball Jones," was created to promote the song's release in the United States. The cartoon depicts Shoelaces, who appears as a stereotypical African American, as having a skill for "dribbling" (in which he is shown to be drooling) and being given a basketball by his mother as a gift.
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The song was a parody of Love Jones by Brighter Side of Darkness, and the term “jones” refers to an addiction
"Basketball Jones" is a song by Cheech and Chong that first appeared on their 1973 album, Los Cochinos. Sung in falsetto by Cheech Marin, playing the character Tyrone Shoelaces, the song tells the story of Shoelace's love of basketball.
The song was a parody of "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness, and the term "jones" refers to an addiction. In the context of the song, a "basketball jones" refers to loving basketball so much that it overtakes all other thoughts. The song's opening lyric, "Basketball Jones, I got a basketball Jones", is a reference to this.
The song features a number of respected musicians, including George Harrison, Billy Preston, Tom Scott, Klaus Voormann, Carole King, Michelle Phillips, Nicky Hopkins, and The Blossoms. The song was a hit, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also covered by Barry White and Chris Rock in the 1996 film Space Jam.
Despite its success, some have criticised "Basketball Jones" as being "horribly offensive to a particular group of people". The song has been described as testing the boundaries of cultural offensiveness, and it is suggested that it would not be considered acceptable in today's more politically correct environment.
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The song has been featured in several films and television shows, including Space Jam and The Simpsons
The song "Basketball Jones" has indeed been featured in several films and television shows. It was originally released in 1973 as a single and an animated short film based on the song was created the same year to promote its release. The song was then featured in Hal Ashby's 1974 film California Split, directed by Robert Altman. However, due to issues with paying royalties for the song, it was removed from the film for its VHS and Laserdisc releases, and later reinstated for the DVD release without the music. The song was also featured in Ashby's 1979 film Being There, where the character Chauncey Gardiner is seen watching the cartoon in a limousine.
In 1996, the song was covered by Barry White and Chris Rock for the film Space Jam. The animated short is also watched by the character "Chance" in Being There. More recently, the song was featured in a 2008 commercial for the television series House of Payne, and in a 2011 episode of The Simpsons titled "A Midsummer's Nice Dream", where Homer has a trippy daydream to the song.
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Frequently asked questions
The song "Basketball Jones" by Cheech and Chong has been deemed by some as horribly offensive to a particular group of people. The song features a cartoon by Paul Gruwell, which depicts the character Tyrone Shoelaces as a stereotypical African American.
The song is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. It is a parody of the song "Love Jones" by Brighter Side of Darkness.
The song was sung by Cheech Marin, who played the character Tyrone Shoelaces. Other musicians who appeared on the record included George Harrison, Billy Preston, Tom Scott, Klaus Voormann, Carole King, Michelle Phillips, and The Blossoms.
The song first appeared on Cheech and Chong's 1973 album "Los Cochinos". It was also featured in the 1974 film "California Split", directed by Robert Altman, and in the 1979 film "Being There". The song was covered by Barry White and Chris Rock in the 1996 film "Space Jam".
