PREMIERE RADIO NETWORKS
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In 1990, Mark Jonathan Davis moved to Los Angeles to become Director of Comedy Network Programming for the PREMIERE RADIO NETWORKS, where he produced over 200 parody songs for airplay on morning shows all over the nation.
Many of these parodies are included on the albums "The Parody Songs That Destroyed Earth" (2020) and "Parody Songs For A Better Tomorrow" (2021), available now at markjonathandavis.bandcamp.com |
Some of Davis's biggest parody hits were created at Premiere's 22nd-floor studios overlooking Hollywood:
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RICE RICE BABY
"If you can't take it, order Moo Goo Gai PAN." In November of 1990, rapper Vanilla Ice's hit "Ice Ice Baby" became the vehicle for Davis's parody hit "RICE RICE BABY." The parody was sung by an L.A. rapper named Gary Thomas, while Davis did backup shouts and also played the Yamaha PSS-480 keyboard koto over the 12"-instrumental music track. Within weeks of its national release on the Premiere Radio Networks, this Chinese food homage ranked number one at KIIS-FM/Los Angeles and other radio stations around the country. It even appeared in a HIDEOUSLY produced music video on Rick Dees "Into The Night" talk show on ABC-TV! In 2020, Davis re-sang the vocal and released this updated version on his album "THE PARODY SONGS THAT DESTROYED EARTH." |
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JEANNIE'S DINER
"I am sitting on the sofa, there's a TV in the corner." In late 1990, Davis produced a tribute to "I Dream Of Jeannie" by doing a parody of Suzanne Vega's strange single "Tom's Diner." "JEANNIE'S DINER" (sung by Davis next door neighbor Marilyn Whitelaw) became a sensation: it received national radio airplay, was written up in Entertainment Weekly, and ended up being included on a 1991 Suzanne Vega compilation CD called "Tom's Album." In 1994, a "Jeannie's Diner" promo music video aired on Nick At Nite, and the spot won a Bronze at the Broadcast Design Awards, a Silver Award at the Houston World Fest, and a Gold World Medal for Entertainment Program Promotion at the International Film and Television Festival. The promo also aired on TVLand in 1998, earning praise from TV Guide. "Jeannie's Diner" Nick At Nite promo produced by Agi Fodor, Steve Thomas, Barney Miller, and Scott Webb. |
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WICKED GAME SHOW
"What a wicked category, when you pick 'Potpourri.'" The popularity of TV's "Jeopardy" inspired Davis to write, produce, and sing "WICKED GAME SHOW," a 1991 parody of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game." The song includes Alex Trebek samples, a phenomenal guitar solo by Sean Grimes, and backup vocals by Marilyn Whitelaw and Davis. |
In 1991, Rob "Iceman" Izenberg joined Davis in Los Angeles at Premiere Radio Networks, and they collaborated on dozens of new parody songs, including these gems:
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LET'S GET SPOCKED
"Did he put on his deflector shield?" The most elaborate of IceMark's numerous "Star Trek" send-ups, "LET'S GET SPOCKED" parodies the 1992 Def Leppard song "Let's Get Rocked." Premiere's James Arnold Taylor sang the lead, with Iceman and Davis on backups. Davis manually mixed in original show dialogue, SFX, and syncopated music from the TV series soundtrack; the violin section amazes to this day. |
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ROGAINE
"You're in the Hair Club For Men, Captain Picard got you in, Rogaine." Eric Clapton's "Cocaine" became 1993's "ROGAINE" in this IceMark parody about a popular remedy for baldness. Premiere's Bill Filipiak created the music track, and Davis provided the double-tracked vocals. |
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I PAINT THE EGGS
"I paint the eggs with safe non-toxic dye." One of three Barry Manilow spoofs in the IceMark canon, "I PAINT THE EGGS" is an Easter Bunny tribute to the tune of "I Write The Songs." Iceman performed the backup vocals. |
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BEDROCK, BEDROCK
"Big rack of ribs, tips over the car." It was Iceman who penned and produced Bedrock, Bedrock, a Flintstones tribute aired on the Premiere Radio Networks. Davis sang the Sinatra-esque vocal. |
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ORDER THE EGG FOO YOUNG
"Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow!" Iceman wrote the brilliant lyrics to "ORDER THE EGG FOO YUNG," a 1992 Chinese food tribute to the tune of Billy Joel's "Only The Good Die Young." Davis provides the lead vocal; the music (after Iceman's piano intro) came from a karaoke CD. |
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In 1991, Davis released a home-made compilation album of parody songs on cassette, titled "Negotiations And Parody Songs." The album is out of print and not available.
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