Wombling USA

[The Shift]

I only just found out about this. UK fans will get it, but USA fans might not...

The Wombles were a '70s bubblegum pop band based on a UK animated puppet series. Produced by Mike Batt, they had a string of sizeable hits, and their sound and production owed a heck of a lot to Brian's early ’60s work.  But I never knew they'd paid this direct tribute, and I've never heard it. It's deleted now, as are all their recordings.

I would not dream of asking whether anyone has a sharable version of this tune, as I know that would be wrong, wrong, wrong.

Here are the lyrics:


Wombling U.S.A.

Female voice, announcing (as on an airport):
„
Will Mister Wellington Womble,
travelling on Trans-Womble-Airlines, flight no. TWA636 to New York,
please go to the departure lounge.“

Well I came to the States on a jumbo jet
‘cause I didn’t want to get my bathing suit wet
I said I feel so fine and I’m wobling USA.
When they picked me up in a big Rolls Royce
I put on my best Brian Wilson voice
I said I feel so fine and I’m wobling USA.
Let’s go wombling USA, let’s go wombling USA
Down to Chicago, that’s okay,
Denver, Colorado, gonna get there some day,
Wombling USA.

Well I left my home back in Wimbledon Town,
Gonna lie on the beach, let the sun beat down,
Well I feel so fine when I’m wombling USA.
Let’s go wombling USA.
Well you know I got a thing about Fred Astaire,
Tapping like a telegraph and dancing on air,
You know I feel like him when I’m wombling USA.
Sing, sing, sing like a Womble, dance, dance, dance.

I may be furry and I may be fat,
But I look real heavy in a cowbay hat
Well I feel so fine when I’m wombling USA
Let’s go wombling USA
Gonna take me a drive down Nashville way,
To hear them Nashville Wombles play,
Well it sounds so good when you’re wombling USA
Let’s go wombling USA

Well I dreamed there was a conductor
Down at Madison Square,
And if felt so good, I was wombling USA,
Yes I was wombling, wombling USA, wombling USA,
I was wombling USA.......

[Malc]

APPARENTLY ... much to Mike Batt's disgust - "Wombling USA" never had an 'official' release (despite being intended as the 'US-breakthrough' single) - , but only appeared as a bonus cut on a rare cassette issue. Brian Wilson admirer (and Move/ELO frontman) Roy Wood also had some connections to the cassette so that may explain the influence ... 

[The Shift]

I have the CD version with the Roy Wood/Wombles tracks (their aesthetic integrity is open to debate !  )   but the Wombling USA track was, as you say, only on the cassette version. Recorded as part of a bid to make it big in the States, but ultimately not released there, apparently.  Someone must have an MP3 though, huh?

[Malc]

Possibly ... but who would've been the best surfer in the band ? Orinoco ?? Tomsk ?? Great Uncle Bulgaria ?? Madame Cho ... nah !

[The Shift]

I know it's hard to believe but Tomsk was the only real surfer in the band. Orinoco was the music genius but spent a lot of the time sleeping and eating birthday cake...

[49ersphil]

I have the CD version with the Roy Wood/Wombles tracks (their aesthetic integrity is open to debate !  )   but the Wombling USA track was, as you say, only on the cassette version. Recorded as part of a bid to make it big in the States, but ultimately not released there, apparently.  Someone must have an MP3 though, huh?

Speaking of Roy Wood (I've asked before but nobody replyed) does anyone know if "Honeycomb" by BB/Wizzard still exists or was it destroyed?

Sure love to "discuss" it with somebody 

[Malc]

I know it's hard to believe but Tomsk was the only real surfer in the band. Orinoco was the music genius but spent a lot of the time sleeping and eating birthday cake...

It made me laugh ... 

[MBE]

I have the CD version with the Roy Wood/Wombles tracks (their aesthetic integrity is open to debate !  )   but the Wombling USA track was, as you say, only on the cassette version. Recorded as part of a bid to make it big in the States, but ultimately not released there, apparently.  Someone must have an MP3 though, huh?

Speaking of Roy Wood (I've asked before but nobody replyed) does anyone know if "Honeycomb" by BB/Wizzard still exists or was it destroyed?

Sure love to "discuss" it with somebody 

Yeah that would be pretty cool to hear.

[The Shift]

Just heard that all the Wombles CDs are being reissued this summer to tie in with their Glastonbury appearance.  Is it too much to hope that the BBs-influenced Wombling USA will be a bonus track?  What a summer!