LILY TOMLIN
LILY TOMLIN - “AND THAT’S THE TRUTH” (1971)
I realize that the very thought of this might turn you off from downloading it, but I must give you my strongest recommendation to turn that “WTF?” switch off in your brain and actually listen to this album. This is no “Ernestine” schtick or mere sketch comedy thing — rather, this is one weird piece of theater that creeped me out somewhat, and is an album I would certainly listen to more than once, given its bizarro factor.
It’s a two-character piece, with Tomlin playing both parts at the same time. It’s her playing a fictionalized version of “herself” against the “bratty child” character Edith Ann — but unlike Edith Ann’s appearances on “Laugh-In”, this is one messed-up little kid, spewing heavy-duty philosophical fragments and morose musings on life, death and sandwiches that are more disturbing than funny ha-ha.
There is a live studio audience present, one that does laugh at the big “jokes” throughout the piece, but there’s a lot of material here that goes by where the audience is equally as befuddled as you will be.
I thought this record was awesome.
June 8th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
i used to have her Modern Scream album and it contained some really thought provoking set pieces from various characters, most memorably a radio evangelist named Sister Boogie Woman.
June 9th, 2010 at 4:04 am
I have this on vinyl, it’s fantastic!
June 9th, 2010 at 4:09 am
Also, I didn’t know Edith Ann was on Laugh-In! I only saw her on Sesame Street.
June 13th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Thank you so much for this! I grew up listening to this one as my older sis and mom were big, big Tomlin fans.
June 14th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I think I remember sitting that giant chair at Universal Studios in the early 80’s. Or maybe it was from the Incredible Shrinking Woman. Thank you for this and all your other great posts/shares!