Two Minutes Mr. Smith

Album: Something for the Weekend (1982)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In a Songfacts interview with Radio Stars bassist and songwriter, Martin Gordon, he revealed this song was "an ode to Arthur Sultan, the Surrey mystic." Sultan is a character from 1978's All You Need Is Cash, a mockumentary that traces the career of the fictitious British band, The Rutles, starring Monty Python's Eric Idle. The Rutles are a parody of The Beatles, and Sultan himself is based on Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who the Fab Four famously spent time with in India in 1968.
  • The song title is a reference to a lyric in The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's "Look At Me, I'm Wonderful," from their 1969 album, Keynsham.
  • Hugh McDowell of Electric Light Orchestra played cello on this song.
  • "Two Minutes Mr. Smith" provided the name for Radio Stars' first greatest hits album released in 1982 on Paul Roland's label, Moonlight Records. Interestingly, the song itself isn't included on the anthology.
  • This song appears on Something for the Weekend, Radio Stars' posthumous live album released in 2008, featuring performances recorded across the UK between 1977 and 1978.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Female Singers Of The 90s

Female Singers Of The 90sMusic Quiz

The ladies who ruled the '90s in this quiz.

Rick Springfield

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.