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

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.