As soon as I first saw the preview for The Ballad of Little Joe,
I couldn’t wait to see it. Rabid Veggie Tales fan that I am, that’s
pretty much true of every video in the series, but this one particularly
intrigued me as one of my favorite musicals is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I couldn’t wait to see what Veggie Tales did with the same story.
The video begins, as most do, on the counter top, where Bob and Larry
receive a message from a boy who is upset that he has been placed in a
different class at school than his friends. Bob feels that a Bible story
is needed to aid this downcast youth, but Larry reminds him that he promised
the next video could be a Western. After some muffled discussion behind
a “We are experiencing technical difficulties” notice, the tomato and
the cucumber compromise by agreeing to present a Western Bible story.
Little Joe (Joseph), played by Larry the Cucumber, is the youngest of
the sons of Jacob (Pa Grape), other than little Benjamin (Junior
Asparagus), who at the beginning of the story is still a baby. Little
Joe, ironically enough, towers over his older brothers because he is a
cucumber and they are peas. French peas, no less - my brother and I
found it interesting that Joseph features both a Western song and
a French song. Joe has a knack for organization (his sock drawer is
spotless), and he is clearly his father’s favorite, as evidenced by the
fact that during a rootin-tootin’ birthday song, Jacob presents Joe with
a psychadelic vest. His brothers, meanwhile, all received mittens for
their birthdays – a pretty pointless gift since they have no hands and
are situated in the middle of the desert, and a pretty boring gift
anyway. They hatch a plot to abandon him in a mineshaft, with the
sinister Jude leading the way. (During the introductions, Jude comes out
last; all the brothers face him and shout, “Hey, Jude!” – one of my
favorite moments in the video.)
Poor Joe is pulled out, only
discover his “rescuers” are a bunch of bandits, who carry him to the
far-off Dodge Ball City, where he begins work at McPotiphar’s (Scooter)
pizza place. After a year of working there, he becomes so popular (cue
peppy song) that he replaces sultry singer Miss Kitty (Madame Blueberry)
as Employee of the Month. Embittered, she frames Joe and lands him in
jail, where he turns the joint around using his organizational skills,
much to the marvel of the Sheriff (Bob). He also makes use of another
talent, interpreting dreams. This talent eventually wins him the notice
of the Mayor (Mr. Nezzer), who has been troubled by a dream of seven
thin cows eating seven fat cows (and also of him standing in front of a
crowd in his underwear). Joe reveals that seven years of great crops are
coming, followed by seven years of famine. And, given the state of his
sock drawer, he is awarded the job of preparing for the bad years, a job
that eventually leaves him face to face with the brothers who betrayed
him.
As far as strict adherence to the text goes, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
is actually closer to the biblical account than this, not only because
of the Western setting. Several details are changed and added, not that
that’s a bad thing. These veggies sure know how to serve up an
entertaining Bible story. In addition to the aforementioned Beatles nod,
there are plenty of fun touches, such as the ridiculous cow hat Larry
wears while working for McPotiphar, the dodge balls that come raining
down upon the city whenever someone screams, and the fact that all of
Joseph’s French pea brothers are able to fit through the bars in the
town jail.
As in King George and the Ducky, the racier
elements of the story are replaced; King David’s lust for Bathsheba
becomes King George’s desire for Junior’s rubber duck, and the attempted
seduction of Joseph by Potiphar’s wife becomes the planting of loot in
Little Joe’s hat by Miss Kitty. Of course, one key element missing from Joseph
is featured here in prominence: that is, God’s hand in Joseph’s life.
While Tim Rice’s Joseph attributes his rise to power to dumb luck,
Little Joe never loses sight of the idea that God has a plan for his
life and that his unfortunate circumstances will work out for the best.
And, of course, there is the Silly Song with Larry, which actually
isn’t. Well, not exactly. Archie’s not around at all to introduce the
song. Rather, Larry explains that he is trying to diversify his act.
Enter with Larry Mr. Lunt, Junior, and Jimmy Gourd – the Boyz in the
Sink – each bearing a remarkable resemblance to a member of ‘NSync.
Larry actually takes the backseat here for a music video headlined by
Mr. Lunt, in which he divulges a deep dark secret to a nurse played by
the loopy crooner of Esther’s Lost Puppies. The secret? He has no Belly Button, and though the doctor (Khalil from Jonah)
advises him in a rap segment that it’s no big deal, the nurse seems to
feel otherwise. This hilarious boy band spoof is certainly a change from
the typical Silly Songs with Larry, and it may be a bit harder to sing
along with, but it’s nonetheless a fine addition to the list.
Big Idea has done it again with the latest Veggie video, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!
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