- Basketball Jones
"Basketball Jones" is a 1974 animated
short film based on theCheech and Chong song, "Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces ", from their album "Los Cochinos ". The cartoon was created to promote the song's release in theUnited States . It is about a black teenager called Tyrone Shoelaces and his love ofbasketball ."Basketball Jones" can be seen during the 1974 film "
California Split ", directed byRobert Altman , although its use in the film prevented "California Split" from ever being released on VHS or Laserdisc due toColumbia Pictures ' refusal to payroyalties for the song. Altman later removed the song (but not the cartoon) from the film so it could be released on DVD.The cartoon also appears in the 1976 film "Tunnel Vision". It is perhaps most well-known for being featured in the 1979
Peter Sellers film, "Being There ".The song is a parody of the 1972 soul ballad "Love Jones" by the group The Brighter Side of Darkness.
A
cover version of the song withChris Rock andBarry White was featured on the "Space Jam" soundtrack.It is also the name of a very popular basketball-related podcast.
Credits
*
Cheech Marin - Tyrone Shoelaces (voice)
*Darlene Love - Cheerleader (voice)
*Michelle Phillips - Cheerleader (voice)
*Ronnie Spector - Cheerleader (voice)
*George Harrison - lead guitar
*Klaus Voormann - bass
*Jim Karsten - drums
*Jim Keltner - percussion
*Carole King - electric piano
*Nicky Hopkins - piano
* Tom Scott - saxophone
*Billy Preston - organ
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