2003 APRIL 16 #106
Muhammad Ali - Ali's Historical Theme Song
Toothbrushes fill Mr. Tooth Decay with fear as Ali and his gang (Frank Sinatra, Richie Havens, Jayne Kennedy, Ossie Davis, Howard Cosell and a bunch of unknown kids) fight to promote good dental hygiene on this story record from 1976.
The theme song that begins the story however has little to do with good brushing habits and centers on Ali in history. You'll hear such memorable lines as, "Who rode the ride of Paul Revere? ... ALI! ALI!"
I love this record and it's sandwiched right next to Ali's 2nd album about the evil of cocaine released one year later in 1977. The title, "The Dope King's Last Stand" featured President Jimmy Carter, Lily Tomlin, Arlo Guthrie, Pat Boone, Billie Jean King and many others. This one won a "Best Recording for Children" Grammy Award in 1977 too!
Besides these two albums, Ali also recorded a version of Ben E. King's classic "Stand By Me" in 1964 (under his former name Cassius Clay) and he pulled it off with flying colors.
Enjoy this Historic ride with Ali as your tour guide!
- Otis Fodder
TT-2:48 / 3.8MB / 192kbps 44.1khz
from the LP, "Ali and His Gang Vs. Mr. Tooth Decay"
(1976)
(Ali LP cover images courtesy of Rob Martinez)
Zeb Navarro writes:
"An interesting fact on the "Muhammad Ali
and The Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay" that it spawned
a sequel. This time it's not Muhammad Ali but President
Jimmy Carter! The album is called "President Jimmy
Carter in the Fall of Mr. Tooth Decay Vol. 2" The
album also features the same "Gang" that was
on the Muhammad Ali LP plus Lily Tomlin, Arlo Guthrie,
Pat Boone, and Senator Hubert Humphrey as "The Great
Minnesotan". And the album proudly declares on the
back in small writing: "You too can have a great
smile like President Carter!". The album "I
Am The Greatest!" by Cassius Clay can be found on
CD, it features the full spoken word album plus the bonus
singing tracks of "Stand By Me", "I Am
The Greatest", and "Hail! Hail! The Gang's All
Here"
Here is a scan of the cover:
(Jimmy Carter image courtesy of Zeb Navarro)