81. “Fartman” Music

March 3, 2004

Q: On the National Lampoon White Album there is a track called “Fartman.” My question is this: The track opens with a exciting fanfare/march piece of music, and continues throughout the track. I have spent almost a year trying to find out where this short piece of music came from? Who composed it? Did it come from a “stock music” collection? There was one other time, on some old TV program, where I heard the music separate from the Rodger Bumpass dialogue. I have the album, and there isn’t a hint of a “written by” credit on it. I have checked ASCAP and BMI. Of those two, there is only one single reference to a song called “Fartman,” and it is written by Toni Visconti. It’s possible that this is the one, but I don’t think so. Mr. Visconti wasn’t composing and arranging to that level. It’s a great Superman-like piece of music. If you have any sources you (or I) could check (someone at National Lampoon would probably know, or could find out), I’d be very grateful. This has been a long time quest now. I know that Howard Stern used the theme (straight off the NL record itself) for his “Fartman” bits, but it’s never been released by him, so there’s nothing to check and look for a songwriting credit. Someone must know where this little piece of rousing music comes from. Any help or pointers you can provide would be great!

A: I have no idea, but I would be very surprised if it was written and recorded for the bit on the LP. Most likely it was stock music, especially if you heard the same music in some other context. Incidentally, the script is taken almost word for word from a Foto Funny that appeared in the magazine in the June 1979 (Kids) issue. (If anyone knows the answer to this, please post it in a comment.)

Comments

here's partial clarification - tony visconti specifically composed a very bombastic, faux-operatic piece specifically for howard's then upcoming movie (which never materialized)...the song was played in its entirety at some point in the intro segment of the stern radio show very very occasionally in subsequent years. visconti had intro'd the piece live on the show - this would be 91-92 sometime. i don't recall stern playing the unattributed NL piece you mention, though.

—rick

May 9, 2006 1:15 pm

That may well be true but can someone answer me this: The voice of the guy in the "Fartman" bit sounds an awful lot like whoever did the voice of the He Man's tiger in the old "He Man and the Masters of the Universe" cartoons in the early 80's. He was a kind of a wussy tiger who always begged to be left out of the adventures until the Prince of Greyskull zapped him with the lightning bolt from his sword when he got 'the power of Greyskull' or something like it. He sure sounds like the same guy. Any takers? If there are you can reach me at my email address: sgyetko@optimum.net in case I can't navigate back to this site

—steve

August 3, 2009 8:20 pm

NL Foto Funnies March 1985

—Paul

October 7, 2020 7:42 pm

NL Foto Funnies March 1985. The original fart man! Hilarious! Wish I could find a copy- the whole magazine was special

—Paul

October 7, 2020 7:46 pm

81. “Fartman” Music

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