5 Responses to ““Up, Up & Away” – Badmitton Birdies are most definitiely Kitsch!”

  1. Allee Willis

    Jimmy Webb was a very influential songwriter on me and this song slayed me. This Lennon Sisters version is poisonously sweet and straightened out but that’s what The Lennon Sisters are supposed to do and it’s actually a perfect song for them.

    The choreography is impeccable. This is The Lennons at their loosest.

    As someone who quite frequently uses balloon backgrounds I LOVVVVVE what’s going on behind them/ in front of them and as an overall theme. The balloon Webb refers to is, of course, an air baloon one travels in up in the air. But as far as I’m concerned, the use of dimestore balloons enhances the effect.

    The single balloon that enters in the foreground around 1:03 is fantastic. The way the balloons build as the arrangement gets more frenzied is excellent. When the single sister pans start at 1:20 it kills me that each girl has a little balloon in front of her. 1:44 Is a brilliant moment. Honestly, my only regret here is that the balloons didn’t lift the girls so they went up, up and away in the final bars of the song.

  2. Douglas Wood

    This clip is amazing. It’s almost like it takes place in some alternate universe– the year the Lennon sisters sang this (1967) was also the year of the Detroit race riots, a Be-In in Central Park, Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Peppers, the 6 Day War in Israel, Hair (off-Broadway), Aretha’s “Respect,” Jimi Hendrix’ first album, oh yeah, and a little thing called the Viet Nam war.

    • Allee Willis

      Yea, and there was this version of ” Up, Up And Away” in a little artificial bubble in the middle of all of it.

  3. denny

    I cannot believe how incredibly smooth the dance moves are! I am flippin’ over this video and again, this is the sort of thing that floats around in my head! Great post for SURE!