Homer's Barbershop Quartet
- Episode aired Sep 30, 1993
- TV-14
- 30m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
After the kids find a record with Homer's picture on it, he recalls the story of how he achieved fame in the 1980s with his barbershop quartet, The Be Sharps.After the kids find a record with Homer's picture on it, he recalls the story of how he achieved fame in the 1980s with his barbershop quartet, The Be Sharps.After the kids find a record with Homer's picture on it, he recalls the story of how he achieved fame in the 1980s with his barbershop quartet, The Be Sharps.
Dan Castellaneta
- Homer Simpson
- (voice)
- …
Julie Kavner
- Marge Simpson
- (voice)
Nancy Cartwright
- Bart Simpson
- (voice)
- …
Yeardley Smith
- Lisa Simpson
- (voice)
Hank Azaria
- Moe Szyslak
- (voice)
- …
Harry Shearer
- Couch Gag Director
- (voice)
- …
David Crosby
- David Crosby
- (voice)
Pamela Hayden
- Milhouse Van Houten
- (voice)
- …
Dapper Dans
- The Be Sharps
- (singing voice)
- (as The Dapper Dans)
Jim Campbell
- Seymour Skinner
- (singing voice)
- (as James Campbell)
George Economou
- Apu
- (singing voice)
Shelby Grimm
- Barney Gumble
- (singing voice)
- …
Dan Jordan
- Homer Simpson
- (singing voice)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe episode makes several references to The Beatles:
- Their first album, Meet the Be Sharps, is a parody of the Meet the Beatles album.
- Moe's Tavern changes its name to Moe's Cavern, a reference to the Cavern Club in Liverpool where the Beatles frequently performed in the early 1960s.
- Chief Wiggum, thrown out of the band because he was "too Village People", mirrors Pete Best, an early member of the Beatles who was replaced by Ringo Starr.
- Right after the Be Sharps record "Baby On Board", their manager says, "You've just recorded your first number one." This was spoken by Beatles producer George Martin right after the group had recorded "Please Please Me".
- Nigel telling Homer to keep his marriage a secret is similar to Brian Epstein advising John Lennon to do the same with his marriage to Cynthia Lennon.
- Principal Skinner's reputation as the "funny one" is an ironic reference to George Harrison's reputation as the "Quiet Beatle."
- The cover of Bigger Than Jesus, the Be Sharps' second album, features the group walking on water, which is a direct parody of the art on the Beatles' album Abbey Road.
- The name is a reference to a controversial quote made by John Lennon in 1966. Bart references this by asking, "What did you do [to lose your popularity]? Screw up like the Beatles and say you were bigger than Jesus?", to which Homer replies "All the time. That was the title of our second album."
- At the end of the episode, the album's back cover is revealed, on which Homer is seen turned away from the camera, as opposed to the rest of the band. This is a parody of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band LP reverse, in which Paul McCartney is in the same position.
- Barney's Japanese conceptual artist girlfriend is a parody of Yoko Ono. Their song repeats the phrase "Number 8" and a burp by Barney, a reference to the Beatles' "Revolution 9".
- The group performing atop Moe's Tavern at the end of the episode is a parody of the Beatles' impromptu concert on the Apple Corps rooftop during their Get Back recording sessions in 1969, hence George Harrison's line, "It's been done." In addition, the Be Sharps are wearing the same outfits as the Beatles during the rooftop concert scene: Barney in a brown fur coat (John), Homer in a bright red coat (Ringo), Skinner in a black suit (Paul), and Apu in a black Mongolian lamb coat with green trousers (George). After the performance, Homer says, "I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition", paraphrasing a quote by Lennon at the end of the Beatles rooftop performance.
- The press conference that was making the reporters laugh is a direct reference to The Beatles press conference in 1964 when they first came to America and had all the reporters laughing
- GoofsMarge makes a "Model Homer" to help remind the kids of their dad. After the model falls apart, the next shot goes outside and you see 'Santa's Little Helper' burying the Homer 'head'. They have not been given Santa's Little Helper yet.
- Quotes
George Harrison: [the Be Sharps perform on a building rooftop] It's been done.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Simpsons: All Singing, All Dancing (1998)
- SoundtracksBaby on Board
(uncredited)
Written by Jeff Martin, Shelby Grimm, Jim Campbell (as James Campbell),
George Economou and Dan Jordan.
Performed by The Dapper Dans
Featured review
Wonderful
A truly great beginning to the fifth season. At a swap meet it is discovered that Homer was once a big star in a barbershop quarter. As he tells the story we see all these parallels to the Beatles. Yoko Ono even tries to break up the group. Some terrific sight gags and clever dialogue take it to the next level. Meanwhile, it is barbershop!
helpful•20
- Hitchcoc
- May 5, 2022
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