Boom Dot Bust
Encyclopedia
Boom Dot Bust is a comedy
album recorded by The Firesign Theatre
and released in 1999 on Rhino Records. It was a follow-up to the highly praised Give Me Immortality or Give Me Death
from the previous year, continuing a brief resurgence of the foursome's legendary success from 1968-75.
It chronicles life in the fictional small Midwestern town of Billville ("The Town That Nature Forgot to Hate"), where every male resident's first name is some form of William, including mayor William Cudlip P'nisnose (Peter Bergman
), who has telekenetic powers; Bill Swatt (David Ossman
), coach of the local team the No-neckers, who play some unspecified sport; developer W. Sprawl (Philip Proctor
); and family physician Dr. Guillermo Infermo (Phil Austin
). Martial-arts film star Charlie Fatt (Austin) is a celebrity guest passing through town, and the nearby Elmertown attempts to grow and compete.
The "Bill" theme is most obviously construed as a reference to then-President Bill Clinton
as representative of America, but it also can be taken to include Bill Gates
, as a broader allusion to the seeming ubiquity of the name Bill in the news at the time, and because the word "billionaire" occurs. The notion of "Billville", however, was originally introduced in the song "Oh! Afghanistan!" on Fighting Clowns
.
This has also been issued as a DVD-Audio
in 5.1 Surround sound
.
Choral:
Billville, Billville
The town that nature forgot to hate.
Billville, Billville
You’ll move to Billville because it’s your fate
William C. P'nisnose:
I am the mayor and I’m the big cheese, gang, re-elect me or hang me, that’s the will of Bill
Developer W. "Bill" Sprawl:
My name is Bill and I’m Billville booster, built a big, smart house to hide a toxic spill
Coach Bill Swatt:
I’m coach Bill, I coach the No-Neck Twisters, then I date their sisters, cause they love my Bill
Dr. Guillermo Infermo:
I am the doctor, I deliver the babies and I make sure that they’re all named Bill
Choral:
Let’s move - shift your organs, Granny
Walk out - we’re doing the Bill
Fat feet - shake your willie, Will
Move out - we’re footing the Bill
Biiiiiillllllville! Just call us Bill
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
album recorded by The Firesign Theatre
The Firesign Theatre
The Firesign Theatre is an American comedy troupe consisting of Phil Austin, Peter Bergman, David Ossman and Philip Proctor. Their brand of surrealistic humor is best known through their record albums, which acquired a cult following in the late 1960s and early '70s.The troupe began as live radio...
and released in 1999 on Rhino Records. It was a follow-up to the highly praised Give Me Immortality or Give Me Death
Give Me Immortality or Give Me Death
Give Me Immortality or Give Me Death is a comedy album by The Firesign Theatre that was released in 1998 on Rhino Records.-Synopsis:The album takes the form of a fictional radio broadcast on the night of December 31, 1999...
from the previous year, continuing a brief resurgence of the foursome's legendary success from 1968-75.
It chronicles life in the fictional small Midwestern town of Billville ("The Town That Nature Forgot to Hate"), where every male resident's first name is some form of William, including mayor William Cudlip P'nisnose (Peter Bergman
Peter Bergman (comedian)
Peter Paul Bergman is an American writer and comedian, best known as a member of The Firesign Theatre. He plays Lt. Bradshaw in the Nick Danger series....
), who has telekenetic powers; Bill Swatt (David Ossman
David Ossman
David Ossman is an American writer and comedian, best known as a member of The Firesign Theatre.-Career:...
), coach of the local team the No-neckers, who play some unspecified sport; developer W. Sprawl (Philip Proctor
Philip Proctor
Philip Proctor is an American actor, voice actor and a member of The Firesign Theatre. He plays Rocky Rococo and Nancy in the Nick Danger series. He is from Goshen, Indiana...
); and family physician Dr. Guillermo Infermo (Phil Austin
Phil Austin
Phil Austin is a comedian and writer. He was born in Denver, Colorado and later grew up in Fresno, California, attending Fresno High School...
). Martial-arts film star Charlie Fatt (Austin) is a celebrity guest passing through town, and the nearby Elmertown attempts to grow and compete.
The "Bill" theme is most obviously construed as a reference to then-President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as representative of America, but it also can be taken to include Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
, as a broader allusion to the seeming ubiquity of the name Bill in the news at the time, and because the word "billionaire" occurs. The notion of "Billville", however, was originally introduced in the song "Oh! Afghanistan!" on Fighting Clowns
Fighting Clowns
Fighting Clowns is a 1980 album by The Firesign Theatre. It is unique among Firesign Theatre albums by virtue of the fact that it is primarily made up of songs rather than the group's usual audio theater or sketch comedy pieces...
.
This has also been issued as a DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos....
in 5.1 Surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
.
That Billville Sound!
Contained on the "Boom Dot Bust" record is a comedy song called "That Billville Sound!".Choral:
Billville, Billville
The town that nature forgot to hate.
Billville, Billville
You’ll move to Billville because it’s your fate
William C. P'nisnose:
I am the mayor and I’m the big cheese, gang, re-elect me or hang me, that’s the will of Bill
Developer W. "Bill" Sprawl:
My name is Bill and I’m Billville booster, built a big, smart house to hide a toxic spill
Coach Bill Swatt:
I’m coach Bill, I coach the No-Neck Twisters, then I date their sisters, cause they love my Bill
Dr. Guillermo Infermo:
I am the doctor, I deliver the babies and I make sure that they’re all named Bill
Choral:
Let’s move - shift your organs, Granny
Walk out - we’re doing the Bill
Fat feet - shake your willie, Will
Move out - we’re footing the Bill
Biiiiiillllllville! Just call us Bill