King of Spain (song)
Encyclopedia
"King of Spain" is a song by Canadian
musical group Moxy Früvous
, and was the second independent song to hit number one in Canada, after The Barenaked Ladies' "Be My Yoko Ono
".
The song first appeared on their self-titled independent cassette release
in 1992. It was later re-recorded for their 1993 major-label debut album, Bargainville
. Two live versions were also released on 1998's Live Noise
.
The song is essentially a modern re-telling of The Prince and the Pauper
; it tells the story of a dethroned Spanish monarch
, who, after switching places with an identical peasant
friend, comes to Canada and gets a minimum wage
job at Pizza Pizza
. He also mentions working as a turf vacuumer at SkyDome
and a Zamboni
driver at Maple Leaf Gardens
(or Montreal Forum
in the indie tape version). The song is narrated by The King, who, throughout the song, tells of the things he did as king and what he would do if he ran Canada. He also suggests that world leaders such as Bill Clinton
and Boris Yeltsin
should call him if they need help running their countries.
While the song is mostly a cappella
, there are some percussion instruments (such as conga
and shaker) providing accompaniment. The band dubbed this style "quasi-a cappella". The lead vocal is performed by Dave Matheson (who wears a "King of Spain" hat while performing the song live), with Jian Ghomeshi
, Mike Ford and Murray Foster performing backup.
As with most of their other songs, the band is known to change it when performing it live. The first chorus is usually performed with no accompaniment, with the callbacks usually being changed to spoken improvisation
s. The spoken vocals in the second verse ("There's a roof overhead / and food on our plates") is usually improvised by Foster and Ghomeshi (examples: "There's a roof overhead / And poutine
on my face!"; "There's a cone on your head
/ Bonita
!"). The "Leafs
call me up to drive the Zamboni" line is usually changed to represent a local sports team in the city they are performing in. The "some of you are probably wondering..." spoken section is usually extended. The end of the song is usually segued into the unreleased song "Green Eggs and Ham." The band is also known to play a grunge
version of the song (known as the "Cranky Monarch Version" or "Grunge of Spain"), which is featured on Live Noise.
A video of the song was made in 1992, and features the band busking
outside the Bloor Cinema
with Matheson as The King. It also features an "audience" made up of local celebrities such as Ed Mirvish
and Daniel Richler
.
The Johnstones, a Canadian ska band, often cover this song during their live shows.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musical group Moxy Früvous
Moxy Früvous
Moxy Früvous was a politically satirical folk-pop band from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. The band was founded in 1989, and was active throughout the 1990s...
, and was the second independent song to hit number one in Canada, after The Barenaked Ladies' "Be My Yoko Ono
Be My Yoko Ono
"Be My Yoko Ono" is a song by the Canadian musical group Barenaked Ladies.The song was written by Steven Page and Ed Robertson and first appeared on their 1989 demo tape, Buck Naked...
".
The song first appeared on their self-titled independent cassette release
Moxy Früvous (album)
Moxy Früvous is the first indie tape release from Canadian band Moxy Früvous. It was recorded in 2 days in 1992 in Toronto. It contains six songs, five of which were re-recorded for their major-label debut, Bargainville.-Track listing:...
in 1992. It was later re-recorded for their 1993 major-label debut album, Bargainville
Bargainville
Bargainville was a 1993 album by Canadian band Moxy Früvous, their first major-label release. This disc's subject matter is divided between comedy and serious personal, social, and ecological issues....
. Two live versions were also released on 1998's Live Noise
Live Noise (album)
Live Noise is a 1998 live album by Canadian band Moxy Früvous, their only major-label live album. Material on the album includes songs from all of their studio albums , along with three covers and witty banter from the shows...
.
The song is essentially a modern re-telling of The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper is an English-language novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada before its 1882 publication in the United States. The book represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction...
; it tells the story of a dethroned Spanish monarch
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
, who, after switching places with an identical peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
friend, comes to Canada and gets a minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
job at Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza is a Canadian franchise of pizza restaurants mainly located in the province of Ontario. Other locations operate in Quebec, Nova Scotia, in western Canada , and in non-traditional locations such as university campuses and movie theatres throughout Canada...
. He also mentions working as a turf vacuumer at SkyDome
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
and a Zamboni
Ice resurfacer
An ice resurfacer is a truck-like vehicle or smaller device used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink. The first ice resurfacer was developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California...
driver at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
(or Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
in the indie tape version). The song is narrated by The King, who, throughout the song, tells of the things he did as king and what he would do if he ran Canada. He also suggests that world leaders such as 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...
and Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
should call him if they need help running their countries.
While the song is mostly a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, there are some percussion instruments (such as conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
and shaker) providing accompaniment. The band dubbed this style "quasi-a cappella". The lead vocal is performed by Dave Matheson (who wears a "King of Spain" hat while performing the song live), with Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi is a Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician and producer of Iranian descent who was raised in Thornhill, Ontario. Now based in Toronto, he is the host of the national daily cultural affairs talk program, Q, on CBC Radio One and Bold TV...
, Mike Ford and Murray Foster performing backup.
As with most of their other songs, the band is known to change it when performing it live. The first chorus is usually performed with no accompaniment, with the callbacks usually being changed to spoken improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
s. The spoken vocals in the second verse ("There's a roof overhead / and food on our plates") is usually improvised by Foster and Ghomeshi (examples: "There's a roof overhead / And poutine
Poutine
Poutine is a Canadian dish of French fries and fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy or sauce. Sometimes additional ingredients are added.Poutine is a fast food dish that originated in Quebec and can now be found across Canada...
on my face!"; "There's a cone on your head
Coneheads
The Coneheads is a sketch on Saturday Night Live which originated on the January 15, 1977 episode, and starred Dan Aykroyd as father Beldar, Jane Curtin as mother Prymaat, and Laraine Newman as daughter Connie.-Summary:...
/ Bonita
Bonita
Bonita is a feminine given name as well as a word meaning "pretty, nice" in Spanish and Portuguese.Bonita may refer to:People* Bonita Granville, American actress and producer* Bonnie Langford, English actress...
!"). The "Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
call me up to drive the Zamboni" line is usually changed to represent a local sports team in the city they are performing in. The "some of you are probably wondering..." spoken section is usually extended. The end of the song is usually segued into the unreleased song "Green Eggs and Ham." The band is also known to play a grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
version of the song (known as the "Cranky Monarch Version" or "Grunge of Spain"), which is featured on Live Noise.
A video of the song was made in 1992, and features the band busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
outside the Bloor Cinema
Bloor Cinema
The Bloor Cinema is an independent theatre in The Annex district of downtown Toronto, Canada, located at 506 Bloor Street West, near its intersection with Bathurst Street and the TTC's Bathurst station....
with Matheson as The King. It also features an "audience" made up of local celebrities such as Ed Mirvish
Ed Mirvish
Edwin “Honest Ed” Mirvish, OC, CBE was a Canadian businessman, philanthropist and theatrical impresario who lived in Toronto, Ontario...
and Daniel Richler
Daniel Richler
Daniel Richler is a Canadian arts and pop culture broadcaster and writer. He is the stepson of author Mordecai Richler.-Biography:Born in London, England, his family moved back to his stepfather's hometown of Montreal when Daniel was 15...
.
The Johnstones, a Canadian ska band, often cover this song during their live shows.