Tongue Tied (Red Dwarf song)

"Tongue Tied" is a song byDanny John-Jules(credited as "The Cat") featured in the 1988Red Dwarfepisode "Parallel Universe" and released as a single in 1993.
"Tongue Tied" had its origins in theBBC Radio 4comedy seriesSon of Clichéin 1983.Rob GrantandDoug Naylorwrote the lyrics for the comedic love song, in which the words of the chorus are delivered in an increasingly-unintelligible manner by the lovestruck singer.Peter Brewiscomposed the music for "Tongue Tied" and the song's vocals were provided byNick Wilton. The song was included in the first season ofSon of Cliché, featuring in an episode broadcast on 11 October 1983.
In 1988, "Tongue Tied" was retooled for use in Grant and Naylor's science fiction sitcomRed Dwarf. Grant and Naylor extensively rewrote the lyrics and new music was provided by series composerHoward Goodall. In the documentary featureSettling the Scoreincluded in theRed Dwarf VIDVD (2005), Goodall claimed theDiana Rosssong "Chain Reaction" was an influence on his music for "Tongue Tied."
"Tongue Tied" was staged and filmed on 9 July 1988 as an upbeat-pop song-and-dance number for "Parallel Universe", broadcast on 11 October 1988 as the final episode of the second season ofRed Dwarf. The song was choreographed byCharles Augins(who had an onscreen role in theRed Dwarfepisode "Queeg") and sung byDanny John-Julesin character asthe Cat.
"Parallel Universe" begins with the Cat using a dream recorder, attempting to find a specific dream. He views a dream in which he sings "Tongue Tied" with Lister (Craig Charles) and Rimmer (Chris Barrie), with dancers in the background. The version of the song included in the episode is a trimmed-down edit of the entire performance. An instrumental version of "Tongue Tied" appears during the disco scene in the middle of the episode.
Instrumental versions can also be heard elsewhere in the second season ofRed Dwarf(in the Ganymede Holiday Inn in "Stasis Leak" and in the restaurant in "Better Than Life").
Danny John-Jules later re-recorded anR&Bversion of "Tongue Tied" as a single release by "The Cat" in 1993. The song was recorded inPortobello Road,Notting Hilland accompanied by a music video featuring John-Jules in character as the Cat andDuane Dibbley, backed by fellowRed Dwarfcast members Chris Barrie, Craig Charles,Robert Llewellyn,Norman Lovett, andHattie Hayridge, as well as Charles Augins andElvis impersonatorClayton Mark (who guest-starred in the 1991Red Dwarfepisode "Meltdown"). Vanessa Morris, a model and friend of John-Jules, appears in the video as "Kit," a female equivalent of the Cat and the object of the Cat's affections. (In "Parallel Universe," the song in which "Tongue Tied" had appeared before, the Cat bemoaned not having a "female opposite" as Rimmer and Lister have.) The "Tongue Tied" music video was directed by Danny John-Jules under the alias "A1 DJJ."
The "Tongue Tied" single was released on 11 October 1993 (ten years to the day after the original version of the song premiered inSon of Cliché), coinciding roughly with the launch of the sixth season ofRed Dwarfon television. The song entered theUK Singles Chartat number 18 and peaked at number 17.John-Jules was unable to promote the song inTop of the Popsdue to commitments in a London play.
The VHS releaseTongue Tied: The Videocontained a 30-minute short film. The first 20 minutes comprises a longform version of the "Tongue Tied" music video, with a framing device starring Danny John-Jules as Leo Davis, a cleaner in a film studio. The video gives speaking roles to Vanessa Morris' Kit and Clayton Mark's Elvis, as well as walk-on appearances by the comic book characterJudge Dreddand his namesake, EnglishreggaeandskamusicianJudge Dread. John-Jules also plays araggasinger, Tabby Ranks (a parody ofShabba Ranks), who performs an alternate mix of "Tongue Tied." The final 10 minutes of the short film is a behind-the-scenes featurette which includes footage of the music video shoot and John-Jules being interviewed by author/journalist Jane Killick.
The full version of the 1988Red Dwarfversion of "Tongue Tied" is included as an extra feature in theRed Dwarf IIDVD (2003). The original 1983 Peter Brewis version of "Tongue Tied" (with Nick Wilton's vocals) and the 1988 demo version (with music and vocals by Howard Goodall) are included as extra features in the DVD setRed Dwarf: The Bodysnatcher Collection(2007); clearance issues prevented the inclusion of Danny John-Jules' 1993 version of the song (which was not an officialGrant Naylor/BBC-sanctioned release).