"His Name Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)" is a song by English rock musician

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

, released in 1975 as the closing track of his album '' Extra Texture (Read All About It)''. The song is a tribute to "Legs" Larry Smith, the drummer with the 1960s satirical-comedy group the

Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (also known as The Bonzo Dog Band or The Bonzos) was created by a group of British art-school students in the 1960s. Combining elements of music hall, trad jazz and psychedelia with surreal humour and avant-garde a ...

and one of many comedians with whom Harrison began associating during the 1970s. Smith appears on the recording, delivering a spoken monologue, while Harrison's lyrics similarly reflect the comedian's penchant for zany wordplay. The song serves as a precursor to Harrison's work with

Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...

members Eric Idle and

Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, television presenter, and public speaker. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. Since 1980, he has made a number of travel documentaries. Palin w ...

, including his production of the troupe's 1975 single "

The Lumberjack Song "The Lumberjack Song" is a comedy song by the comedy troupe Monty Python. The song was written and composed by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson. It first appeared in the ninth episode of ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', "The An ...

" and films such as ''

Life of Brian ''Monty Python's Life of Brian'' (also known as ''Life of Brian'') is a 1979 British comedy film starring and written by the comedy group Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin). It wa ...

'' (1979) that he produced under the aegis of his company

HandMade Films HandMade Films was a British film production and distribution company. Notable films from the studio include ''Monty Python's Life of Brian'', ''Time Bandits'', ''The Long Good Friday'' and ''Withnail and I''. History Foundation HandMade Fil ...

. Harrison recorded "His Name Is Legs" at his

Friar Park Friar Park is a Victorian neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, England, built in 1889. It was originally owned by eccentric lawyer Sir Frank Crisp and purchased in January 1970 by English rock musician and former Beatle George Harrison. ...

home studio during sessions for his 1974 album ''

Dark Horse A dark horse is a previously lesser-known person or thing that emerges to prominence in a situation, especially in a competition involving multiple rivals, or a contestant that on paper should be unlikely to succeed but yet still might. Origin Th ...

''. The song remained unfinished until he returned to it the following year while working in Los Angeles on ''Extra Texture''. Aside from Harrison and Smith, the musicians on the recording include Tom Scott,

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...

Willie Weeks Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also ...

and Andy Newmark, all of whom were part of Harrison's 1974 tour band. The song's arrangement reflects Harrison's adoption of the

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

genre. As with the album's humorous artwork, the inclusion of "His Name Is Legs" on ''Extra Texture'' marked a rare example of light-heartedness among a collection of mostly downbeat songs. Several commentators view the track as an indulgence by Harrison. These detractors cite the in-joke nature of the composition, together with the largely unintelligible vocals on the recording. Harrison acknowledged that the song's appeal might be limited to "maybe two people".

Background

Although often noted for the serious, religious nature of his song lyrics,

was an avowed fan of British comedy, beginning with

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

and

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British Colonial India, where h ...

's work in ''

The Goon Show ''The Goon Show'' is a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme. The first series, broadcast from 28 May to 20 September 19 ...

'' during the 1950s.Clayson, p. 271. In his autobiography, ''

I, Me, Mine ''I, Me, Mine'' is an autobiographic memoir by the English musician George Harrison, formerly of The Beatles. It was published in 1980 as a hand-bound, limited edition book by Genesis Publications, with a mixture of printed text and multi-colour ...

'', Harrison writes of comedy – specifically,

's first

TV series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...

and the satirical

– as having "filled that empty space for me" in the late 1960s, when relationships with his

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

bandmates had fractured. The Bonzo Dog Band (as they became known in 1969) were a favourite of the Beatles,Huntley, p. 127. who cast the group in their 1967 TV film ''

Magical Mystery Tour ''Magical Mystery Tour'' is a record by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a double EP in the United Kingdom and an LP in the United States. It includes the soundtrack to the 1967 television film of the same name. The EP ...

''.Inglis, p. 54. Harrison subsequently performed with the Bonzos' drummer, "Legs" Larry Smith, along with

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

and other members of

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg A ...

, at

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

's " Peace for Christmas" charity concert, held at London's

Lyceum Ballroom The Lyceum Theatre ( ) is a West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand in central London. It has a seating capacity of 2,100. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. Managed by Samuel Arnol ...

in December 1969. In ''I, Me, Mine'', Harrison suggests an alternative scenario to the Beatles' 1970 break-up: "What should have happened is that the Bonzos and the Beatles ... turned into one great Rutle band with all the Pythons and had a laugh."George Harrison, pp. 64–65. By 1973, Sellers and Milligan were among the comedians who formed part of Harrison's social circle at his

estate in

Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, west of Maidenhead, southeast of Oxford and west of London (by road), near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buc ...

, Oxfordshire. This period coincided with the end of his marriage to

Pattie Boyd Patricia Anne Boyd (born 17 March 1944) is an English model and photographer. She was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and, with Jean Shrimpton, epitomised the British female look of the era. Boyd married George Harri ...

, who has described their home as "a madhouse" during their final year together. Harrison became reacquainted with Smith through longtime Beatles aide

Terry Doran Terence James Doran (14 December 1939 – 18 April 2020) was an English luxury car dealer, pop music manager and music publishing executive, best known for his association with the Beatles. With Beatles manager Brian Epstein, he co-owned Brydor Car ...

.Clayson, p. 350. Harrison admired Smith as "a wonderfully eccentric person", a quality that had similarly inspired him about Sir Frank Crisp, the original owner of Friar Park. Author

Dale Allison Dale C. Allison (born November 25, 1955) is an American New Testament scholar, historian of Early Christianity, and Christian theologian who for years served as Errett M. Grable Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Early Christianity at Pittsb ...

suggests that Smith became a

court jester A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...

figure for Harrison,Allison, p. 144. who wrote the song "His Name Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)" as a tribute to Smith. In his autobiography, Harrison terms the composition "a piece of personal indulgence, like some other of my songs about things nobody else knows or cares about, except maybe two people".

Composition

Harrison wrote "His Name Is Legs" around Christmastime in 1973, on a piano at Friar Park. Author Ian Inglis describes it as a song "peppered with oblique references and in-jokes about mith'sidiosyncratic mannerisms and behavior". Harrison's lyrics incorporate some of Smith's favourite sayings, the first verse beginning:George Harrison, pp. 303, 304. Examples of Smith's penchant for zany wordplay include the lines "Never over-sits he under-stands" and "Get lined up come Sikh come Czar" – the latter being partly a misappropriation of the French phrase "''comme ci comme ça''". In the second verse, the line "People think he's loopy loo when they look at his shoes" refers to the comedian's unusual dress sense, which included "toy cows grazing on his shoes", according to Harrison biographer

Alan Clayson Alan Clayson (born 3 May 1951, Dover, Kent) is an English singer-songwriter, author and music journalist. He gained popularity in the late 1970s as leader of the band Clayson and the Argonauts. In addition to contributing to publications such as ...

, while "rocking sausage roll" was Smith's phrase for

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

. The song title appears in the two

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

sections, the first of which states: Musically, the composition is in the

funk rock Funk rock is a fusion genre that mixes elements of funk and rock. James Brown and others declared that Little Richard and his mid-1950s road band, The Upsetters, were the first to put the funk in the rock and roll beat, with a biographer sta ...

style,Leng, p. 186. while the device of introducing Smith to listeners recalls the

show tune A show tune is a song originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theatre or musical film, especially if the piece in question has become a standard, more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context. T ...

aspect of Harrison's collaboration with

Mal Evans Malcolm Frederick Evans (27 May 1935 – 5 January 1976) was an English road manager and personal assistant employed by the Beatles from 1963 until their break-up in 1970. In the early 1960s, Evans was employed as a telephone engineer, and a ...

, "

You and Me (Babe) "You and Me (Babe)" is a song by English musician Ringo Starr, released as the final track on his 1973 album ''Ringo''. Starr's fellow ex-Beatle George Harrison wrote the song along with Mal Evans, the Beatles' longtime aide and a personal assist ...

", which closed former Beatle

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

's 1973 album '' Ringo''. In the lyrics to "His Name Is Legs", Harrison biographer Simon Leng recognises the same "nonsense word games" favoured by Monty Python. Leng comments that the latter's composition "

" particularly resonated with Harrison during this period, as he sought to challenge the public's perception of him as a Beatle, in the same way that

's character in the Python song challenged the stereotypes associated with an "all-action" lumberjack.Leng, pp. 185–86.

Recording

1974 basic track

Harrison taped "His Name Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)" during sessions for his 1974 album ''

'',Spizer, p. 275. but it was one of a number of tracks he left unfinished.Michael Gross, "George Harrison: How ''Dark Horse'' Whipped Up a Winning Tour", '' CIrcus Raves'', March 1975; available a
Rock's Backpages
(subscription required).Kevin Hewlett, liner-note essay, ''Extra Texture (Read All About It)'' CD booklet (

Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mar ...

, 2014; produced by George Harrison), p. 9. The sessions took place at his Friar Park studio, FPSHOT, in August–September that year, with

Phil McDonald Philip McDonald is an English recording studio audio engineer, best known as the engineer for EMI and later for Apple Records during the Beatles' The Beatles#Controversy.2C studio years and break-up .281966.E2.80.931970.29, studio years, along w ...

as recording engineer. Harrison played piano and electric guitar on the recording;Leng, p. 185. the other musicians were

(electric piano), Tom Scott (saxophones),

(bass) and Andy Newmark (drums).Castleman & Podrazik, p. 376. These four musicians then joined Harrison for tour rehearsals in Los Angeles, where he rushed to complete ''Dark Horse'' before undertaking a much-anticipated North American tour with

Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North Ind ...

. With Peter Sellers among his entourage, Harrison alternatively adopted comedy and his

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

-aligned spiritual goals as a defence against expectations related to his Beatle past during the tour.Ben Fong-Torres, "George Harrison: Harrison in the Haight", ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...

'', 2 December 2001; available a
Rock's Backpages
(subscription required). When discussing "His Name Is Legs" with

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

Paul Gambaccini Paul Matthew Gambaccini (born April 2, 1949) is an American-British radio and television presenter and author in the United Kingdom. He has dual United States and British nationality, having become a British citizen in 2005. Known as "The Grea ...

in September 1975, Harrison said that after recording the basic track, he invited Smith to sing the first two lines of each of the bridges. Smith did these vocal parts in two takes, and improvised dialogue through the rest of the song each time. In Clayson's description, Smith sang the bridge sections in English "officer-and-gentleman tones" and adopted an American accent for the monologues.

1975 overdubs

Harrison returned to the track in April 1975 when recording his album '' Extra Texture (Read All About It)'' at

A&M Studios The Jim Henson Company Lot, formerly A&M Studios, is a studio property located just south of the southeast corner of North La Brea Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Originally established by film star Charlie Chaplin, the property serv ...

in Los Angeles. The sessions coincided with a period that author

Gary Tillery Gary Tillery is an American writer and artist known for his biographies focusing on the spiritual lives of famous figures, and for his public sculptures. His 2009 book, ''The Cynical Idealist'', was named the official book of the 2010 John Lennon ...

describes as a "spiritual funk" for Harrison, in reaction to scathing reviews for his 1974 tour and the ''Dark Horse'' album. Harrison's despondency was alleviated by his new relationship with Olivia Arias, and a friendship begun with Monty Python star Eric Idle immediately after the Los Angeles premiere of the film '' Monty Python and the Holy Grail''. Idle has spoken of them sharing "a dialogue that went on for about 48 hours" following the premiere, which led to Harrison producing a re-recording of "The Lumberjack Song" in London, in October 1975, for release as a UK single. The pair then wrote a comical

sea shanty A sea shanty, chantey, or chanty () is a genre of traditional Folk music, folk song that was once commonly sung as a work song to accompany rhythmical labor aboard large Merchant vessel, merchant Sailing ship, sailing vessels. The term ''shanty ...

called " The Pirate Song" for a sketch in ''

Rutland Weekend Television ''Rutland Weekend Television'' (''RWT'') was a television sketch show on BBC2, written by Eric Idle with music by Neil Innes. Two series were broadcast, the first consisting of six episodes in 1975, and the second series of seven episodes i ...

'', Idle's TV show with

Neil Innes Neil James Innes (; 9 December 1944 – 29 December 2019) was an English writer, comedian and musician. He first came to prominence in the pioneering comedy rock group Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later became a frequent collaborator with the M ...

, Smith's former bandmate.

Overdubs Overdubbing (also known as layering) is a technique used in audio recording in which audio tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto one or more av ...

on the 1974 basic track for "His Name Is Legs" included

tack piano A tack piano (also known as a harpsipiano, jangle piano, and junk piano) is an altered version of an ordinary piano, in which objects such as thumbtacks or nails are placed on the felt-padded hammers of the instrument at the point where the ha ...

, played by Canadian musician

David Foster David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans mor ...

, and a new horn arrangement, played by Scott and

Chuck Findley Charles B. Findley (born December 13, 1947 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) is an American trumpet player known for his diverse work as a session musician. He also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone. His technical abilities ...

,MacFarlane, p. 101. another member of Harrison's tour band the previous year. Scott and Findley recorded their contributions at A&M Studios over 2–3 June,Madinger & Easter, p. 453. with each musician overdubbing two horn parts.George Harrison interview, ''Rockweek'', (retrieved 13 September 2013). The released recording begins with an introductory bass riff from Weeks, which is then joined by Foster's tack piano. Commentators note the lack of clarity in the mix,Rodriguez, p. 184. which author Elliot Huntley attributes to the "three-pronged piano attack" and the low level of Harrison and Smith's vocals. At times during the sections featuring Smith's improvised dialogue, Harrison let both recorded takes run simultaneously, and he admitted to Gambaccini that he chose to mix the track in this way "so people have to strain with headphones to hear what it is".George Harrison interview, ''Rockweek'', (retrieved 13 September 2013).Badman, pp. 164, 165.

Release and reception

"His Name Is Legs" was released on 22 September 1975 as the final track on ''Extra Texture (Read All About It)''. Together with Roy Kohara's

album artwork An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to either the printed paperboard covers typically used to package sets of and 78-rpm ...

, which "tried to incorporate a 'wacky' theme", according to authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter,Madinger & Easter, p. 451. the song's inclusion contrasted with the melancholic musical content of ''Extra Texture''. The artwork included an inner-sleeve photo of Harrison "grin

ing Ing, ING or ing may refer to: Art and media * '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film * i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group * The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' * "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 1992 ...

like a Monty Python choirboy", in the words of ''

Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the creat ...

'' critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

, while the face labels credited production to "Ohnothimagen" (Oh, not him again)Huntley, p. 128. and showed the

logo reduced to an apple core.Doggett, p. 238. With the "Ohnothimagen" moniker, which also appeared below the LP's inner-sleeve photo and in advertising for the album, Harrison acknowledged his recent unpopularity with music critics. While this gesture was intended as self-deprecation on Harrison's part, Smith has cited it as an example of Harrison's lack of confidence at the time and his need for "a cuddle now and then". Smith was listed in the performer credits as appearing "courtesy of the Oxfordshire County Council". Author Robert Rodriguez describes "His Name Is Legs" as a "comedy number" and "a self-indulgent in-joke" that appeared to show Harrison "doubling down on efforts to alienate his audience", after the bad press he had received over the winter of 1974–75. On release,

Dave Marsh Dave Marsh (born March 1, 1950) is an American music critic, and radio talk show host. He was an early editor of ''Creem'' magazine, has written for various publications such as ''Newsday'', ''The Village Voice'', and ''Rolling Stone (magazine), ...

of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' said that the song "might be Harrison's way of countering charges of humorlessness" but that "since neither Smith nor Harrison is very funny, it does more to confirm the charges."Dave Marsh
"George Harrison ''Extra Texture''"
, ''

'', 20 November 1975, p. 75 (retrieved 11 September 2013). In the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'', Neil Spencer referred to the image of Harrison with "a chirpy smirk plastered across his dial" as "misleading", given the album's overall mood, and added: "'His Names Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)' is the odd track out because it's (ulp) not serious. It seems like an attempt to recapture some of the innocent light-heartedness of Beatle days."Chris Hunt (ed.), ''

NME Originals The NME Originals is a collection of articles and reviews from the ''NME'' and '' Melody Maker'' magazines about one band or genre. The first issue was about the Beatles, published on 3 April 2002. Many issues in the series were produced by ''NME'' ...

: Beatles – The Solo Years 1970–1980'', IPC Ignite! (London, 2005), p. 103.

Ray Coleman Ray Coleman (15 June 1937, Leicester – 10 September 1996, Shepperton) was a British author and music journalist. Career Coleman was the former editor-in-chief of '' Melody Maker'' known for his biographies of The Beatles. Besides ''Melody ...

of ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' predicted that ''Extra Texture'' would "re-establish arrisonas a powerful artist with an ear for unusual but attractive tunes allied to some quirky lyrics", and he described the closing song as an "up-tempo splash of fun, and it jumps, too".Ray Coleman, "Extra Texture: Back to the Sixties!", ''

'', 6 September 1975, p. 30. In the 1978 edition of their book '' The Beatles: An Illustrated Record'',

Roy Carr Roy Carr (1945 – 1 July 2018) was an English music journalist, covering pop, rock and jazz. He joined the '' New Musical Express (NME)'' in the late 1960s, and edited ''NME'', '' Vox'' and '' Melody Maker'' magazines. Biography Born in Bla ...

and

Tony Tyler James Edward Anthony Tyler (31 October 1943 in Bristol – 28 October 2006 in Hastings, East Sussex) was a British writer who authored several books and wrote for the ''NME'','' Macworld'', '' MacUser'', '' PC Pro'' and '' Computer Shopper''. ...

said that Harrison had "desperately" employed "last-minute devices" to save ''Extra Texture'', by featuring "'zany' ex-Bonzo Dog Band drummer 'Legs' Larry Smith on a track, and by instructing his graphic designers to 'get a little humour into the packaging'. They do; and 'Legs' duly sings; but it is all too little, too late."Carr & Tyler, p. 117. Writing in 1981, ''NME'' critic

Bob Woffinden Robert Woffinden (31 January 1948 – 1 May 2018) was a British investigative journalist. Formerly a reporter with the ''New Musical Express'', he later specialised in investigating miscarriages of justice. He wrote about a number of high-profi ...

identified the song and the album art, as well as the single "

You In Modern English, ''you'' is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers. History ''You'' comes from the Proto- ...

", as evidence that Harrison was attempting to re-engage with his listeners. Woffinden welcomed this approach but, noting the lack of a lyric sheet with the album, he added: " His Name Is Legs'is not a success, since most of the vocals are lost in the raucous mix; Larry might have had pearls of wisdom to impart, but who could tell?"Woffinden, p. 86. More recently, Richard Ginell of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

has described the song as a "baffling salute" to Smith,Richard S. Ginell
"George Harrison ''Extra Texture''"

(retrieved 6 July 2014). while former ''

Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * ' ...

'' editor

Mat Snow Mat Snow (born 20 October 1958) is an English music journalist, magazine editor, and author. From 1995 to 1999, he was the editor of ''Mojo'' magazine; he subsequently served in the same role on the football magazine ''FourFourTwo''. During the ...

dismisses it as "a throwaway among throwaways".Snow, p. 52. Also writing for AllMusic, Lindsay Planer views "His Name Is Legs" as "somewhat silly but nonetheless thoroughly entertaining", a song that " llowsHarrison the opportunity to close the disc on a lighter note and unleash his admittedly askew and undeniably rich sense of humor".Lindsay Planer
"George Harrison 'His Name Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)'"

(retrieved 25 September 2017). In his review for

Rough Guides Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on custome ...

, Chris Ingham calls the track a "manically intricate tribute" and considers it to be a redeeming feature of ''Extra Texture'', along with " Tired of Midnight Blue". Writing for '' Goldmine'' magazine in January 2002, Dave Thompson described it as "whacked" and "a six-minute semi-jam" that should not be "overlook d.

Legacy

Snow, Huntley and Inglis each discuss "His Name Is Legs" as a precedent for Harrison's well-received work with Idle. Snow writes that, as unlikely as it seemed during Harrison's fallow period of 1975, "surreal English comedy would provide him with a new career." Aside from Harrison's production of "The Lumberjack Song", for which he again used the Ohnothimagen moniker, their collaborations began with his guest appearance on ''Rutland Weekend Television'', which aired on

BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

on 26 December 1975. In 1978, Harrison participated in '' The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash'', a TV film starring Idle, Innes and Palin that satirised the Beatles' history, and he formed

that year in order to fund the production of Monty Python's third movie, ''

'' (1979), in which he also appeared. HandMade became Britain's most successful independent film company and went on to make other films involving one or more members of Monty Python, including ''

Time Bandits ''Time Bandits'' is a 1981 British fantasy adventure film co-written, produced, and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Peter Vaug ...

'' (1981), ''

The Missionary ''The Missionary'' is a 1982 British comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine, and starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith. It was produced by George Harrison, Denis O'Brien, Palin (who also wrote the screenplay) and Neville C. Thompson. Plot ...

'' (1982), ''

A Private Function ''A Private Function'' is a 1984 British comedy film starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith. The film was predominantly filmed in Ilkley, and Ben Rhydding in West Yorkshire. The film was also screened in the section of Un Certain Regard at the ...

'' (1984) and ''

Nuns on the Run ''Nuns on the Run'' is a 1990 British comedy film starring Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane, also featuring Camille Coduri and Janet Suzman. The film was written and directed by Jonathan Lynn and produced by HandMade Films. Many of the outdoor s ...

'' (1990). Leng recognises an increasing Python-based comedy influence in Harrison's songwriting and musical arrangements, beginning with his 1979 track " Soft-Hearted Hana" and subsequently including "

Save the World Save the World may refer to: Music * ''Save the World'' (Geordie album), 1976 * ''Save the World'' (Yolanda Adams album), 1993 * "Save the World" (George Harrison song), 1981 * "Save the World" (Swedish House Mafia song), 2011 *"Save the World", a ...

", with that song's "groove … horn charts and moog riffs" reminiscent of "His Name Is Legs", and "

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

". Following his guest appearance on "His Name Is Legs", Smith became part of a coterie of local musicians known as the Henley Music Mafia,Clayson, p. 374. which also included Harrison,

Alvin Lee Alvin Lee (born Graham Anthony Barnes; 19 December 1944 – 6 March 2013) was an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist of the blues rock band Ten Years After. Early life He w ...

Jon Lord John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...

and Joe Brown.Mark Ellen, "A Big Hand for The Quiet One", '' Q'', January 1988, p. 56. Smith appeared in the HandMade comedy '' Bullshot'' (1983) and also designed the cover for Harrison's 1982 album ''

Gone Troppo ''Gone Troppo'' is the tenth studio album by English rock musician George Harrison, released on 5 November 1982 by Dark Horse Records. It includes " Wake Up My Love", issued as a single, and " Dream Away", which was the theme song for the 1981 H ...

''.

Personnel

– vocals, piano, electric guitar, backing vocals * Legs Larry Smith – vocals *

– electric piano * Tom Scott – saxophones, horn arrangement *

– trumpet, trombone *

– bass * Andy Newmark – drums, shaker *

–

Notes

References

Sources

* Dale C. Allison Jr., ''The Love There That's Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ). * Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * Pattie Boyd with Penny Junor, ''Wonderful Today: The Autobiography'', Headline Review (London, 2007; ). * Roy Carr & Tony Tyler, ''The Beatles: An Illustrated Record'', Trewin Copplestone Publishing (London, 1978; ). * Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ). * Alan Clayson, ''George Harrison'', Sanctuary (London, 2003; ). * Peter Doggett, ''You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup'', It Books (New York, NY, 2011; ). * The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', ''Harrison'', Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ). * Joshua M. Greene, ''Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison'', John Wiley & Sons (Hoboken, NJ, 2006; ). * George Harrison, ''I Me Mine'', Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA, 2002; ). * Olivia Harrison, ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Abrams (New York, NY, 2011; ). * Bill Harry, ''The George Harrison Encyclopedia'', Virgin Books (London, 2003; ). * Elliot J. Huntley, ''Mystical One: George Harrison – After the Break-up of the Beatles'', Guernica Editions (Toronto, ON, 2006; ). * Chris Ingham, ''The Rough Guide to the Beatles'', Rough Guides/Penguin (London, 2006; 2nd edn; ). * Ian Inglis, ''The Words and Music of George Harrison'', Praeger (Santa Barbara, CA, 2010; ). * Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ). * Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ). * Ian MacDonald, ''Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties'', Pimlico (London, 1998; ). * Thomas MacFarlane, ''The Music of George Harrison'', Routledge (Abingdon, UK, 2019; ). * Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ). * Douglas McCall, ''Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012'', McFarland (Jefferson, NC, 2014; ). * Barry Miles, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * The Pythons, ''The Pythons Autobiography'', Orion (London, 2005; ). * Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ). * Nicholas Schaffner, ''The Beatles Forever'', McGraw-Hill (New York, NY, 1978; ). * Mat Snow, ''The Beatles Solo: The Illustrated Chronicles of John, Paul, George, and Ringo After The Beatles'' (Volume 3: ''George''), Race Point Publishing (New York, NY, 2013; ). *

Bruce Spizer David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is a tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. He has published thirteen books, and is frequently quoted as an authority on the history of the band an ...

, ''The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'', 498 Productions (New Orleans, LA, 2005; ). * Gary Tillery, ''Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison'', Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ). * Bob Woffinden, ''The Beatles Apart'', Proteus (London, 1981; ). {{authority control 1975 songs George Harrison songs Songs written by George Harrison Song recordings produced by George Harrison Music published by Oops Publishing and Ganga Publishing, B.V. Songs about musicians Funk rock songs