rock opera

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SBEMAIL: The Musical

Strong Bad Email #125

Strong Bad sings his rock opera 'SBEMAIL!'.

Cast (in order of appearance): Strong Bad, Lil' Strong Bad, Anonymous, Tompkins, Strong Sad, The Cheat, Coach Z, Homestar Runner, Marzipan, Grape-Nuts Robot, Baby Styles, Vector Strong Bad, Stinkoman, Female Lappy 486, The Poopsmith, Bubs, Strong Mad, Homsar, The King of Town, Pom Pom, Dangeresque (Easter egg)

Places: Computer Room

Computer: Lappy 486

Date: February 22, 2005

Running Time: 3:21

Contents

Transcript

STRONG BAD: Checkin' email and take it to the flipside! !edispilf eht ot ti ekat dna liame 'nikcehC

{Strong Bad pronounces "Contributor" as "ContribuTOR" and "OH" as "hhhough"}

STRONG BAD: Ugh, poor guy. {typing} HEY! Mr. and Mrs. Contributor, way to name your kid! I can only imagine the taunts and jabs the kids on the playground musta come up with.

{A piece of notebook paper appears onscreen with Teen Girl Squad-esque drawings on it. On it are drawings of a swingset, Little Strong Bad, and Anonymous, who looks suspiciously like Strong Sad with a question mark for a face. Anonymous is kicking a soccerball, and faint playground chatter is present in background}

NOTEBOOK STRONG BAD: Hey, Anonymous! Why don't ya, um, write a poem or something and not attribute it to yourself!

STRONG BAD: Or, like...

{The paper switches out. This one features Anonymous with his hands glued to his butt, Strong Bad, and Tompkins, again with faint playground chatter.}

NOTEBOOK STRONG BAD: Yo, Anonny! Maybe try calling the cops and giving them some valuable information to help solve a crime without revealing your own identityyyy!

{The paper disappears offscreen.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} Oh. Kids can be so cruel. {clears screen, resumes typing} OK, back on task. To tell you the truth, you guys have already heard mosta my rock opera. I've been composing it over the last three and a half years. It's simply entitled "SBEMAIL!" {A poster for SBEMAIL! appears onscreen} And the lyrics consist of one word from each of my 125 emails! {The poster disappears} Now, it may not make a whole lotta sense but when have I ever backed down from a bad idea, right? Now let's get this train wreck a-rollin'!

{Cut to some curtains, which open, beginning the opera.}

STRONG BAD:
Join me on my single—

STRONG SAD:
hundred—

STRONG BAD:
toilet dreams picture.
Everybody wanna scam some sweet bucks or potential—

LIL' STRONG BAD:
pizza.

STRONG BAD:
Oh! Oh! Ummm. Nevermind.
Ummm... double—

COACH Z:
pants.

STRONG BAD:
Awesome, awesome fancy danish.
Professional funky totally diggity-underdrawers.
Oh tonight,—

HOMESTAR RUNNER:
cool,—

MARZIPAN:
healthy,—

STRONG BAD:
ones, eh?
Whatever action baby actually went jibblie.
Oooh! Oh. Party like completely great, good.
Down town ladies get consummate.

MARZIPAN:
Yeah.

STRONG BAD:
Awkward sweet peaches crackin' action!
Wha-Ho! Problematic.
Solid jumble!

GRAPE-NUTS ROBOT:
Crazy—

STRONG BAD:
beans double the real gold!
Computer—

STRONG SAD:
internet—

STRONG BAD:
bulging—

HOMESTAR RUNNER:
out.

STRONG BAD:
Yeah, oh!
Dynomite afterparty!
Like, fangoriously world-class and—

POWERED-BY-THE-CHEAT STRONG BAD:
grand.

STRONG BAD:
Ooooh! Oh!

STRONG SAD:
Ewww!

STRONG BAD:
Oh-ho-ho-ho! Definitely, definitely—

VECTOR STRONG BAD:
baby.

HOMESTAR RUNNER:
Yup,—

STRONG BAD:
I totally—

HOMESTAR RUNNER:
always—

STRONG BAD:
look—

STORYBOOK STRONG BAD:
awesome—

STRONG BAD:
singing backwards metal.
Experience dance tonight! Unh!
Oooh! I'm pleasant.
Positate without pizzaz and—

STINKOMAN:
jam!!

STRONG BAD:
Whoa!
Tonight equals dancing,

CANNED AUDIENCE:
yeah!

STRONG BAD:
Famous—

FEMALE LAPPY:
ladies—

STRONG BAD:
always like—

ALL:
SBEMAIL!

{The screen fades to black and the SBEMAIL! poster slides down from the top of the screen. Cut to the Lappy. Strong Bad is clapping and making crowd noises with his mouth while roses are being thrown on him from off camera}

STRONG BAD: Bravo! Encore! Encore! Ándale! Ándale! Arriba! Arriba! {typing} Thank you! Thank you! Yes, the rave reviews are already pouring in. It's only a matter of time before the chicks {due to the keyboard getting covered in roses, this is typed as "It's only a msyyer pd tun/ blegfr teh chekts"} -uh.

{The camera pulls out, and we see The Cheat on the computer desk holding a rose.}

STRONG BAD: The Cheat... ixnay on the cut-it-out-throwing-roses-at-me! ...may.

THE CHEAT: Meh!

{The Cheat throws his rose at Strong Bad's face and it sticks there.}

STRONG BAD: Augh! {He clutches his face and starts flailing his limbs wildly.} Rose face! ROSE FACE!!! {He falls off his stool.}

{Cut back to the Lappy, where The Paper comes down.}

Easter Eggs

  • Click rave reviews to see some reviews of Sbemail:
    • "SBEMAIL! Is a Triumph of Some Sort!!!"
      "It will leave you you wanting MORE, MORE, MORE!"
      -(Perhaps)The Deke
    • "A million stars!!!"
      -Age 7
    • "SBEMAIL! is better than a goat!!"
      - The Biscuitdoughhandsman Review
  • Click Pouring in to see a poster for SBEMAIL!
"an off13 Broadway rock opera from the man who brought you 'Dangeresque: Put 'Em On Ice!'"
  • While on the poster, click 'Dangeresque: put em on ice' to see a clip of Dangeresque: Put 'Em On Ice!
{Cut to somewhere in The Field in winter, with a small ice pond in the foreground. Strong Bad (as Dangeresque) skates in from the right}
DANGERESQUE: So I'm gonna have to jum—
{Dangeresque falls through the ice.}
THE CHEAT: {offscreen} Meh! {throws a rose onto the ice}
  • Click the invisible Encore on the bottom-right of the Lappy screen to see the rock opera again.

Fun Facts

Explanations

  • A rock opera is, as the name implies, a sung dramatic work in a rock, instead of classical, musical style. The term originated with the programmatic works of The Who, in particular Tommy.

Trivia

  • This is the first email where all twelve main characters appear in person. (The Poopsmith and Pom Pom were only on playing cards in your friends and different town, respectively.)
  • Each quote is truly taken from each email, in order. The first word is from some kinda robot, the second from homsar, and so forth.
  • A karaoke video was released for the Rock Opera on the Strong Bad Email DVD.

Remarks

  • The email rap and the flipside version are clips of Strong Bad saying the same thing, but they are different versions of it. If you reverse the clip, the most obvious difference is that the flipside version doesn't have a pause after the word "email."
  • The Poopsmith, Bubs, and Pom Pom all remain motionless when the cast yells "SBEMAIL!", though it may be that the Poopsmith is silent on purpose, courtesy of his vow of silence.
  • Strong Bad did back down from a bad idea in other days, when he decided not to speak the entire email as a robot.

Goofs

  • You can still click the contrast buttons on the Tandy while the opera is playing, although it doesn't actually affect the contrast of the screen.
  • When roses are being thrown with the Lappy in the background, you can't see the reflection of the roses on the Lappy's screen.
  • When The Cheat throws a rose in Strong Bad's face, it hits his left eye. However, when Strong Bad starts freaking out about it, the rose is on his right eye.
  • When the cast yells "SBEMAIL!" Strong Mad's mouth appears on Homsar's torso for a few seconds.
    • Though not noticeable without zooming in, once everyone has finished yelling "SBEMAIL!", Homsar's lip comes between Homestar's head and shirt; more specifically, in front of the head, and behind the shirt.
    • Similarly, Strong Mad's closed mouth appears on Homsar's chest for a few frames, during the word "SBEMAIL."
  • In trevor the vampire, when Strong Bad goes up to the screen and says "Hi, everybody," his eyes were given the newer style. However, in the opera, the same scene was shown, but his eyes were still the old style.
  • When the word "metal" zooms out towards the screen passing in front of Strong Bad, his mouth appears on top of the word instead of behind it.
  • The word crackin isn't actually said in fingers, though it does appear on Strong Bad's screen.
    • Given the opera is just sound bites from the different emails the word probably was recorded, but it wasn't in the final cut.
  • If you play the opera again (via the "ENCORE!" in the corner), a slight bit of the audio for the part afterwards will play.

Inside References

  • The shoes that walk across the screen are the back button of the old main page.
  • On the second making-fun-of-Anonymous piece-of-paper, Anonymous has his hands glued to his butt, which also happened to Strong Sad in the e-mail 1 step ahead.
    • Also, the drawing of Anonymous has two toenails, much like Strong Sad.
    • Strong Sad also gave an "anonymous tip" in Strong Bad is in Jail Cartoon.
  • Also on the second piece-of-paper, Strong Bad's legs are positioned like those of Wrestleman from the weekly Sketchbook.
  • When Strong Bad's typing starts going awry as The Cheat is throwing roses at him, he types "the chicks" as "teh chekts", a reference to the immediately preceding Strong Bad E-mail secret recipes.
  • When Strong Bad appears to have two electric guitars sticking out of his head, it is a reference to the cover art for the CD Strong Bad Sings and Other Type Hits.
  • Strong Bad sitting in the chair swirling the wine in the cup is modeled after a similar scene from Everybody to the Limit.
    • Strong Bad also swirls his wine in montage.
    • The background behind him in this scene is from dangeresque 3.
  • The action figures of Strong Sad and Strong Bad are from the Strong Bad Email action figure.
  • The background of the area with the pyramid of gold bars (pre-explosion) is taken directly from RhinoFeeder.
  • The "Goodtime Palace" is modeled after similar scenes from animal and even features Baby Styles.
    • Also, the normal "black frame" around the screen changes to the Cheat's poorly drawn frame from his "Powered by The Cheat" Cartoons.
  • The picture of the "Hardest Guitar Chord Ever" comes from privileges.
  • Club Technochocolate is originally from extra plug.
    • But just the word "technochocolate" comes from monument.
  • The rock music which starts at Club Technochocolate uses the same chord progression as The Cheat Is Not Dead from caper.
  • The stage the entire cast is grouped on at the end is seen in A Decemberween Pageant, among other holiday toons.
  • The "biscuitdoughhandsman review" in the Easter egg is yet another reference to everyone's favorite unapprehended villain, Biscuit Dough Hands Man.
  • "The Deke" is originally from autobiography.
  • Strong Bad's dance move with Baby Styles is a reference to virus when he compliments Bubs for being a computer genius man.
  • "Sbemail" is a reference to the filename of every Strong Bad e-mail. Strong Bad also refers to this in unused emails and kids' book.
  • This isn't the first time Strong Bad has spoken backwards, he also does it on Strong Bad's Message Bored.
  • The guitars featured in the email are the same as in the easter egg in the email new hands.
  • The Pixelated Strong Bad with the Pink hoodie is a reference to an easter egg in the strong bad email montage.
  • "NO FOR RENT" is a reference to a response from the Jhonka in Peasant's Quest.

Real-World References

  • Strong Bad's "Ándale! Ándale! Arriba! Arriba!" at the end is quoting the famous Warner Bros. cartoon mouse Speedy Gonzales.
  • The electric guitars in the opera are (or are modeled after) Gibson Flying Vs.
  • The amps are modeled after Marshall stacks, but instead of "Marshall," the logo reads "An Amp". These were also used in different town and Cool Things, but labeled "Marzipan".
  • Strong Bad's rap at the beginning of the e-mail may be a reference to Missy Elliott's "Work It," where she says "I put my thang down, flip it, and reverse it! Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gnaht ym tup I!"
  • Strong Bad walking towards the camera while neon signs fly by is also a commonly used movie cliché when the main-character gets overwhelmed by the nightlife of the city (most famously in the 1945 film The Lost Weekend).

DVD Version

  • The DVD version features hidden creators' commentary. To access it, switch your DVD player's audio language selection while watching.

Commentary Transcript

(Commentary by: Strong Bad, Mike Chapman)

MIKE: Joined in the booth here by none other—

STRONG BAD: {imitates backwards speech in email's opening} See, I—people think I—they just flipped the audio track when I really said—

MIKE: I wasn't done—

STRONG BAD: {simultaneously} —that, live.

MIKE: —introducing you.

STRONG BAD: Ah, but I had to get in on the game!

MIKE: This, this is Strong Bad, everyone.

STRONG BAD: And this is—

MIKE: {simultaneously} He's gonna be—he's gonna being doing the commentary with me.

STRONG BAD: This is By-The-Book Mike, over here, this guy—

MIKE: We have—we've gotta do things by the rules.

STRONG BAD: Okay, since—

MIKE: {simultaneously} It's not gonna work, it's not gonna work if we don't—

STRONG BAD: Look, we're not going to make a very good comment team, alright, 'cause I don't play by the rules, Mike.

MIKE: Uh, did you do these drawings?

STRONG BAD: I did. Look, I've even got—

MIKE: These-they're bad.

STRONG BAD: What?

MIKE: They're bad drawings.

STRONG BAD: They're great drawings! Look at little Tompkins.

MIKE: Tomp—

STRONG BAD: He's laughing at Strong Sad. {in high voice} "Put his hands on his butt again, they got glued there."

MIKE: Okay, don't—don't get up to higher voices.

STRONG BAD: {still in high voice} I'm in a high voice now!

MIKE: I don't like the high voice realm.

STRONG BAD: {unintelligible}

MIKE: Ohh, so which email is this we're doing here?

STRONG BAD: This is the one where I do my rock opera!

MIKE: Ohh, rock opera. So this was—

STRONG BAD: It's a retrospective.

MIKE: This was, uh, so were you really planning this from day one?

STRONG BAD: Of course, Mike.

MIKE: So you—

STRONG BAD: Everything on this website has been planned since day one.

MIKE: Oh, reall—

STRONG BAD: {simultaneously} I guarantee it.

MIKE: Yeah.

STRONG BAD: Hey, that's true, Mike. Like, I'm gonna put this b—lightbulb in my mouth!

MIKE: {laughs} That's a coffee cup, Strong Bad.

STRONG BAD: {hushed} Don't tell them, {returns to normal volume} look! {Mike laughs} That was just for the sound effect—

MIKE: By the books! That didn't even sound like a lightbulb.

STRONG BAD: By the books. Pants—those are some—

MIKE: Nice burlap pants! {laughs}

STRONG BAD: He was wearing a burlap sack for pants.

MIKE: I hear you had to, uhh—

STRONG BAD: Oh, look, I was singing that song from American Tale. {Mike laughs} It was like "Somewheres... out there..." Ooh, that's a new way to look at me.

MIKE: That is—

STRONG BAD: {simultaneously} From the front side!

MIKE: The front view walk clip.

STRONG BAD: I'm doin' a front side air... over there.

MIKE: We'll have to use that, again.

STRONG BAD: Nope. {imitates self in email} Matic, matic. Ooh, this, this, who's playin' this guitar? 'Cause this music, I didn't even do. It showed up on my doorstep.

MIKE: Euhh, I made some of it.

STRONG BAD: Oh.

MIKE: Matt and I made it.

STRONG BAD: That's the hardest chord ever, right?

MIKE: That was the hardest chord ever, played by Gary Palaroncini—there's two of the Palaroncinis right there.

STRONG BAD: Wow, everybody's got metal hair, in this—

MIKE: Everybody's—

STRONG BAD: —video.

MIKE: —gettin' in on the action.

STRONG BAD: The Cheat helped me out with a lot of this.

MIKE: Yeah, it looks like it.

STRONG BAD: {simultaneously} Visuals.

MIKE: You can—you can tell.

STRONG BAD: I for—I think I was calling... all cars.

MIKE: What do you call—what's that girl's name?

STRONG BAD: Oh, that's Cynthentia.

MIKE: Cyn—{laughs} Cynthentia.

STRONG BAD: What I heard.

MIKE: {simultaneously} How, uh, have you talked to her lately?

STRONG BAD: Yeah... that's what I was calling, on the phone, earlier, when I said—

MIKE: Cynthentia.

STRONG BAD: {simultaneously} "Experience dance tonight."

MIKE: What famous ladies like SBEMAIL—

STRONG BAD:Uh—

MIKE: {simultaneously}—on that—

STRONG BAD: Bruce Willis. Uh, Beck.

MIKE: Those are both guys.

STRONG BAD: Umm... Robin Williams.

MIKE: Those are all guys.

STRONG BAD: Well, look, the list just keeps on going—

MIKE: Is Cynthenti—

STRONG BAD: —until it turns into women. {Mike laughs} Oh, the guitarist from Liz Phair.

MIKE: That's a guy, too.

STRONG BAD: AUGH! But Liz Phair isn't a guy. It was hard to type on that with a buncha—

MIKE: You didn't—you weren't able to do it.

STRONG BAD: Not very well!

MIKE: No.

STRONG BAD: Ooh, Colorado, remember that game?

MIKE: {unintelligible}

STRONG BAD: {simultaneously} That game had... VGA graphics.

MIKE: There were some sweet graphics.

STRONG BAD: Good graphics.

See Also

  • The context for all of the words from rock opera.
  • The visuals that occur during the rock opera.

External Links

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