Tracey Ullman has enjoyed a fantastic career as one of the most versatile comedic actresses of her generation. And she just keeps rolling along. Most recently, she popped up in the newest season of Ted Lasso.
Back in 1983, however, Ullman was a virtual unknown in the United States when she made a foray into music for the first time. Which made it all the more shocking when she showed up with one of The Beatles in a video.
A Comic Who Sings
By 1983, Tracey Ullman had established herself as a major television star in her native Great Britain. Even back then, she was showing off her chops as a sketch comic of rare talent. Her ability to sink into different costumes and accents and come away with fully formed characters set her apart from the pack.
That year, Ullman was approached while at the hairdresser’s shop by the wife of the label head at Stiff Records. Since Ullman had shown her singing ability in her sketch comedy work, the woman asked if she wanted to make an album.
Ullman jumped at the chance. Her debut album, You Broke My Heart In 17 Places, appeared in 1983 and immediately soared in Great Britain. That included a Top 5 position for lead single “Breakaway”. The second single, however, was the one that introduced her to US audiences, who were surprised to see her in such famous company in the video.
“Know” How
British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl wrote and recorded the first version of “They Don’t Know” in 1979. Since she belonged to the same label as the actress, she helped out when Ullman did the cover version of the ebullient pop song. MacColl assisted in arranging the harmonies and even hit the “Baby” high note in the song since Ullman couldn’t quite reach that register.
In the video, MacColl shows off some of her comedic skills. She spends the early part of the clip primping for a date, then bounces around a bowling alley. Later, she’s seen in frumpy housewife attire in a supermarket pushing a child around in a shopping cart.
At no point does her character seem despondent, however, instead leaning into the optimism in the lyrics about having someone by her side unbeknownst to the rest of the world. At the end of the video, she’s seen in a car with none other than Paul McCartney playing the paramour who’d been hidden up to that point.
Is that Macca?
Considering Ullman hadn’t made her television debut in America yet, fans in the US were seeing her for the first time in the video. Many wondered how this unknown scored such an illustrious cameo appearance in the video.
Not long before Ullman filmed the video for “They Don’t Know”, she landed a minor role in the film Give My Regards To Broad Street. That film, which ended up getting its release in 1984, starred and featured music from Paul McCartney. Paul also did much of the creative work behind the scenes on that film. Since she already had that working relationship with Macca, Ullman felt emboldened to ask him to be in her video.
A few years later, Ullman secured her own variety show (The Tracey Ullman Show) on American television. Thanks to Paul McCartney, US audiences knew this wonderful talent well by then.
(Photo by BSR Agency/Gentle Look via Getty Images)
The post Remembering When a Beatle Cameo Helped a British Comedienne to a Hit Single in 1983 appeared first on American Songwriter.