Chalk Dust - The Umpire Strikes Back

Chalk Dust – The Umpire Strikes Back is a 1982 novelty song by The Brat, which was a collective pseudonym for British comedians Kaplan Kaye and Roger Kitter. The song satirizes tennis champion John McEnroe who was notorious for his temper tantrums. It managed to reach number 19 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1982.[1] Its B-side was a track named "Moody Mole" and the cover art was by illustrator Graham Humphreys.[2]

"Chalk Dust – The Umpire Strikes Back"
Single by The Brat
B-side"Moody Mole"
ReleasedJune 1982 (1982-06)
Format7-inch single
GenreNovelty
Length3:06
LabelHansa
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

The song

"Chalk Dust – The Umpire Strikes Back" is a satire of American tennis player John McEnroe and lampoons his infamous angry behaviour on the tennis court to a synthesizer beat. The entire song is a conversation between McEnroe (played by Roger Kitter) and the referee (played by Kaplan Kaye). They bicker and bicker until the referee finally loses his patience and just shoots McEnroe dead. The line "The ball's in, everyone can see that the ball's in!" was an actual quotation McEnroe used to shout. As McEnroe dies in the song his final words are: "I was talking to myself!", which also a genuine excuse the real-life McEnroe used whenever a referee scolded him for being insulted.[3] The title is a pun on the film The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and the tennis term umpire. Released on the Hansa label,[2] the single entered the UK Singles Chart on 10 July 1982. It reached a peak of number 19, and remained in the chart for 8 weeks.[3] The song was also a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands and Belgium and a Top 20 hit in South Africa and Ireland.

Charts
Chart (1982) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 5
Ireland (IRMA)[5] 13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] 3
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[8] 14
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] 19

Sources
  1. 'What becomes of the one-hit wonders?' – The Guardian
  2. https://www.discogs.com/fr/The-Brat-Chalk-Dust-The-Umpire-Strikes-Back/release/10658301
  3. Rice, Tim; Rice, Jonathan; Gambaccini, Paul (1990), Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness World Records and Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0-85112-398-8
  4. "Ultratop.be – The Brat – Chalk Dust – The Empire Strikes Back" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  5. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Chalk Dust – The Umpire Strikes Back". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  6. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Brat" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  7. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Brat – Chalk Dust – The Umpire Strikes Back" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  8. "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts (B)". rock.co.za. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
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