Yakety Yak, Take It Back

Yakety Yak, Take It Back
Directed by
Produced by Tim Newman
Starring
Release date
 1991
Running time
 50 minutes
Language English

"Yakety Yak, Take It Back" is a 1991 music video aimed at encouraging recycling using a combination of rock stars, rappers and animated Warner Bros. characters.[1] It stars Melba Moore, Dr. John, Natalie Cole, Charlie Daniels, Lita Ford, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Kenny Loggins, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Randy Newman, Ozzy Osbourne, Bette Midler, Queen Latifah, Stevie Wonder, Brenda Russell, Al B. Sure!, Ricky Van Shelton, Barry White, Tone Lōc, and Pat Benatar, and features the voices of Melba Moore, Derrick Stevens, Squeak, Dr. John, and Jeff Bergman.[2]

The video originally aired on MTV in a shortened music video form and was released in an extended version on home video.[3][4][5][6]

Plot

Tibi the Take it Back Butterfly (Melba Moore), a young butterfly rapper, dreams of making the world a better place by taking back her home planet, Earth, from trash and pollution, and then creating a healthy environment for herself, and all of those around her to live. One morning, after breakfast, Tibi travels all the way to a big city by flying with her wings. When Tibi arrives in the big city, she first meets B.B. King, who is sitting on the doorsteps of the 859 Apartment Building's main entrance, as he plays an electric guitar. Tibi then meets two cat rappers, MC Skat Kat (Derrick Stevens), and Fatz (Squeak), who both start chasing after her by catching her at first, but then eventually become friends with her in the process. MC Skat Kat tells Tibi everything all about his yak rapper friend, Yakety Yak (Dr. John), and then introduces her to him. Right after that, Tibi sees Tone Lōc kicking a tin can, sending it flying straight into Bugs Bunny's rabbit hole, to which Bugs (Jeff Bergman) comes out of his rabbit hole, and then munches on his carrot and asks him, "Eh, what's up, Doc?" Tibi introduces herself to both Tone Lōc and Bugs, and then makes friends with them. Yakety approaches Ozzy Osbourne, who gives him some good advice about recycling.

Tibi meets some more unforgettable characters, such as Lita Ford, Pat Benatar, Ricky Van Shelton, and Queen Latifah, who is leading a group of dancers, along with Barry White, who addresses the audience, "Don't be no square. Don't be no chump. Don't make this Earth a garbage dump. This planet screams, "NO MORE FUNK!". There's no more room for no more junk. Yakety Yak, Take It Back.". Some time later, Yakety dances and cavorts with Natalie Cole. Tibi also meets Kenny Loggins, and a bearded fiddler (Charlie Daniels), who is playing a fiddle. MC Skat Kat and Fatz both show Tibi Yakety's apartment home. Tibi introduces herself to Stevie Wonder, who tells him that her dream of making the world a better place will come true if she gets rid the whole wide world of trash and pollution. Yakety enters a nearby school, where a school teacher (Bette Midler) is teaching her students everything they need to know about recycling. Yakety goes right up to the front of her class, and then tells them all how trash of all kinds should be recycled in many various different ways. We see piles of trash forming a beeline whilst riding on a conveyor belt, which leads straight into a giant Recycler Machine, which then produces an airplane, and the airplane itself flies straight directly towards a nearby city. Back in her classroom, the school teacher holds onto both of Yakety's horns as if she were locking horns with him. Tibi sees this, and then literally laughs herself to death, as the students notice her.

We then see the dancers, as they pile up bundles of newspapers into several towers. Suddenly, much to their surprise, the towers magically turn themselves into pine trees. Some time later, Tibi introduces herself to Brenda Russell, Al B. Sure!, and Quincy Jones, who are outside of a nearby City Hall. Then we see Tibi watching some protesters holding signs that read something about recycling, and then sadly writes a letter to all of the characters she met, saying that she'll give up the ambition of taking Earth back from trash and pollution, and then goes back to where she came from by returning home. Tibi flies all the way to a nearby lake, and then starts crying, and her tear falls into the water. She then sees flashbacks within the lake. Dr. John and Melba Moore both came walking by, notice Tibi, and they both then cheer her up, telling her to never give up. Bugs tells Tibi she has a phone call from Yakety, as he gives her a red telephone. Returning to the big city, Tibi meets Randy Newman, who asks her to sign a petition, and she agrees. Tibi signs the petition that Randy Newman is holding.

Yakety spreads the news throughout the big city, saying that the trash and the pollution are gone for good, starting with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, followed by B.B. King when he passes by, etc. With Tibi's dream fulfilled, we see the planet Earth (from the beginning of the music video), now finally have gotten rid itself (and the universe) of trash and pollution. All of the characters congratulate Tibi for taking Earth back from trash and pollution, including Bugs, MC Skat Kat, and Fatz. Quincy Jones dubs Tibi the big city's greatest heroine, and then presents to her with a medal for her bravery. Yakety and Tibi both reconcile their feelings with each other. Yakety then starts doing the "Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That's all, folks!" gag like Porky Pig, much to Tibi's amazement.

Cast

Musical numbers

  1. Yakety Yak, Take It Back
  2. Evolution

References

  1. ↑ Foster, R. Daniel (October 3, 1991). "The Recycling Generation : Star-studded video exhorts young people to 'Take It Back!'". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ↑ http://www.joliejones.com/takeitback/take-it-back-video.html
  3. ↑ Good.is
  4. ↑ Discogs
  5. ↑ AllMusic
  6. ↑ Stereogum
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