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"Big Horns George"
Season/Series: 8
Number in season: 10a
Original Airdate: United States December 26, 2003[1]
Canada February 25, 2004[2]
Germany December 28, 2007[3]
Credits
Written by: Peter K. Hirsch
Storyboard by: Gerry Capelle
Robert Yap
Episodes
Previous
"Kiss and Tell"
Next
"Bleep"
Read transcript

"Big Horns George" is the first half of the tenth episode in the eighth season of Arthur.

Summary[]

Brain introduces George to the blues. George becomes a fan and learns to sing with the help of Wally, Koko Taylor, and Taj Mahal.

Plot[]

George asks for extra sprinkles at the Powers’ ice-cream shop because he is down. Mrs. McGrady walks in with a lady who Brain recognizes as blues singer Koko Taylor. She invites the boys to a jam session on Sunday. Since George has never heard of her, Brain takes him to his house, saying that blues “will cheer you up a lot more than ice cream”.

Big Horns George

Brain gives George an introduction to blues and plays him one of his compositions: “Pi Blues”. He also lends George some CDs.

George listens to the music, buys a harmonica, and composes a song.

The jam session at Mrs. McGrady's house is attended by Koko with two other musicians, Brain, Binky and Francine. While the other kids say they would just embarrass themselves, George wants to perform. He sings “The Pinocchio Blues” and accompanies himself on the harmonica. He sings well but very quietly. When Francine says he sounds like a mouse, George runs out of the house. Koko follows and tells him that it is okay to be nervous and that she still gets butterflies after singing for fifty years. She invites him to come back any time. George leaves and throws his harmonica in a trash can.

At home, George talks to Wally, who tries to cheer him up. When George wants to return Brain's CDs, he notices that he has not heard Taj Mahal yet.

George listens to Taj Mahal's “Leaving Trunk” and his fantasy transports him to “Tuning Fork, Mississippi”. He drinks lemonade at the General Store, but since he has no money, the barkeeper (Binky), who is also the sheriff, wants to arrest him, unless George earns the money by singing.

George sings “Pinocchio Blues” outside the store. A lady (Francine) compares him to a mouse again. However, a guitar player (Taj Mahal) on the porch across the street encourages him to put more feeling into his singing. George does and the musician says he's got talent and should not be afraid to show it.

Back in reality, George builds a guitar with the help of his dad and Brain. He practices in the park and shows some chords to Binky.

When Wally advises George not to play for Koko again, George puts him in the closet. Wally remarks that things have not been the same between them since George made that guitar.

George goes to Mrs. McGrady's house and plays for Koko and Mrs. McGrady. He is still nervous and breaks a string. Koko's friend Taj Mahal arrives and offers to fix the string and accompany George. They end up jamming until dark.

Characters[]

Main[]

Minor[]

Cameo[]

Mentioned[]

Songs[]

Trivia[]

Cultural references[]

  • Koko Taylor and Taj Mahal are blues musicians who voiced themselves.
  • Brain compares Koko's voice to Bessie Smith and Muddy Waters, two famous blues musicians.
  • George brings lutefisk to the pot-luck. That's a Scandinavian dish made of dried fish.
  • "Hoosegow" is an old slang term for jail used primarily in the American West. It derives from the Spanish "juzgado" (courthouse).
  • A poster with an eye shape in Mrs. MacGrady's house reads “The 7th Floor Elevator”. This refers to the psychedelic rock band “The 13th Floor Elevators”.

Episode connections[]

Errors[]

  • In the cold open, Maria, her lookalike and a miscolored combination of the two are seen interchangeably from scene to scene at the same table in the ice cream shop.

Gallery[]

Modelsheets[]

Promotional images[]

Screenshots[]

References[]


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