US couple's Nazi parody song performed in response to Charlottesville rally is going viral

Daniel Orton20 August 2017

This parody song about white nationalists performed by a US couple in their living room is going viral.

Tiki Torch Nazis is set to the tune of Beauty School Dropout from the musical Grease, and was written and performed by theatre music directors Sandy and Richard Riccardi, who describe themselves as a ‘progressive parody and comedy cabaret’ act.

The couple produced the song in response to the Charlottesville rally last week, which descended into violence and resulted in the death of anti-fascist demonstrator Heather Heyer.

“We mourn for Heather Heyer and all those who were injured,” said Sandy Riccardi, “[but] we believe ridiculing those who take [the colour of their skin] seriously is one weapon to use against them.

“The Faux-Polynesian Tiki Torch is just such a fun concept and that these boys were out there trying to intimidate [people] with a made-in-China Tiki Torch was just too rich to pass up.

“Calling them Nazis is what they want, but calling them Tiki Torch Nazis sounded like a nice insult.”

The Riccardis have been producing political parody songs since 2008, when Sandy disagreed with former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s assertion that she spoke for ‘all the hockey mums’.

Progressive parody performers: Sandy and Richard Riccardi
Eric Chazankin

“I am a hockey mum and I didn't agree with anything she said,” Sandy told the Standard.

“So I started muttering to myself "Don't speak for me, Sarah Palin", it felt a lot like the Evita song 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina', and poof, a parody was born!”

The response to the couple’s latest song has been “overwhelmingly positive”.

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