KLFM

I Think We’re All Bozos On This Show (Vinyl Solution) (#102)

(Originally aired KPSU on 26 June 2011, featuring a selection of novelty and comedy records for a two-hour, Dr. Demento-inspired presentation.)

Of course, every boy remembers the first time he is handed a Dr. Demento tape by one of his friends.  In my case, I was lucky enough to have already been hip to “Weird Al,” but knowing that there was some weirdo out there that collected oddball songs – and the fact that there were that many oddball songs out there to collect – was somewhat of an epiphany for me (as I’m sure it is for almost all 12 year old boys).  While hip, cool, punk, indie, and everything in-between has come and gone, I have never been able to shake the desire to hear a song that is pretty perverse, and probably something that will get me in trouble if repeated in polite company.

In a way, Rock ‘n’ Roll itself is the ultimate in Novelty, a crude and lewd idea of what music is that has been passed down and re-envisioned in every imaginable permutation.  And there is a certain amount of need to love weirdness and the strange when inundated with the mediocrity that passes for pop music.  Like with many other interesting forms of music, the old-fashioned novelty song has died with 8 Track, and viral videos have almost completely replaced a world that people like Dr. Demento used to fill.  But I never get tired of a jokey song, and it was with this in mind that I decided to do a two-hour Vinyl Solution and pack it full of every comedy album I’ve got.

There are three records that I drew heavily from for this particular episode: The Firesign Theater’s I Think We’re All Bozos On This Bus, (a record I found in a box in the back of a junk shop), Dr. Demento Presents: The Greatest Novelty Records of all Time(this particular volume focuses on “The ’70’s”), and to a lesser extent, Goofy Greats (a K-tel record that has a lot of classic novelty records, reproduced in as shitty a way as possible).  I recently found not one, but TWO pieces of Firesign vinyl in local stores, and from the moment I found them I knew I had to do a comedy show so I could feature it.

Expect more theme shows, and other such fun, as the summer progresses.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more Steve Martin records to listen to.

I Think We’re All Bozos On This Show

HOUR 1

Part I

01.) The Firesign Theater * Side 001 Part I * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
02.) Banda Taurina, Genero Nunez, Cond. * La Virgen De La Macarena * The Brave Bulls La Fiesta Brava * Audio Fidelity Records
03.) Banda Taurina, Genero Nunez, Cond. * El Relicario [Excerpt] * The Brave Bulls La Fiesta Brava * Audio Fidelity Records
04.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 001 Part II * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
05.) Barnes & Barnes * Fish Heads * Dr. Demento Presents: The Greatest Novelty Records of all Time * Rhino Records
06.) Steve Martin * Philosophy / Religion / College / Language * A Wild And Crazy Guy * Warner Bros. Records
07.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 002 Part I * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records

Part II: 

08.) Steve Martin * Philosophy / Religion / College / Language * A Wild And Crazy Guy * Warner Bros. Records
09.) Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra * Hawaiian War Chant * Hawaii * London Records
10.) The Firesign Theater * Side 001 Part III * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
11.) Royal Guardsmen * Snoopy vs. The Red Baron * Goofy Greats * K-tel Records
12.) Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks * Origin of Words * 2000 and Thirteen * Warner Bros. Records
13.) The Butthole Surfers * Lonesome Bulldog * piouhgd * Rough Trade Records
14.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 002 Part II * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records

Part III: 

15.) Ennio Morricone * Titoli (from “A Fistful of Dollars”) * “A Fistful of Dollars” Music Composed and Conducted by Ennio Morricone * RCA Victor Records
16.) The Firesign Theater * Side 001 Part IV * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
17.) Nation Lampoon * The Mel Brewer Show * Good-bye Pop * Epic Records
18.) Paul Clayton * The Girls Around Cape Horn * Whaling And Sailing Songs From The Days of Moby Dick * The Everest Record Group
19.) Rose and the Arrangement * The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati * Dr. Demento Presents: The Greatest Novelty Records of all Time * Rhino Records
20.) The Trashmen * Surfin’ Bird * Goofy Greats * K-tel Records
21.) Fred Blassie * Pencil Neck Geek * Dr. Demento Presents: The Greatest Novelty Records of all Time * Rhino Records
22.) The Butthole Surfers * Lonesome Bulldog Part II * piouhgd * Rough Trade Records
23.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 002 Part III * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records

HOUR 2

Part IV

24.) Banda Taurina, Genero Nunez, Cond. * Espana Cani * The Brave Bulls La Fiesta Brava * Audio Fidelity Records
25.) George Carlin * Commercials * Take-Offs & Put-Ons * Pickwick Records
26.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 002 Part IV * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
27.) The Dead Milkmen * The Big Sleazy * Metaphical Graffiti * Enigma Records
28.) The Firesign Theater * Side 001 Part V * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records

Part V

29.) The Firesign Theater * Side 001 Part VI * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
30.) The Butthole Surfers * Lonesome Bulldog Part III * piouhgd * Rough Trade Records
31.) Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra * Hawaiian Wedding Song * Hawaii * London Records
32.) Tom Leher * Oedipus Rex * An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer * Reprise Records
33.) Spike Jones and His City Slickers * You Always Hurt The One You Love * The Best of Spike Jones * RCA Records
34.) Monty Python * Rock Notes * Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Album * Arista Records
35.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 002 Part V * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
36.) The Crewcuts * We’re Working Our Way Through College * Crewcuts On The Campus * Mercury Records
37.) The Rebel Force Band * Chewie The Rookie Wookie * Living In These Star Wars * Bonwhit Records

Part VI

38.) Ennio Morricone * Theme from “A Fistful of Dollars” * “A Fistful of Dollars” Music Composed and Conducted by Ennio Morricone * RCA Victor Records
39.) The Firesign Theater * Side 001 Part VII * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
40.) “Weird Al” Yankovic * I’ll Be Mellow When I’m Dead * “I Lost On Jeopardy” b/w “I’ll Be Mellow When I’m Dead” * Rock ‘n’ Roll Records
41.) The Blues Brothers * Rubber Biscuit * Briefcase Full of Blues * Atlantic Records
42.) The Firesign Theater * The Side 002 Part VI * I think We’re All Bozos On This Bus * Columbia Records
43.) Banda Taurina, Genero Nunez, Cond. * Cielo Andaluz [Excerpt] * The Brave Bulls La Fiesta Brava * Audio Fidelity Records
44.) Loudon Wainwright III * Dead Puppies * Dr. Demento Presents: The Greatest Novelty Records of all Time * Rhino Records
45.) The Butthole Surfers * Lonesome Bulldog Part IV [Double Speed] * piouhgd * Rough Trade Records