Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000
Dear Eric:
My name is Mike Nobel, composer of a song called,
"Househusband Macho!". Sometime I search on the web to see where
the song has traveled, and I read your review of "Power
Salad" where you mention my song (in a favorable light, thanks!).
I would really enjoy learning where you heard my song. I know a lot of
people heard it on the "Keepers" (now re-released as, "Keepers Plus") album
which is a fundraising CD for Minnesota Public Radio.
Thanks for your time. It would be great to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Mike Nobel
Score: 90 100 means excellent. Scores range from 0 to infinity, infinity being best.
Comments
All songs have singing and piano. Some songs add other instruments
and sounds. All songs down to even the lowest rank are still well
done and pretty, but with no funny. They basically are ranked by
interest to me. There are topical songs as old as 1979 but some of
them have become relevent again, hence the name of the album. This
is a real CD with an 8 page booklet.
The songs in order from approximately best to approximately most boring.
Best
track
number
1. Househusband Macho! 4:16
A great funny and manly song that will make any househusband feel proud
of the tough job he does.
4. Poppa Votes For President 2:22
A topical song from Palm Beach County Florida involving George Dub'ya
and Al Gore with a laugh out loud good line. Yiddish flavor.
I suppose other songs on this album will overtake this one's #2 rank later,
but it's topical now.
13. Those Old Time Lovers 3:05
OK, so this guy goes into a senior citizens singles night, see, and
starts playing old fogeys' music. Well, the grannies and grandpas
wanted to hear some hot tunes so they could boogy, and they wore out that
young whippersnapper.
18. The Wood Heat Song 1:53
A rousing song about choppin' and burnin' and snubbing Shell, Mobil
and the Ayatollah.
16. A Smokers Cough 1:33
Uh, smoking is bad. Explained here with a classical orchestra.
9. No-Name Franks Medley 3:57
Finally a jingle for a generic product. "No Name, a name you
can trust."
I. Franks At The Opera
II. Cowboy Meets Franks
III. Franks In Grease
11. Where's The Beef!? 1:49
An old song that elaborates on the old Wendy's commercial catch phrase
as applied to Walter Mondale, life, the universe and everything.
10. Poison Plutonium Rag 1:31
A snap happy tune with sarcasim for nuclear power.
7. Pediculosis Stomp 2:47
The head lice song.
14. Gouge 'Em 'Till They Bleed 3:04
A better poke at the oil companies than attempted in song #5.
2. The Satellite Hop 2:53
A song about what to do when the satellite falls from the sky.
It's borderline children's song material. Ya better listen cuz space
station Mir is coming down soon.
15. How Can I Sing The Blues When I Feel So Good 3:49
A song idea not unlike Henry Phillips
"Fresh Out Of Blues".
3. Sperm Bank Raider 2:52
There's no good punchline in this song. The tune is similar to
Househusband Macho. Kids, go ask your mother.
17. Stuck In The President's Pants 2:09
A Clinton's willy song criticizing the amount of media coverage of
the president's pants.
5. Scary Halloween 3:29
An odd mix of Halloween, stocks, price gouging oil companies, and the
politicians they own.
6. The Lonely MX Blues 2:16
A song from the missile's point of view. A political poke at
Reagan.
12. Final Exam 3:15
Just a little bit about school. Mostly about growing up living
life. Mildly ponderous. No, wait, it's just boring.
19. Voices Of Children 1:17
A gentle weepy wambly song about listening to the childeren. Not my
kind of song.
21. For Every Child 1:51
Gentle, boring.
20. These are the Ones Who Die 2:16
Gentle, boring.
8. The Freeze Song 2:45
Gentle, boring. I thought it was about nature but the liner notes
say it is about a freeze on nuclear weapons.
Most boring
Tracks listed in track order
01. Househusband Macho! 4:16
02. The Satellite Hop 2:53
03. Sperm Bank Raider 2:52
04. Poppa Votes For President 2:22
05. Scary Halloween 3:29
06. The Lonely MX Blues 2:16
07. Pediculosis Stomp 2:47
08. The Freeze Song 2:45
09. No-Name Franks Medley 3:57
10. Poison Plutonium Rag 1:31
11. Where's The Beef!? 1:49
12. Final Exam 3:15
13. Those Old Time Lovers 3:05
14. Gouge 'Em 'Till They Bleed 3:04
15. How Can I Sing The Blues When I Feel So Good 3:49
16. A Smokers Cough 1:33
17. Stuck In The President's Pants 2:09
18. The Wood Heat Song 1:53
19. Voices Of Children 1:17
20. These are the Ones Who Die 2:16
21. For Every Child 1:51
Total playing time: 55:18
Where to buy
e-mail:
or
From Mike Nobel
December 28, 2000
Hi, Eric
I just wanted to thank you for your thoughtful
and thorough review of my new CD, "HERE COMES YESTERDAY!". I'm really happy
you gave me such a good score, and that there were at least several songs
on the album that earned enthusiastic comments from you. I've had great
feedback on the CD so far, especially for the 16 or so comedy cuts on the
album. And thank you! for buying the CD from the online store, klaritymusic.com/comedy/
(Klarity
Multimedia is a bunch of especially nice people in a small Maine town who
do state-of-the-art mastering and manufacturing for many independent
songwriters, including celebrities like Arlo
Guthrie).
In the best-worst spectrum of your opinions, I completely understand how the several emotional songs about children and peace on the CD might be called "weepy, gentle, boring" as you reviewed them. I knew including these songs was a little risky, and that most people prefer comedy material over the sentimental stuff.
The "emotionality" is also part of how I look at the world, especially regarding issues like peace, and the welfare of kids. Hopefully most people buying the CD will enjoy the "overwhelming majority" of comedy songs, and forgive me for the sentimental ones! Maybe there are fellow bleeding hearts out there who will like the "feeling" stuff too!
THANKS again for your interest, and for a great web site that's gives songwriters like myself a great opportunity to find an audience for our work.
Mike Nobel Gorham, Maine
"HERE COMES YESTERDAY!" 21 song CD klaritymusic.com/comedy