[spoiler] Craigslist

WAYFan · Post by **WAYFan** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:11 pm

Juh-EEZ, man! Long LIST! Wow, that was bad...

Post by **weirdojace** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:22 pm

Many of those I actually wouldn't call list songs. A list song is when the central point of the song is making the list, and that's pretty much the extent of the joke.

White and Nerdy, Night Santa Went Crazy, She Drives Like Crazy, Everything You Know is Wrong, etc... those are most assuredly NOT list songs.

These ARE:
Bob
Cable TV
Confessions Part III
Couch Potato
eBay
Hardware Store
I'll Sue Ya
One More Minute (this is a list song done really well)
One of Those Days
Polkamon
Syndicated Inc
Virus Alert
Wanna B Ur Lovr
Whatever You Like
You Make Me

Post by **amzo39** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:22 pm

Woo, list. Thanks.

I never thought about songs that way.

Website · Post by **Teh Dingo** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:31 pm

Watch it be list song about food and stalking, just to mess with us

CB Johnny · Post by **CB Johnny** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:29 pm

To me, the line between storytelling using unique gags for each line
and a pure list song has become blurred. And it doesn't help that I personally overanalyze everything.
We definitely need to make a new topic to discuss this with everyone who hasn't ventured into the spoiler forum.

Too bad the Amazon preview is down. Are any other MP3 services providing the clip, perhaps a different set of 30 seconds however unlikely that may be?

Post by **TMBJon** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:30 pm

In my opinion, a "list song" is a reasonable classification but it all depends on how well Al executes the concept. In reality, any song could be considered a list. Most of Al's songs are a series of jokes regarding one topic. Party At The Leper Colony is an example of a list song that I think Al executed pretty well. It's not one of my favorite Al songs at all, but it doesn't feel like a list of puns (which is exactly what it is).

If Craigslist turns out to be eBay part two it will be a big disappointment to me. I hope it mentions the various knick-knacks one might buy on CL as little as possible, and sticks with other themes.

Post by **Bruce the Duck** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:41 pm

One big distinction that needs to be made is between songs that simply LIST items that have something to do with each other but doesn't actually make any jokes and songs that are a series of jokes. I guess you could consider songs like "Virus Alert" and "I'll Sue Ya" lists of certain things, but each line of the songs actually makes a joke. Whether its absurd, nonsensical things that a virus might cause or ridiculous petty things that you might sue somebody over. In both cases, and in most of the other examples given, there are plenty of jokes to go around, so the fact that the song's structure could be described as a "list" doesn't diminish from the quality of the song.

On the other hand, there are a FEW exceptions, where all Al does is list things, and doesn't really make any jokes. The most notable example is "Syndicated Inc," but "Cable TV," "The Brady Bunch," and "Achy Breaky Song" are also examples of this, even though all three do make some jokes among the "lists."

I think overall, the structure of the song is irrelevant. What matters is the quality and humor of the lyrics, and in the case of an original, the quality of the music.

I'd be willing to bet that Craigslist will be a lot like "eBay" in terms of the lyrics, but I don't see why that should be condsidered a bad thing. IMO, "eBay" is one of Al's strongest parodies he's ever done.

Post by **Big Spoon** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:52 pm

Bruce the Duck @ June 09, 2009 01:41 pm wrote: IMO, "eBay" is one of Al's strongest parodies he's ever done.

QFA.

Post by **TMBJon** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:52 pm

Bruce the Duck @ June 09, 2009 01:41 pm wrote: One big distinction that needs to be made is between songs that simply LIST items that have something to do with each other but doesn't actually make any jokes and songs that are a series of jokes. I guess you could consider songs like "Virus Alert" and "I'll Sue Ya" lists of certain things, but each line of the songs actually makes a joke. Whether its absurd, nonsensical things that a virus might cause or ridiculous petty things that you might sue somebody over. In both cases, and in most of the other examples given, there are plenty of jokes to go around, so the fact that the song's structure could be described as a "list" doesn't diminish from the quality of the song.

Exactly. "Syndicated Inc" is a good example of a pure list song. No added jokes. "I'll Sue Ya" is a good example of a list song with added jokes for each item on the list, and obviously that song is far superior to the former.

I don't think Craigslist will be akin to Syndicated Inc (in fact, it's already clear it won't be from the sample), but I am really hoping it's not too similar to eBay. Even though it's a strong parody, I don't think that format would lend itself well to an original when there are more interesting themes to explore -- both in terms of Craigslist the site, and the themes common in Doors songs.

I am really hoping the song riffs off of the weirdos and shady characters that typically browse the site, rather than focus on the chotchkes that you can find there like "eBay" did, if for no reason other than it would be repetitive.

Post by **Bruce the Duck** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:57 pm

This is an interesting side-effect to Al's plan to release the songs one at a time. Now, we all are scrutinizing and over-analyzing each song as we're waiting for it, and inevitably after it comes out. We didn't scrutinize the individual tracks on SOL or PH like we're doing with these! Just look at how much we've milked out of a 30-second sample which barely even gave any of the song away.