More Ballads! More Ballads! More Ballads!

minnick27 · Post by **minnick27** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:27 am

weird_el @ Jan 19 2008, 12:44 PM wrote: Ball of Twine is probably the most narrative song Al has done.

TItDT was more narrative. Almost twice as much.

Yankovic-Gretzky · Post by **Yankovic-Gretzky** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:41 am

Soft Rock

What's TITDT?

Post by **weird_el** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:03 am

Trapped In The Drive Thru

Yes, it is an epic narrative. Add it to the ballad list. Al (in character) loves cheeseburgers with onions.

Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:14 am

weird_el @ Jan 19 2008, 09:10 PM wrote: Well, Al (in character) loves taking vacations with his family.

And I'm sure that Al (in real life) loves taking vacations with his family even more. Even if he doesn't have the DeSoto.

What gender of music would you assign to Why Does This Always Happen To Me? Is it a ballad, an anthem, an ode to self-pity? Musicolologists, step up to the plate and slap a label on that thang.

HappyGilmore · Post by **HappyGilmore** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:23 am

A lot of his ballads are great. Don't really know if I'd count Biggest Ball of Twine a "Ballad" but it certainly ranks on his greatest songs list.

minnick27 · Post by **minnick27** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:20 pm

You have to remember, that most people think of ballads as love songs, but that is not the case. Ballads are story songs. And not always good. Take The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald. Still a ballad, even though its not about love at all.

Yankovic-Gretzky · Post by **Yankovic-Gretzky** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:05 pm

He should have written more ballads in the 80s.

Bargle Nawdle Zouss · Post by **Bargle Nawdle Zouss** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:09 pm

Albuquerque and GIF?

Post by **weird_el** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:17 pm

I wouldn't classify either Genius In France or Albuquerque as ballads. Albuquerque is stream of consciousness. Narratives are more linear in scope. Genius In France isn't narrative either -- it's more of a list of as many "I'm really not too bright" metaphors Al could think of.

I may concede that Albuquerque is closer to a ballad. There is a story involved in there somewhere.

HappyGilmore · Post by **HappyGilmore** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:06 pm

minnick27 @ Jan 20 2008, 02:20 PM wrote: You have to remember, that most people think of ballads as love songs, but that is not the case. Ballads are story songs. And not always good. Take The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald. Still a ballad, even though its not about love at all.

I don't nescessarily think of ballads as 'love' songs, and Biggest Ball could classify as a ballad. But to me personally it's more of a folk rock type of song, kinda like Gordon Lightfoot. Technically it could be classified a 'ballad'.

It's my favorite Al song though.