The First Album

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Keir
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Post by Keir »

weird user @ Apr 18 2007, 03:33 PM wrote: There are also references to Al's life, including a picture of Dr. Demento (who gave Al his start) and some issues of Mad Magazine (which Al was obsessed with as a teenager).
And an Allan Sherman LP.

I’ll always think of In 3-D as Al’s first album. Not only was it the first one I listened to, but the debut comes across more like a collection of early works than an actually album. Most of the songs were already fairly old:

“Gotta Boogie”: Different version on Placebo EP (1981)
“Happy Birthday”: Different version on Placebo EP (1981)
“Stop Draggin' My Car Around”: Performed live as early as 1981.
“My Bologna”: Different version released as single back in 1979.
“Another One Rides the Bus”: Same version as the 1981 single, performed live even earlier.
“Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung”: Different version on Placebo EP (1981), original demo is from 1977!

Several other songs have earlier demos too, I'm just not that familiar with the demos and when they were released.
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TheLazenby
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Post by TheLazenby »

Yeah, "Nobody Here But Us Frogs" is an original. The lyrics are just wonderfully goofy. :P But, "Frogs" and "American Slob" are great examples of the demos having similar melodies. (Both songs are good though; my signature down there is a quote from "American Slob." ;))

As for what songs were old, lemme think, off the top of my head:
* Gotta Boogie - Placebo EP
* I Love Rocky Road - 1982 demo (from Basement Tapes)
* Buckingham Blues - recorded three times as "The Ballad Of Chuck And Diane"
* Happy Birthday - Placebo EP
* Stop Draggin' My Car Around - three demos from 1981?, all with the same backing track but different vocals (with varying lyrics)
* My Bologna - Capitol single, also made an early appearance on the Dr. Demento show (with several other performers joining in)
* The Check's In The Mail - 1982 demo (from Basement Tapes)
* Another One Rides The Bus - recorded on Demento, 1981 (or 1980??)
* I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead - two demos recorded, 1981
* Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung - two demos and the Placebo EP version, 1977-1981

So yeah, all but two songs ("Ricky" and "Groovy Guy") were fairly old by that point. Incidentally, he did record an additional song for the album that never made it for legal reasons - "Yoda".
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Kevbo1987
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Post by Kevbo1987 »

Bruce the Duck @ Apr 18 2007, 06:33 AM wrote: The only songs I like from those early days are "Pacman" and "It's Still Billy Joel To Me." "Belvedere Cruising" was okay. The rest, bleh. That's why I'm not all that interested in tracking down "Orgy On My Own."
I agree. The early songs really weren't good. Most of them were okay, but his songs today are infinitely better. Other than the ones Jeremy mentioned, I also like "You Don't Take Your Showers". It's not great or anything, but it's funny.
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Post by MarlinsGirl »

TheLazenby @ Apr 18 2007, 12:29 PM wrote: * Another One Rides The Bus - recorded on Demento, 1981 (or 1980??)
AORTB was recorded September 14, 1980.
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Post by weird user »

I thought that Ricky and Buckingham Blues were the only two song swritten especially for the album.
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Post by TheLazenby »

Nope. Well, "Buckingham Blues" wasn't exactly as it was in the demos (I'm assuming), but it was based on another song.

Incidentally, besides reviving "Yoda" for DTBS, Al would resurrect rarities later on with "Running With Scissors", twice - "Truck Drivin' Song" spawned from his narration of the "Man On The Moon" video, and part of "Albuquerque" was originally "I'm Stupid Blues".
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Post by calvinthedestroyer »

weirdojace @ Nov 6 2004, 12:56 AM wrote: If you mean "Belvedere Cruising" yes, a recording of it exists... it floats the Internet.
yeah, I've looked for it before, but I didn't find much but a bunch of dead links and the lyrics. I'd rather buy a copy of it on LP instead of an mp3 that some cheesy 12 yr old recorded.

I'm hoping for a nice box set to come out of some of his old songs. That would be nice.
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Post by minnick27 »

Aint gonna happen. There is a nice boxset floating around, its just not official, nor is it in a box.
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Post by 27-77 »

It's not available on LP. There is a rarities collection floating around...it's not hard to find if you know where to look.
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Post by HappyGilmore »

As much as I like the recent albums to have come out, the debut album will always be my favorite. With classics like "Happy Birthday", "Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung", and "Another One Rides the Bus", it's just too great.
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