Brian the comedy records king has compiled a collection of National Lampoon records, which is like a time trip back to high school for me, he's a hell of a lot younger than I am and the fact that the humor stands up over this length of time is a testimony to it's greatness........as usual, I'm not going to comment on it, much, except to say that "Lemmings" is one of the greatest of all comedy albums, it is drop over hilarious, and the others are damn good as well......and, for my part, here's a little additional surprise from me, as I was a huge National Lampoon Magazine fan in high school and in college, here's a collection of what I BELEIVE to be the cover of each and every issue, 1970-98.......
http://www37.zippyshare.com/v/JinAnVCT/file.html
....just a little submission of my own, as I've said before I am not a HUGE fan of comedy albums, but the ones Brain has shared with me thus far are old favorites of mine (Firesign, Lenny Bruce, now this), and the reactions have been extremely favorable......and, as always, while he shares his great comedy posts here, he has other stuff on his own blog, which, you certainly should go check out, and of course if you acquire anything from there, be certain to give proper thanks, his site, as usual, is
http://howdthehellyougethere.blogspot.com/
Matters not to me, grab the National Lampoon classics from here or get them there, just get them, because they REALLY ARE hilarious, so says Brian who is a gigantic comedy albums fan, and also sasys me, who is a layman to that genre!
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Lemmings (1973) DOWNLOAD
National Lampoon Stereo Test and Demonstration Record (1974) DOWNLOAD
Goodbye Pop (1975) DOWNLOAD
http://www37.zippyshare.com/v/JinAnVCT/file.html
....just a little submission of my own, as I've said before I am not a HUGE fan of comedy albums, but the ones Brain has shared with me thus far are old favorites of mine (Firesign, Lenny Bruce, now this), and the reactions have been extremely favorable......and, as always, while he shares his great comedy posts here, he has other stuff on his own blog, which, you certainly should go check out, and of course if you acquire anything from there, be certain to give proper thanks, his site, as usual, is
http://howdthehellyougethere.blogspot.com/
Matters not to me, grab the National Lampoon classics from here or get them there, just get them, because they REALLY ARE hilarious, so says Brian who is a gigantic comedy albums fan, and also sasys me, who is a layman to that genre!
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(Almost) All the National Lampoon Records You'll Ever Need!
National Lampoon was a groundbreaking humor magazine that started in the 70's, popular with college kids, and eventually just became a brand name licensed out to crap comedies that have nothing to do with the original source! My own interest only covers about 5 years in the mid-70's, and it's mostly about the albums.
If you like the covers I use, here's a taste of the magazine in its heyday: an archive.org search that has quite a few scans of magazine issues from back then - LINK
(hot pants will always be better than booty shorts)
It was a place for many great talents to get their start: John Belushi, Christopher Guest, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Paul Shaffer, and writer Michael O'Donoghue. The beginnings of SNL are here. For a few years in the 70's, the Lampoon crew was album-wise on a par with groups like Python or Firesign Theater, I think. Definitely boundary-pushing at times...
Hope you guys enjoy this. These are originally sourced from vinyl rips that were be found on the Fuji Puzzle Box blog. Give that one a browse. Yet, I couldn't find the "Radio Dinner" album from this period anywhere. The albums after this period, when there were different writers and performers - like "Sex n Drugs n Rock N Roll" and "That's Not Funny, That's Sick!" just aren't funny.
If this post generates any interest, I also have the "Buy This Box Or We'll Shoot This Dog" box set too. But it's good to get a grounding in the albums first.
I have to preface this with something: I HATE HIPPIES. Don't get me wrong - drugs are good, and a lot of the music is great. But the whole self-conscious idealism of the Woodstock "counterculture" was a joke, and it's skewered brilliantly here, turned into a Festival of Death. John Belushi is the stoned MC as well as Joe Cocker, and Christopher Guest skewers Dylan, Richie Havens, and James Taylor. Others, including Chevy Chase, help make this greatest sendup of the Woodstock scene ever. And the band Megadeath at the end sounds just like Black Sabbath! This was actually performed live. There's a 55 minute video on YouTube. Here it is on VidoEvo so you can download it as an mp4 -
http://www.vidoevo.com/yvideo.php?i=dHVCaHdFcWuRpZ2k4cVU&national-lampoon-lemmings-1973-full-video
Missing White House Tapes (1974) DOWNLOAD
It helps to know a little about Watergate for this one. Conceived as a tape compilation being sold by Nixon's pal Bebe Robozo, it uses actual Watergate tapes as source material. In it's own way, one of the pioneers of the "plunder phonics" genre. Definitely listen to this, just not first.
First off, being a vinyl nut, I love this one! I've acquired a few stereo test records over the years, and this plays into the concept beautifully. The level test that turns into a train crash is genius. And it's funny - the "Punishment Band" track sounds just like noise band Wolf Eyes!
This is a great skewering of everything about pop music in the 70's - prog rock, singer-songwriters, white appropriation of reggae...And as much as I love Neil Young, Christopher Guest satirizing him on "Old Maid" is just spot-on hilarious. In fact, Guest is all over this thing. A great album!