It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Trek

Today we get to see Mad Magazine take on Star Trek. In 1976 Mad Magazine turned Star Trek into a musical. This was back when Mad Magazine was still funny so it actually produces a few chuckles. Here is that wonderful parody complete with the sensational cover art featuring Kirk, Spock and Alfred E Numan holding arms in a kick line! Enjoy!

Mad Magazine's Star Trek Musial

Yes, It's His Real Name

Sorry about the lack of posts, lately. I've been swamped with everything else in my life and I haven't had a chance to devote that much time to The World of Wonder. Anyway, in following up with the last post, I am sharing with you an album that brings me a very mixed reaction when I hear it. On one hand, it's a great look inside the mind of a great comedic actor/writer that brings some hilarious bits to the table. On the other hand, it's a look inside that mind when it's strung out on pain killers and various other meds which brings some skits that don't make the mark at all. I am talking about the self titled 1980 album by Chevy Chase. Remember, in 1980, Chevy was huge. There was no stopping him. He had broken through as the big name from SNL and followed that with the classic film, "Foul Play". Then came "Caddyshack" and the world was convinced that Chevy would be one of the biggest stars of the decade. Then came this. Followed by a string of films that would bury his name so far in the ground that it wouldn't be until three years later that he would make another hit with the start of the classic "Vacation" films. Anyway, here is that record for your listening pleasure. Or stress. You decide. Here's "Chevy Chase". Enjoy!

Chevy Chase

Spike Parodies RCA

When Spike Jones left RCA Victor and moved to Liberty Records, he was determined to stick it to his former label. At the time, RCA was issuing a series of records entitled, "50 Years of Music America Loves Best". The albums were extremely popular and Jones attacked it from all angles going so far as to have the cover show a painting of himself on all fours in front of a gramophone, just like RCA's Nipper. The title of Jones' album changed the name from "50 Years of Music America Loves Best" to "60 Years of Music America Hates Best". It was recorded by Spike's later orchestra, "The Band That Plays For Fun," a tamed-down version of the City Slickers. Everything gets the Jones satirical needle injected into it here, from rock & roll and teenagers ("Pimples and Braces," "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb") to novelty tunes ("Mairzy Doats," "Three Little Fishes," "Hut Hut Song") to polka bands ("Strip Polka," "Melody of Love"). An interesting album from the last days of the bandleader's career. Certainly not his best work, but by no means his worst. Here is Spike Jones with "60 Years of Music America Hates Best". Enjoy!

Spike Jones-60 Years of Music America Hates Best

The 25 Posts of Christmas: Spike Wants Leia's Dad

Today's post is a cute little ditty from the great Spike Jones. Though not as popular as his "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth", this holiday single is still a classic to me. Here is Spike and The City Slickers with their ode to the real father father of Princess Leia. Here's "I Want Eddie Fisher For Christmas". Enjoy!

Spike Jones-I Want Eddie Fisher For Christmas

The Best of The World of Wonder: Billy & The Boingers!

If you grew up in the 80s you were privy to two of the greatest comics of all time. One was Calvin and Hobbes and the other was Bloom County. In fact, I dare say that Bloom County might be the greatest comic ever. In 1986, smack dab in the middle of the hair band regime, the story line of Bloom County turned towards the characters forming a band called "Deathtöngue". The band was created by lawyer Steve Dallas and their first single, "Demon Drooler of the Sewer" (which sold with "Leper Lover") peaked at 1,012 on the Top 100 list. Their record deal with CBS Records fell through because of explicit lyrics on their song, "Let's Run Over Lionel Ritchie with a Tank." During congressional hearings on "porn rock," Dallas, under grilling by the wives of several congressmen, completely caved into congressional pressure and announced the band had changed their name and image. The rechristened "Billy and the Boingers" embarked on their first world tour, sponsored by Dr. Scholl's Odor Eaters, which consisted of a single gig: the Moose Lodge in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was around this time that Berkley Breathed, the creator of Bloom County, announced a songwriting competition for what would be the real first single from Billy and The Boingers. Two entrants were picked for a flexi-disc that was released with a collection of the strips entitled,"Billy and The Boingers Bootleg". The songs were "I'm a Boinger", written and played by the Harry Pitts Band, and "U-Stink-But-I-♥-U", written and performed by the band Mucky Pup. Here now are those songs! Enjoy!

Billy and The Boingers

Disney With An Evil Twist

Singles Collection Episode 1: Well Mr. Jaws . . .

I'm starting to sort through my various boxes of singles and in doing so, I've realized how much I love listening to them all over again. As a result, I plan on posting a lot of different ones over the next few posts.
The first installment is one of my all time favorite records as a kid. Dickie Goodman's "Mr. Jaws". Long before "musicians" were taking parts of other people's records and adding their own lyrics to them, Dickie Goodman took that first step towards sampling, remixing, and symbolic juxtaposition. He was the first performer to use fragments of other people's hits to build his own chartbusters. Whether it was a Martian with Little Richard's voice, a President copping lyrics from an Alice Cooper track, or a shark with a taste for the Bee Gees, Goodman's "snippet" records became popular Top 40 radio movies. Along the way, he battled rival publishers, record producers, copycats and America's changing musical tastes to become one of the most successful and distinctive novelty acts in the rock era.

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