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:: Concerto for Two Hands ::

:: The Green Bee ::

:: Give Me That Good Old Progressive Jazz ::

:: Laughing Raymond ::

I wouldn’t be the incredibly awesome guy I am today without having had a steady diet of Mad Magazine throughout my life. It can be pretty subversive stuff when it wants to be, and it’s readily available to you or any twelve-year old that wants it. And if life truly gets too serious, you can always remark on the words of Alfred E. Neuman - “What - - Me Worry?” – as you envelop yourself in the solace of complete apathy.



From time to time, MAD produced records and Musically Mad is their first effort, released in 1959. Television soundtrack conductor, Bernie Green, misleads his merry band of Stereo Mad-Men for what can only be described as orchestral zaniness. First up is “Concerto for Two Hands,” in which Mr. Joseph Julian squeezes new life into old tunes by way of hand-farting noises. “The Green Bee” is a take on Rimsky-Korsakov’s classic, with a loud “bee” buzzing around your head before it’s smashed to death in RCA’s Living Stereo. “Give Me That Good Old Progressive Jazz” employs those stereo recording techniques to portray the jealousy of the percussion section. You’ll actually hear the drummer cross the bandstand to eliminate the chimes player in an act of audio bloodshed. “Laughing Raymond,” a MAD version of the Raymond Overture, is interspersed with goofy laughter and is my favorite off the record. MAD chose this as the album closer so that you’ll realize when you’re through playing it that the last laugh is on you. Har har.


Phil

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