April Fools: History Is Made By Stupid People

The Arrogant Worms: History Is Made By Stupid People

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I actually mentioned this tune during our Silly Songs theme a few months ago - how nice that it fits quite perfectly into this week's theme, such that I can elaborate...

A subdued Billy-Joel-ish beginning segues into an explosion of Sousa-inspired patriotica, as The Worms regale us with examples of those who went awry or committed faux pas, only to lead to great fame (or, in some cases, infamy) - one man's India is another man's America, right?

The professor asked Barbara, a blonde in her fourth year as a college freshman, if she knew what Roe v. Wade was about.

Barbara pondered the question, then finally said, "That was the decision George Washington had to make before he crossed the Delaware."

Silly Songs: Carrot Juice is Murder

The Arrogant Worms: Carrot Juice is Murder

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I can’t imagine getting through a Silly Songs Week without including one of the “boy bands”, Canadian (Fruvous, BNL) or otherwise (DaVinci’s Notebook) – The Arrogant Worms, from Ontario, fit the bill… and then some, as much of their humor depends on sight gags as well…

My first Folk Alliance (an annual folk conference, oxymoron-ish as that sounds) was in February 1999 in Albuquerque, New Mexico – it’s the only business gathering where, when one is told of a 2 o’clock performance, the first question is: p.m. or a.m.? It’s round-the-clock music, official and guerilla, highlighting everything under the broad folk umbrella (think festival-in-a-hotel) - we don’t need no stinkin’ sleep, right?

The Arrogant Worms were the last showcase I attended, on the cusp of Saturday night/Sunday morning – afterwards, side-splitting, knee-slapping and cheekbone-aching were no longer just clichés…

What with their extensive comedy catalog (Jesus’ Brother Bob, The Mounted Animal Nature Trail, History is Made by Stupid People), this was a tough choice – however, the “V8’s genocide” line gets me every time…

Submitted by Susan