These lyrics don't make sense

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts.

19/11/06 : The Pick Of Destiny - Tenacious D

Admit it - you weren't expecting to see this, were you?  But after all the ridiculous "big" albums (variously deserving of their success) this makes a nice break.  I can't claim to know much about Tenacious D - my previous limited exposure suggests they are amusing enough but don't necessarily know when to stop.  I must admit to being amused by one of their songs, "The Only Gay Eskimo", but somewhat bizarrely they've never recorded it - that version you (obviously) know is by Corky And The Juice Pigs.

Well, I think "amusing enough but doesn't necessarily know when to stop" is pretty accurate but I didn't mind this at all.  It manages to take itself seriously without taking itself seriously at all - generally it's a combination of over-the-top music done well with ridiculous lyrics sung in a heartfelt style.  It's not as funny as I was expecting, but I suspect in the context of the film it provides more humour - although I suspect I'd have to be in the mood for it.  Yes, it's pretty juvenile but it's been a breath of fresh air after the run of "serious" albums we've had so far this year.

We're at #10 in the charts this week with a new entry - it managed a run of eight weeks, which seems a reasonable effort, but I'm not sure there was really all that much competition for decent enough albums in 2006.  The top five this week is George Michael (a new entry), Jamiroquai, Sugababes (another new entry), Girls Aloud and Angelis - four best ofs and one bizarre classical/choral/contemporary monstrosity.  There's one more new entry in the top ten which was All Angels at #9 which is another c/c/c abomination and Katherine Jenkins was at #6 - what was going on in people's minds in 2006?  I suspect X Factor/BGT are to blame...

Wikipedia doesn't have a load on the album, but there are some interesting enough facts.  Meat Loaf, Ronnie James Dio and Dave Grohl all feature on the album - they seem like Tenacious D kinda dudes.  There is also a "clean edit" which features any saucy words replaced with nonsense words - which must feature quite a few nonsense words indeed.  It did pretty well in the US getting to #8 and it actually made the year end chart over here as well, reaching the dizzy heights of #172.  But the best fact I learned was that "This Government Really Sucks" features one JR Reed, who is an actor and friend of the band - and guess what his first name is?!?  Yes - it totally is!  How cool is that?  For him, obviously...

"Customers also listened to" Infinite Sorrow, The Lonely Island and The Dan Band - they sound like they may indeed make Tenacious D kinda sounds.  I'm not a massive fan of "comedy" albums but those that feature good musicianship (that's a word, right?) tend to get more of a pass which, along with being a nice break from the other albums we've seen this year, means this got viewed much more favourably than it might otherwise have done.

12/11/06 - Falling short of its predecessor
26/11/06 - A mystifyingly successful album

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