June 21st, 2006

Evidence Of Futility

My friend Natchdan has just released his second album online – for free! – so I figured it must be all the rage to release music online. I didn’t want to miss out on the trend, so I dug out some stuff Dave and I recorded at those wonderful little recording booths they have at amusement parks.

Let me just say: no one’s more amused than Dave and I.

I have given the “album” the title “Evidence of Futility” for no reason other than I felt it showed we would need a lot of help and work before we’d “throw down” for real in an actual studio. If you’ve been visiting the site for a long time you’ve already heard a couple of these, but I thought I’d throw the whole thing out there for you.

If you’d like to start downloading the album here (33Mb), you can read the rest of this while it’s transferring.

Here is the songlist. Asterisked songs are ones that Dave doesn’t actually make an appearance on. It’s not my fault – he just wasn’t around.

  1. “Kokomo” – You should have seen the dirty (and disappointed) look I got from Dave when I came in too early on “There’s a …” on the very first verse. I thought maybe our friendship was over right then. The ending is so abrupt because the people in the booth apparently didn’t know how to fade out.
  2. “Brown-Eyed Girl” – My favorite off the “album,” most likely because Dave sings lead. There’s “banter” at the very end, so make sure not to miss that.
  3. “Everything I Do”* – Ballads. Why’d it have to be ballads? It seemed like a good idea at the time.
  4. “Under the Boardwalk” – I don’t think Dave will disagree: this is the worst one in the bunch. If you can make it all the way through this one you’re made of sterner stuff than I am.
  5. “Don’t Be Cruel” – It’s fun to sing Elvis songs. Give it a try!
  6. “Lean On Me”* – The funky version! This is the oldest song in the bunch. At the very end I actually say the phrase, “Call on me, baby.”
  7. “The Gambler”* – In which I inexplicably change “whisky” to “root beer” but leave “cigarette” right where it is.
  8. “Twist & Shout” – Probably the most fun one to do. Please note Dave’s Axl Rose impression at the very end.
  9. “Yesterday”* – This is the most-covered song in the history of recorded songs. Really. So here’s one more cover.

There are a few other songs that I’ve recorded over the years, but I don’t have them anymore:

  • “Eat It” – my very first recording ever, and I wish I had it. I foolishly loaned it to a girlfriend in high school and never saw it again.
  • “When A Man Loves A Woman” – the Michael Bolton version. While I somehow managed to get the key change right, that was about the only thing. Awful, just awful. But not as bad as
  • “Unchained Melody” – A duet with a friend from college that was so bad I even have a hard time listening to the Righteous Brothers’ version of it anymore. I was never that good at falsetto, so I’m not sure what possessed me to even try this song, but it was bad, bad, bad. Jeff M. (the friend) had the recording last I knew, and I always worry it’ll show up sometime when I’m least expecting it. This is another reason I can never run for President.
  • “Old Time Rock And Roll” – I learned while doing this song that this song is much higher than you think it is when you’re singing along with it on the radio.

Anyway, I hope you get some laughs out of these. I know I still do.

6 Comments on “Evidence Of Futility”

  1. HorizonPurple says:

    "In which I inexplicably change “whisky” to “root beer” but leave “cigarette” right where it is."

    This will come up when music historians try to trace your life. They'll pin you down as a root beer drinking smoker. However, there's not really much you could swap the word cigarette with. Lollipop has the same beat, but is not really what your respectable gambler types would have.

  2. dave says:

    Thanks alot. My wife just left me. I had convinced her I could actually sing.

  3. Meags says:

    You're much braver than me, Mr Mup. I selfishly hold recordings of myself hostage.

  4. Brandy says:

    Ha I had only had 2 or 3 of those.
    Now I have the COMPLETE SET!

  5. wew says:

    Twist and Shout – by far the best and then Don't Be Cruel, and then all of the rest. Memories will become more and more precious, as will friends, true friends that is, so don't take the ones you have for granted. Enough. Thanks for some much-needed smiles and memories, Mark.

  6. Danna says:

    Ohhhhhh the long-reaching affects of Mr. B's music influence. My husband & I were rolling last night ~ you guys were great!!! Our favorite was Twist & Shout too. The vibrato/smooth Academy Singers deal thrown in throughout each song was hysterical, but I know it's not you we blame. :o) There is actually some great talent in a couple songs . . . I don't think you should call American Idol though.

    Ready to hit me yet?

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