Tell Us About You. Help us pick new songs to parody and cities to tour in by telling us about you. At least your zipcode and date of birth. (We won't tell anyone.) Tell us about you >>
Photos from the Road We try to take as many pictures of our concerts and fans as possible, and we have a bunch from our concert in Gahanna, OH on Sat., Nov 12.
See the photos from
Gahanna, OH and other concerts.
Come to the Show
Versailles, OH
Sep. 1, 2024 at 9:30 pm
Immortal Fest Part II
BMI Event Center
791 E. Main St
Versailles, OH 45380
Info: 937.526.9544
info, tix, directions >> |
Were You There? Fans love to look up the photos on our website, and email them around. These are the ten most recent concerts that we have no photos from. Pick any concert you have photos for and please upload them.
Upcoming Fan Birthdays
Happy birthday to all our fans and friends who are celebrating a birthday in the coming week including these 217 fans: | 03.01 | Gregory M. - MA |
| 03.01 | Denni T. - WI |
| 03.01 | Andrew W. - IL |
| 03.01 | Wes B. - NC |
| 03.01 | Kenneth N. - KS |
| 03.01 | Michael L. - KY |
| 03.01 | Lonnie C. - MI |
| 03.01 | Stacey T. - VA |
| 03.01 | Steve R. - AZ |
| 03.01 | Stephen E. - Queensland |
| 03.01 | Jeffrey P. - VA |
| 03.01 | Scott M. - ID |
| 03.01 | Daniel D. - Canada |
| 03.01 | Vernon F. - OK |
| 03.01 | Elizabeth J C. - PA |
| 03.01 | Noah S. - TN |
| 03.01 | Mike C. - OH |
| 03.01 | Zachary T. - PA |
| 03.01 | Brad C. - TX |
| 03.01 | Mitchell C. - FL |
| 03.01 | Colleen M. - WA |
| 03.01 | Michael H. - MO |
| 03.01 | Patricia W. - KS |
| 03.01 | Amber M. - WA |
| 03.01 | David B. - MS |
| 03.01 | David B. - MS |
| 03.01 | Jerry S. - CA |
| 03.01 | Maxine M. - PA |
| 03.01 | Trish M. - AZ |
| 03.01 | Garrison S. - MI |
| 03.01 | Jen H. - VA |
| 03.01 | Lonnie B. - TX |
| 03.01 | Jim M. - NY |
| 03.02 | Matthew Z. - MO |
| 03.02 | Jakes S. - South Africa |
| 03.02 | Anne C. - NY |
| 03.02 | John S. - IL |
| 03.02 | Jennifer C. - MO |
| 03.02 | Amber D. - ME |
| 03.02 | Christine C. - HI |
| 03.02 | Deon C. - Australia |
| 03.02 | Leo T. - MO |
| 03.02 | Ken M. - CA |
| 03.02 | Rodney H. - Australia |
| 03.02 | Daniel N. - FL |
| 03.02 | Ray W. - PA |
| 03.02 | Ed F. - IN |
| 03.02 | Eric T. - AL |
| 03.02 | Scott H. - IL |
| 03.02 | Sandy T. - KY |
| 03.02 | Dani G. - OH |
| 03.02 | Andy B. - NH |
| 03.02 | Jennifer W. - TX |
| 03.02 | George W. - SC |
| 03.02 | Dani G. - OH |
| 03.02 | Lisa B. - KY |
| 03.02 | Arthur P. - PA |
| 03.02 | Ken G. - OK |
| 03.02 | Matt G. - SD |
| 03.02 | Diana Q. - Guatemala |
| 03.02 | Eric B. - TX |
| 03.02 | Bonnie C. - OH |
| 03.03 | Linda K. - CA |
| 03.03 | Lidia Sadlowski L. - AZ |
| 03.03 | Jerry H. - WY |
| 03.03 | Andrew R. - WA |
| 03.03 | Sarah G. - TX |
| 03.03 | Igor N. - PA |
| 03.03 | Julie S. - CA |
| 03.03 | Deby F. - CA |
| 03.03 | Julie B. - IN |
| 03.03 | Jim D. - IL |
| 03.03 | Matthew P. - AZ |
| 03.03 | Deb S. - PA |
| 03.03 | Mary C. - MO |
| 03.03 | Megan C. - PA |
| 03.03 | Mark B. - TN |
| 03.03 | Stephen C. - CA |
| 03.03 | David M. - AR |
| 03.03 | Lynn S. - WI |
| 03.03 | Terrance G. - AR |
| 03.03 | Daniel S. - PA |
| 03.03 | Jessica F. - MI |
| 03.03 | Dave S. - Ontario |
| 03.03 | Brad D. - NV |
| 03.03 | Matthew T. - United Kingdom |
| 03.03 | Steven K. - VA |
| 03.03 | Renee O. - IL |
| 03.03 | David B. - United Kingdom |
| 03.03 | Jeffrey S. - GA |
| 03.03 | Pat G. - South Africa |
| 03.03 | Graham S. - New South Wales |
| 03.03 | David M. - AR |
| 03.04 | Darren C. - OK |
| 03.04 | Greg L. - MI |
| 03.04 | Evan G. - BC |
| 03.04 | Joanna P. - United Kingdom |
| 03.04 | Erin M. - PA |
| 03.04 | Jon P. - NC |
| 03.04 | Ben G. - Australia |
| 03.04 | Bill E. - KY |
| 03.04 | Roxanne N. - CA |
| 03.04 | Edward M. - PA |
| 03.04 | Royce E. - MO |
| 03.04 | Kristina S. - MN |
| 03.04 | Randy S. - CA |
| 03.04 | Ednor (andy) R. - TX |
| 03.04 | Erin M. - PA |
| 03.04 | Philip P. - CA |
| 03.04 | Doris S. - OH |
| 03.04 | Philip P. - CA |
| 03.04 | William L. - Australia |
| 03.04 | Dakota A. - PA |
| 03.04 | Scott B. - IA |
| 03.04 | Tracy D P. - CA |
| 03.04 | Heather L. - MO |
| 03.04 | Josh H. - MO |
| 03.04 | Uwe F. - Germany |
| 03.04 | Louisa K. - Russian Federation |
| 03.04 | Mark S. - Australia |
| 03.04 | David G. - AZ |
| 03.04 | Natalie H. - NY |
| 03.05 | Leigh T. - CA |
| 03.05 | Jane S. - MA |
| 03.05 | Jeff T. - TX |
| 03.05 | Eric S. - WI |
| 03.05 | Joe G. - FL |
| 03.05 | Ron S. - OH |
| 03.05 | Adam P. - MO |
| 03.05 | Angela K. - IL |
| 03.05 | David D. - OR |
| 03.05 | Ethan L. - Canada |
| 03.05 | Matthew A. - TX |
| 03.05 | Pat S. - MN |
| 03.05 | Kevin T. - MI |
| 03.05 | Johnjames M. - SC |
| 03.05 | Randle D. - GA |
| 03.05 | Dave K. - OR |
| 03.05 | James F. - NY |
| 03.05 | Steve S. - SC |
| 03.05 | Sarah R. - VA |
| 03.05 | Richard R. - CA |
| 03.05 | Shawn S. - ID |
| 03.05 | James B. - IN |
| 03.05 | Todd L. - IN |
| 03.05 | Vickie H. - MO |
| 03.06 | Delain B. - MI |
| 03.06 | Ryan B. - GA |
| 03.06 | Jeremy J. - IN |
| 03.06 | Adele A. - PA |
| 03.06 | Merle P. - Canada |
| 03.06 | Simon H. - Australia |
| 03.06 | Emily S. - IN |
| 03.06 | Stephaine B. - AL |
| 03.06 | Jeremy J. - IN |
| 03.06 | Kelli F. - NV |
| 03.06 | Peter B. - MN |
| 03.06 | Ernest T. - MD |
| 03.06 | Steven M. - MI |
| 03.06 | Kim B. - TX |
| 03.06 | Don M. - Ontario |
| 03.06 | Spencer T. - IA |
| 03.06 | Aaron M. - NY |
| 03.06 | Richard C. - TX |
| 03.06 | Alex D. - KY |
| 03.06 | Matt W. - CO |
| 03.06 | Tori A. - NY |
| 03.06 | Melissa F. - TX |
| 03.06 | Tim D. - TX |
| 03.06 | Scott C. - NC |
| 03.06 | Turnie W. - AZ |
| 03.06 | Valerie Q. - MO |
| 03.06 | Marina M. - Netherlands |
| 03.06 | Dean W. - MI |
| 03.06 | Sarita F. - PA |
| 03.06 | Jim B. - IN |
| 03.06 | Kim B. - TX |
| 03.06 | Nick G. - OR |
| 03.06 | Maria P. - Canada |
| 03.06 | Jane D. - IN |
| 03.06 | Mary Ellen S. - PA |
| 03.06 | Aaron M. - NY |
| 03.06 | David S. - WA |
| 03.06 | Cheri V. - OH |
| 03.06 | Matt C. - TX |
| 03.06 | Loren D. - OH |
| 03.06 | Mariska V. - Netherlands |
| 03.06 | Joseph C. - AL |
| 03.06 | Laura Beth W. - FL |
| 03.07 | Kathleen M. - NM |
| 03.07 | Kent H. - TX |
| 03.07 | Jack A. - IN |
| 03.07 | Larry R. - SD |
| 03.07 | Mike M. - IA |
| 03.07 | Alice H. - WI |
| 03.07 | Chelsea T. - AL |
| 03.07 | Crystal N. - TX |
| 03.07 | Jaison T. - India |
| 03.07 | Lisa G. - United Kingdom |
| 03.07 | Ricki C. - NC |
| 03.07 | Kate O. - Australia |
| 03.07 | Russell H. - FL |
| 03.07 | Sarah G. - ND |
| 03.07 | Jacqueline D. - WI |
| 03.07 | Thomas T. - TX |
| 03.07 | Reid W. - MO |
| 03.07 | David M. - VA |
| 03.07 | Beckie S. - MD |
| 03.07 | Caitlyn L. - IN |
Make sure we know about your birthday -- For your name to appear above, your profile has to have your correct first and last name and in the correct fields.Tell us about you >>
Wanna Help the Band?
We're often asked if we accept donations. Yes we do. Like other ministries, we have many expenses. Although the donations aren't tax deductible, they are immediately put to good use. If you'd like to donate, thanks. 
|
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here.
Before I say anything else, let me lead with this: We have a new CD due out in two weeks. You can read about it in the second article below. Ordinarily, that would be the first article, but there's something else I need to share.
Today's the first day of March, and it's definitely coming in like a lion. I'm not talking about the weather, however.
In late January, I sent out our first appeal letter in four months. God provided through help from our fans, but sometimes we have to ask a second time. This is one of those times.
I can explain. If you read the article below this preamble, "A Serious Problem That We're Trying to Address," you'll be able to see what we believe is the main culprit causing this crunch. We believe it's fixable.
Unfortunately, while we're trying to address that, big bills are still coming in for the band, some of which are due today and tomorrow, with more this coming week. Furthermore, ApX is still many months behind in paying me, and my family has big expenses due, too. Yes, I know; what else is new?
Sending appeal letters is a drag, and having to write follow-up appeals is worse, but after you read the first article, I think you'll understand why we're in this position.
Meanwhile, God is providing some great parodies for us. In fact, once our next single comes out at the end of this weekend (Lord willing), we'll already have eight of the songs needed for yet another CD. And we've received plenty of encouraging messages from fans recently, too.
As always, I am sending this without specific expectations of any individuals. We never want any of our fans to feel pressure to participate. We look to God as the supplier of our needs. However, if you'd like to help, here are some options:
1. Pray (first and foremost)
2. Get our singles and/or CDs:
http://apologetix.com/store/store.php
3. Get multiple MP3s for one donation:
http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=3564
4. Get our complete library (1646 tracks) on MP3 for $100:
http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=4536
5. Get our digital interactive songbook for a donation of $50 at:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#songbook
6. Get our new 16 GB USBs:
http://apologetix.com/store/store.php#USB
7. Get a 30th anniversary challenge coin:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#Coin30
8. Give online:
http://apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
9. Give by mail:
ApologetiX, 208 Charlemma Dr., Pittsburgh PA 15214
Donations are not tax deductible. Please only give if you feel led and can afford it. Thank you!
A Serious Problem We're Trying to Address
March 1, 2024, 2:28 pm EST
We've recently become aware of a technological problem that is having a serious adverse effect on this ministry: Gmail has gradually been blocking the ApX newsletter to about 90 percent of our subscribers who use gmail over the past three months.
To make matters worse, more of our subscribers by far use Gmail than on any other individual carrier. It's the largest email service in the world. Obviously, it's frustrating. We're still not sure why they did that or how the other 10 percent got through.
We don't knowingly send our newsletters to anybody who didn't sign up for them. And anytime somebody requests to unsubscribe, we try to take care of that immediately. Conversely, we don't want the people who do want our newsletter to be denied the opportunity to receive it.
Unfortunately, we didn't realize this was happening until recently. In the past few weeks, a number of fans have contacted us and asked why they haven't been getting the newsletter for the past month or two. As it turned out, they were all gmail users.
Consequently, our overall newsletter readership decreased by almost 50 percent between November and February. Moreover, some fans have reported trouble accessing our website at certain times, particularly if they are using their phones.
All of this is having a crippling effect on the band's finances. Because so many subscribers didn't get our newsletters, they missed our last appeal letter and our last matching-donation offer, not to mention announcements about new singles and CDs.
We have a team of computer-expert friends (including, but not limited to, both of our webmasters) working on these problems. We're also looking into restructuring our website (and the way it operates) and changing the way we send out newsletters.
Please pray for God's wisdom and provision for us during this time. Although it is a frustrating time, we believe God will get us through this and will use it to actually bring lasting improvements.
Buy Our Next CD, Get 1 of 40 Free
February 25, 2024, 3:27 pm EST
Our upcoming 73rd CD, Unchained Medley, has been at the manufacturer for two weeks and should be in stock by mid-March. We'll begin shipping shortly thereafter. It features 12 parodies of hits from the 1980-85.
Snippets of 10 of the 12 songs originally in our '80s medley on our Wise Up and Rock CD in 2011, but these are full-length, newly recorded versions, plus two all-new parodies.
The earlier you order, the faster you'll get your CD(s); we'll process them in the order in which they are received. You can order it here:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#UnchainedMedley
Order now, and you'll get the MP3 download immediately. You'll also get an extra Unchained Medley free with every Unchained Medley you buy. Or choose from 39 other titles. The free CD(s) won't appear in your shopping cart but will be mailed with your order.
If you'd prefer to get a different CD as your free CD, choose from the 39 other titles on the list below and send an email to j@apologetix.com with the subject line "My Free Bonus CD."
Play It Again, Samson
Just Reword
Septuagint
Eclectic
Vision Gets Clearer as We Get Closer
Kinda Stuffy
Rock's in Their Heads
Come See, Come Saw
Apolog80s: Back from the Future
Never Before, but Then Again
Get Rich Quick
Overdue Books
Decent Alternative
Braggadocious
Alien Invasion
Prehysterical
Conspiracy No. 56
Sandwich Platter
Double Take
That's Too Bad
Nichey
I Know You Are but What Am I?
Xit Ego Lopa
From Hair to Eternity
Zebraic
Play Nice
Easter Standard Time
Unconditional Releases
Apoplectic
Loaded 45's
Hot Potato Soup
Wise Up and Rock
Soundproof
Recovery
Isn't Wasn't Ain't
Classics: Heavy
Classics: 60's
Classics: 2000's
Classics: Christmas
Only the titles on the list are available.
For every copy of Unchained Medley you order, you can select one title from the list above. For example, if you order five copies of Unchained Medley, you can select five different titles (or five of the same title) from that list.
Only the titles on the list are available. If we don't hear otherwise from you within three hours of your order, we'll assume you want to your free CD(s) to be Just Reword.
All About Our Next CD
February 29, 2024, 6:18 pm EST
Here's the story behind on our upcoming 73rd CD, Unchained Medley:
In November 2011, we released our 30th CD, Wise Up and Rock. Many folks felt the highlight was the final track, a medley of '80s parodies we nicknamed "Octagon but Not Forgotten." Our fans took the "not forgotten" part very seriously. They wanted us to do full-length versions of the song snippets that made up the medley, and they never let us forget it.
We resisted, they pleaded. They persisted, they succeeded. Part of that was attributable to an unseen ally; ApologetiX keyboardist Rich Mannion, who joined us in 2018, loved the songs in that medley and was eager to expand them. His support was vital, because he'd have to do the drum-programming, in addition to keyboards and backing vocals.
In June 2023, we tested the waters with a full-length version of the last song from the medley, "Wicked," a parody of Devo's "Whip It." We had already re-recorded the music for a new spoof called "Clip It" in our Samson rock opera, so it made sense to revisit "Wicked" while in the neighborhood. Longtime listeners went wild, and we officially decided to unchain the medley.
There were only 10 tunes in the original, so we added two more from the same time zone (1980-85). Ironically, we had used the phrase "Unchained Medley" in the headline of our newsletter way back in September 2011, two months before Wise Up and Rock came out. It seems we've come full circle. Will the circle be unbroken? Yes. And now it's unchained as well.
Here's what's on Unchained Medley:
1. Read Acts - Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
2. Bartimaeus Eyes - Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
3. Sweet Jesus (Made a Whip) - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
4. Psalm Passage at Night - Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart
5. Hundred Nineteenth Psalm - Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
6. They Blindly Speak of Science - She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
7. One Thing Leads to the Father - One Things Leads to Another - The Fixx
8. I Can't Grow From That (Nor Can You) - I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Daryl Hall and John Oates
9. James 1:3 - Take on Me - a-ha
10. Wicked - Whip It - Devo
11. Little Jesus (Simeon's Song) - Little Jeannie - Elton John
12. Magi - Magic - The Cars
Note: We've released eight additional parodies in the past two months that are not on this CD, plus two more we plan to release at the end of this weekend, Lord willing. They're all earmarked for other CDs we already have in the works for this year.
Clues for 2024 Single #5
February 29, 2024, 4:35 pm EST
We hope to release our fifth single of 2024 by the end of this weekend, Lord willing.
Here are your clues. Want to really impress us? See if you can spot all of the references in both entries. We counted a total of 18.
SONG #1
Ever get the crazy feeling there are unseen forces trying to kill your peace, love, and happiness? Unless you've read Ephesians 6, you don't know the half of it. What a shame. These hellish higher-ups are too hot to handle alone. Any good preacher-man could tell you that. Stop fooling around and run back to the Lord and His Word for help.
SONG #2
Contrary to what the television might tell you, if you go away from what the Bible says again and again, you'll come to a place where evil grows and serious sin is an everyday occurrence. Unfortunately, the changes can be so subtle that you may never notice you've crossed the final line until you're down in the pit, lamenting a good thing lost.
This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
February 29, 2024, 4:50 pm EST
We began our latest trip through the Bible on April 12, 2023. Here's our Bible-reading plan for the next two weeks for those of you reading along with us:
Fri., Mar. 1 - 2 Corinthians 10-13
Sat., Mar. 2 - Galatians 1-3
Sun., Mar. 3 - Galatians 4-6
Mon., Mar. 4 - Ephesians 1-3
Tue., Mar. 5 - Ephesians 4-6
Wed., Mar. 6 - Philippians 1-4
Thu., Mar. 7 - Colossians 1-4
Fri., Mar. 8 - 1 Thessalonians 1-3
Sat., Mar. 9 - 1 Thessalonians 4-5
Sun., Mar. 10 - 2 Thessalonians 1-3
Mon., Mar. 11 - 1 Timothy 1-3
Tue., Mar. 12- 1 Timothy 4-6
Wed., Mar. 13 - 2 Timothy 1-4
Thu. Mar. 14 - Titus 1-3, Philemon 1
Fri., Mar. 15 - Hebrews 1-3
Note: If you don't have a Bible handy, you can look up these passages for free on http://www.biblegateway.com. They have about 60 different English translations/versions there to choose from, plus translations in many other languages, many of which also have multiple translations/versions.
ROCK THRU THE BIBLE
In April 2022, we introduced a new feature called "Rock Thru the Bible." ApX friend David Michael has made lists of ApX parodies to go with each week's readings, and he continues to update them as we release new parodies.
He's also been creating playlists of corresponding lyric videos for them on YouTube. You can find those video playlists at:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2lHtRV1wziK5v4xYKu9Qw/featured
Here are this week's entries:
Fri., Mar. 1 – 2 Corinthians 10-13
Chapter 10
3 "One More Wall" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "Wonderwall" by Oasis
3 "Back in the Battle" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith
8 "All My Letters" (found on Braggadocious), parody of "All My Loving" by The Beatles
17 "Brag on the Lord All Day" (found on Braggadocious), parody of "Bang the Drum All Day" by Todd Rundgren
Chapter 11
1 "Apologetics" (found on Alien Invasion), parody of "Come and Get It" by Badfinger
3 "It's Not Eden" (found on Classics: Lite), parody of "Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five for Fighting
3 "The Devil Incites" (found on Vision Gets Clearer As We Get Closer), parody of "Devil Inside" by INXS
14 "Devil Fell" (found on Singles Group), parody of "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol
16 "It's a Long Way to the Dock (If You Wanna Stop in" (found on That's Too Bad), parody of "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" by AC/DC
30 "Can't Fight This Kneeling" (found on Nichey), parody of "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon
Chapter 12
2 "Fly Like Ezekiel" (found on Loaded 45s), parody of "Fly Like An Eagle" by Steve Miller Band
4 "Heaven Isn't Like That" (found on Ticked), parody of "Shine" by Collective Soul
9 "Working for the Weakened" (found on Wise Up and Rock), parody of "Working for the Weekend" by Loverboy
20 "Blabbed Through the Phone" (found on Only a Glorified Cover Band), parody of "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood & the Destroyers
Chapter 13
5 "God's Presence (Christ in Your Life)" (found on Very Vicarious), parody of "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day
5 "Full of Yourself (Distinguished Young Man)" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" by Styx
5 "Better Than Exorcism" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "Good" by Better Than Ezra
8 "Trooth" (found on Classics: 90's), parody of "Smooth" by Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
Sat., Mar. 2 - Galatians 1-3
Chapter 1
1 "This Is from Paul" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "This is a Call" by The Foo Fighters
6 "What Is and Will Forever Be" (found on Isn't Wasn't Ain't), parody of "What is and What Should Never Be" by Led Zeppelin
8 "Timeline" (found on Wise Up and Rock), parody of "Limelight" by Rush
9 "Isn't Wasn't Ain't (in the Bible)" (found on Isn't Wasn't Ain't), parody of "Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's Just a Woman)" by Led Zeppelin
Chapter 2
20 "Crossloads" (found on Nichey), parody of "Crossroads" by Cream
20 "Man on a Cross" (found on Hot Potato Soup), parody of "Man in a Box" by Alice in Chains
21 "Place of Grace" (found on Nichey), parody of "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead
Chapter 3
6 "Genny 22" (found on Classics: 80's), parody of "867-5309/Jenny" by Tommy Tutone
10 "Goodnews" (found on Loaded 45s), parody of "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins
10 "Leviticus Can't Be Done" (found on Zebraic), parody of "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" by The Spin Doctors
19 "Learn Some Deuteronomy" (found on Braggadocious), parody of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard
24 "Lemonade" (found on Braggadocious), parody of "Renegade" by Styx
24 "Back in the New Testament" (found on Classics: 60's), parody of "Back in the U.S.S.R." by The Beatles
26 "Heir of Our God" (found on Rock's in Their Heads), parody of "Hair of the Dog" by Nazareth
Sun., Mar. 3 - Galatians 4-6
Chapter 4
4 "One of Us Indeed" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "One of Us" by Joan Osborne
4 "Lost and Found" (found on Kinda Stuffy), parody of "Round and Round" by Ratt
10 "Revelation" (found on Classics: 60's), parody of "Revolution" by The Beatles
16 "Faithless Love" (found on You Can't Say Euphrates Without the 80's), parody of "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell
16 "Under the Breath" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
18 "God's Zealot" (found on Only a Glorified Cover Band), parody of "Godzilla" by Blue Öyster Cult
28 "Isaac Man" (found on Classics: 70's, Vol. 2), parody of "Ice Cream Man" by Van Halen
Chapter 5
1 "Free Indeed" (found on Xit Ego Lopa), parody of "T.N.T." by AC/DC
13 "Like Piranha Fish" (found on Apolog80s: Back from the Future), parody of "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown
22 "The Power Above" (found on Wise Up and Rock), parody of "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News
Chapter 6
1 "To Be Rebuked" (found on Play Nice), parody of "To Be with You" by Mr. Big
8 "Patients" (found on Play Nice), parody of "Patience" by Guns N' Roses
Mon., Mar. 4 - Ephesians 1-3
Chapter 1
5 "Known from the Beginning" (found on Xit Ego Lopa), parody of "Beginnings" by Chicago
13 "I Feel God" (found on Transformed Soul), parody of "I Feel Good" by James Brown
18 "More Than a Healing" (found on Classics: 70's), parody of "More Than a Feeling" by Boston
Chapter 2
1 "Oppression" (found on Never Before, but Then Again...), parody of "Obsession" by Animotion
1 "Choirboy" (found on Classics: 90's), parody of "Cowboy" by Kid Rock
1 "Tried to Find Lots of Ways" (found on Very Vicarious), parody of "Drivin' My Life Away" by Eddie Rabbitt
2 "Resist Him" (found on Music Is As Music Does), parody of "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac
5 "Ephesians" (found on Classics: Lite), parody of "The Reason" by Hoobastank
8 "The Word" (found on Classics: Oldies), parody of "Grease" by Frankie Valli
8 "Die Without His Grace" (found on Get Rich Quick), parody of "Eyes Without a Face" by Billy Idol
8 "Good Works Don't" (found on Rock's in Their Heads), parody of "Good Girls Don't" by The Knack
8 "More Than Works" (found on Classics: Lite), parody of "More than Words" by Extreme
10 "Works" (found on From Hair to Eternity), parody of "Words" by Missing Persons
Chapter 3
18 "I Can't Escape" (found on Doves in Snakes' Clothing), parody of "I Can't Explain" by The Who
20 "Ask God" (found on recent single), parody of "Let's Go" by The Cars
Tue., Mar. 5 - Ephesians 4-6
Chapter 4
14 "Mr. Don't" (found on Decent Alternative), parody of "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows
17 "A Lie" (found on Ticked), parody of "Alive" by Pearl Jam
23 "Transplants" (found on Classics: 2000's), parody of "Dance, Dance" by Fall Out Boy
25 "Let's End the Fight Together" (found on Music Is As Music Does), parody of "Let's Spend the Night Together" by The Rolling Stones
29 "Faithless Love" (found on You Can't Say Euphrates Without the 80's), parody of "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell
29 "Speech Police" (found on Very Vicarious), parody of "Dream Police" by Cheap Trick
30 "Fly Away From Hell" (found on Classics: 70's), parody of "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC
30 "It's You in Me" (found on Churchigo II), parody of "Just You 'n' Me" by Chicago
Chapter 5
5 "I Was Made for Revenue" (found on Rock's in Their Heads), parody of "I Was Made for Lovin' You" by Kiss
5 "Greed River" (found on Vision Gets Clearer As We Get Closer), parody of "Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 "You're All Like Troglodytes" (found on Prehysterical), parody of "You're All I've Got Tonight" by The Cars
6 "Trilobite Love" (found on Prehysterical), parody of "Bye Bye Love" by The Cars
8 "Stay in the Light" (found on Classics: Party), parody of "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees
8 "Sad Today in the Dark" (found on recent single), parody of "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago
14 "Lethargy" (found on Zebraic), parody of "Refugee" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
15 "A Foolhardy Song" (found on Prehysterical), parody of "Authority Song" by John Cougar Mellencamp
16 "Let's Redo the Music" (found on Loaded 45s), parody of "Listen to the Music" by Doobie Brothers
Chapter 6
4 "Train Them Up Before They Grow-Grow" (found on Get Rich Quick), parody of "Make It Big" by Wham!
10 "Read Ephesians" (found on The Boys Aren't Backin' Down), parody of "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith
10 "Back in the Battle" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith
11 "Phony Ol' Lie" (found on Zebraic), parody of "Lonely Ol' Night" by John Cougar Mellencamp
12 "The Sound of Sirens" (found on Only a Glorified Cover Band), parody of "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed
15 "We Got the Feet" (found on Play Nice), parody of "We Got the Beat" by The Go-Go's
16 "The War in You" (found on That's Too Bad), parody of "The Warrior" by Scandal featuring Patty Smyth
18 "Talk Daily to Me" (found on From Hair to Eternity), parody of "Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison
Wed., Mar. 6 - Philippians 1-4
Chapter 1
6 "How You Rewind Me" (found on Classics: 2000's), parody of "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback
6 "God Knows You've Tried" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls
6 "Living, Loving Faith (Please Just Don't Worry)" (found on Only a Glorified Cover Band), parody of "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)" by Led Zeppelin
6 "You're Mad at What?" (found on Xit Ego Lopa), parody of "No Matter What" by Badfinger
7 "Sorry All the Time" (found on Never Before, but Then Again...), parody of "Party All the Time" by Eddie Murphy
14 "Bold As Christ" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Cold As Ice" by Foreigner
15 "Preachers" (found on Classics: 90's), parody of "Peaches" by Presidents of the United States of America
21 "Stay Deceased" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Stay with Me" by Faces
Chapter 2
3 "Humpty Dumpty Country Club" (found on Classics: Country), parody of "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" by Trace Adkins
3 "Act Selfless" (found on Play Nice), parody of "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles
3 "Even Though" (found on Decent Alternative), parody of "Even Flow" by Pearl Jam
5 "One of Us Indeed" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "One of Us" by Joan Osborne
7 "You're So Plain" (found on Loaded 45s), parody of "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon
9 "Still His Name" (found on Conspiracy No. 56), parody of "Still the Same" by Bob Seger
9 "Heaven's Gonna Lift You Up" (found on Kinda Stuffy), parody of "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley
15 "Guard Your Candle" (found on Hot Potato Soup), parody of "Hard to Handle" by The Black Crowes
15 "Child of God" (found on Very Vicarious), parody of "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire
Chapter 3
7 "I Dealt with You" (found on You Can't Say Euphrates Without the 80's), parody of "I Melt with You" by Modern English
12 "Tufftumbling" (found on Play Nice), parody of "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba
Chapter 4
6 "I'm Too Stressed" (found on Come See, Come Saw), parody of "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred
6 "Quite a God" (found on Decent Alternative), parody of "What I Got" by Sublime
6 "Get Serene" (found on Decent Alternative), parody of "Glycerine" by Bush
6 "Counting Blessings" (found on Ticked), parody of "Counting Blue Cars" by Dishwalla
6 "Talking Inner Peace" (found on Play Nice), parody of "Talking in Your Sleep" by The Romantics
13 "Feelin' Stronger in the Faith" (found on Unconditional Releases), parody of "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" by Chicago
Thu., Mar. 7 - Colossians 1-4
Chapter 1
13 "Glad It's Over" (found on Alien Invasion), parody of "Glad All Over" by The Dave Clark Five
15 "Jehovah" (found on Classics: Party), parody of "The Joker" by Steve Miller
16 "He Spoke" (found on Play Nice), parody of "The Stroke" by Billy Squier
16 "Triune Godhead" (found on I Know You Are but What Am I?), parody of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones
16 "Telescoper" (found on Rock's in Their Heads), parody of "Under My Wheels" by Alice Cooper
17 "Herman's Sermon" (found on Unconditional Releases), parody of "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" by Herman's Hermits
21 "Wicked" (found on Wise Up and Rock), parody of "Whip It" by Devo
27 "Full of Yourself (Distinguished Young Man)" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" by Styx
Chapter 2
3 "Come for Some" (found on Apoplectic), parody of "Cumbersome" by Seven Mary Three
8 "Message in the Bible" (found on Only a Glorified Cover Band), parody of "Message in a Bottle" by the Police
11 "I Went in the Stream" (found on You Can't Say Euphrates Without the 80's), parody of "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
16 "Separate Days (to Worship God)" (found on You Can't Say Euphrates Without the 80's), parody of "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" by Journey
16 "Sabbath Day's Quite Alright for Nice Things" (found on Rock's in Their Heads), parody of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" by Elton John
16 "Keep Your Ham to Yourself" (found on Wise Up and Rock), parody of "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by The Georgia Satellites
16 "December 5 or 6 B.C. (Oh Holy Night)" (found on Classics: Christmas), parody of "December 1963 (Oh What a Night)" by The Four Seasons
Chapter 3
1 "Bad Things for a Good Time" (found on That's Too Bad), parody of "Nothin' but a Good Time" by Poison
5 "Sinning Will" (found on Very Vicarious), parody of "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears
8 "Slow to Wrath" (found on Vision Gets Clearer As We Get Closer), parody of "Photograph" by Def Leppard
11 "The Sound of Sirens" (found on Only a Glorified Cover Band), parody of "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed
21 "Train Them Up Before They Grow-Grow" (found on Get Rich Quick), parody of "Make It Big" by Wham!
Chapter 4
5 "If You Believe" (found on Never Before, but Then Again...), parody of "If You Leave" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Fri., Mar. 8 - 1 Thessalonians 1-3
Chapter 1
1 "Thessalonians Letters" (found on Overdue Books), parody of "Things Can Only Get Better" by Howard Jones
Chapter 2
2 "Bold As Christ" (found on Sandwich Platter), parody of "Cold As Ice" by Foreigner
13 "I'm a Receiver" (found on Classics: Party), parody of "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees
Chapter 3
1 "The Real Need" (found on Rock's in Their Heads), parody of "The Real Me" by The Who
How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
February 29, 2024, 6:22 pm EST
With so many other stories to share this week, we have consolidated some of our other regular features into this article:
GET MULTIPLE DOWNLOADS for 1 DONATION
There are now 235 singles/EPs (476 songs) in our "downloads for a donation" series, including our latest single, "Billy, Don't Be a Weirdo" and "Preach, Baby," featuring parodies of Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods and First Class.
To get multiple downloads with one donation, go to http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=3564
GET OUR COMPLETE LIBRARY for $100
We're giving our complete library on download to everyone who donates $100 this week.
That's 1662 tracks, including various versions (studio, live, rarity, album, single, EP, revised, remastered, etc.), plus side projects ... even our latest single, "Billy, Don't Be a Weirdo" and "Preach, Baby," plus our upcoming CD, Unchained Medley.
Standard CDs 1993-2021 (919 tracks)
Remastered Classics CDs (219 tracks)
Singles, EPs, Rarities, Side Projects (524 tracks)
Just make your donation at http://www.apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
After we receive your donation, we'll send you an email with links for all the downloads.
NEW ApX USB THUMB DRIVES in STOCK
We recently received a new batch of ApologetiX USB thumb drives.
Emblazoned with the band's logo, our ApX USB thumb drives contain the digital versions of all 73 of our CDs, plus any singles, EPs, or rarities that aren't on CD, up to and including our latest single.
We recently upgraded the storage capacity from 8 GB to 16 GB to accommodate our ever-expanding library of music.
They still look exactly the same, and they're not any bigger on the outside; it's what's inside that counts. Like our previous USBs, they're write-enabled, so you can add more music to them if and when you get future ApX downloads.
Although we've doubled the capacity, the deal is the same; they're still available for a donation of $150 or more. If you've donated for our complete library before, they're still available for a donation of $50 or more.
http://apologetix.com/store/store.php#USB
Influential Albums: 1388-1394
February 29, 2024, 6:08 pm EST
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the latest entries in the "albums that influenced me" series I started writing in May 2020.
Note: Just because an album appears on this list doesn't mean I give it a blanket endorsement. Many of the secular albums on this list are mainly there because they wound up being spoofed by ApologetiX.
1388. Apol-acoustiX - ApologetiX
The 11th ApologetiX CD came out in March 2005, a mere four months after our 10th, and was unlike anything we'd attempted before. As the name suggests, Apol-acoustiX, featured acoustic renditions of 13 parodies — only one of which had previously appeared on any ApX CD. By then, I had a tremendous backlog of lyrics, and our busy touring schedule made it difficult to get the full band in the studio. So Karl and I decided to return to our roots. You see, after we first got together to jam in 1990, we'd played a lot of acoustic stuff at Bible studies before taking the name "ApologetiX" ... and at plenty of coffee houses afterward till the band started touring regularly. Of course, everybody who followed the music scene in the '90s remembers MTV Unplugged. We decided to do something along those lines, but in the studio rather than on stage. We recorded Apol-acoustiX in January 2005. With no bass or drums needed, Keith Haynie and Bill Rieger took to jokingly calling the CD "Bill and Keith Unplugged," although we'd gotten their OK before proceeding with the project. Keyboardist Bill Hubauer had also started touring with us by the time it came out. The songs we spoofed on Apol-acoustiX were primarily classics from 1954-70, with three newer tunes from the '90s and 2000s. The photo on the cover was taken in Dormont PA, the town where Andy, Jeff, Karl, and I officially made the decision to call the band "ApologetiX" back in 1992. In fact, there's a photo in the CD booklet of the actual place where I'd first suggested the name, the Dormont Eat n' Park restaurant. Believe it or not, immediately after that 2005 photo session, when Karl and I tried to get a local newspaper from the machine in front of the restaurant, the headline read "Deja vu." Speaking of which, ApologetiX eventually recorded and released electrified versions of two of the parodies on Apolo-acoustiX in 2007 and two more in 2023.
1389. The Best of Roxy Music - Roxy Music
This album came out on June 11, 2001, but I ordered my copy through Amazon on April 15, 2005. Like New and Used Hits, the collection ApologetiX had released five months earlier, The Best of Roxy Music featured the group's hits (although not all of them) in reverse chronological order (from 1982 through 1972). That worked out well for me, as I was more familiar with their newer material anyway, so it allowed me to get acclimated as I waded into water. The first three tracks were songs I already knew and loved: "Avalon" (#13 U.K., #59 U.S. mainstream rock), "More Than This" (#6 U.K., #102 U.S. pop, #58 U.S. mainstream rock) and "Jealous Guy" (#1 U.K.). I only had to wait to till the sixth track to get to another old favorite, "Oh Yeah" (#5 U.K., #102 U.S. pop). I was also eager to repeatedly listen to "Out of the Blue," a great non-charting tune I'd loved instantly when I'd first seen the group perform it on the Midnight Special TV show. Their were 18 tracks in all. Additional standouts for me are "Virginia Plain" (#4 U.K.), "Pyjamarama" (#10 U.K. and the tune that helped inspire the name of '80s girl group Bananarama), "Do the Strand," "Both Ends Burning" (#25 U.K.), "Mother of Pearl" (did not chart), "Dance Away" (#2 U.K., #44 U.S. pop), "Angel Eyes" (#4 U.K.), "Street Life" (#9 U.K.), and "All I Want Is You" (#12 U.K.). Of course, no Roxy Music compilation would be complete without their only U.S. Top 40 hit, "Love Is the Drug" (#2 U.K., #30 U.S. pop) from '75, and that's here, too. The Best of Roxy Music featured at least one song from all eight of their studio LPs. The only bummer for me about was that it didn't include "In the Midnight Hour" (#106 U.S. pop) and "Take a Chance With Me" (#26 U.K., #104 U.S. pop). But once I imported the CD into my computer, it was easy enough to buy those two on iTunes and them to my playlist.
1390. Retrospective - The Animals
This 22-track 2004 Animals anthology has everything a hits-oriented U.S. fan like me could want ... aside from the group's 1983 comeback single, "The Night" (#48 U.S. pop, #34 mainstream rock), which I used to own on a 45 anyway. Reptrospective starts with their 1964 #1 hit "The House of the Rising Sun" and ends with the 1970 #3 hit "Spill the Wine," which was actually attributed to (Animals lead singer) Eric Burdon and War. In between, is every U.S. hit — major or minor — from the group's R&B/blues era (1964-66) and their psychedelic era (1966-68). This inclusive approach is perfect for yours truly, because I was a fan of all of those songs, including "Spill the Wine." That's 19 Hot 100 hits, 15 of which also reached the U.S. Top 40. Not only that, you get their debut single, "Baby, Let Me Take You Home," which bubbled under at #102. It's actually one of my favorite Animal tracks (I first heard it in college, thanks to my friend Rich Cade), along with "Gonna Send You Back to Walker" (#57 US.), "I'm Crying" (#19 U.S., #8 U.K.), "Bring It On Home to Me" (#32 U.S., #7 U.K.), "We Gotta Get Out of This Place (#13 U.S., #2 U.K.), "It's My Life" (#23 U.S., #7 U.K.), "Don't Bring Me Down" (#12 U.S., #6 U.K.), "San Franciscan Nights" (#9 U.S., #7 U.K.), "Monterey" (#15 U.S.), "Sky Pilot" (#14 U.S., #40 U.K.), and "White Houses" (#67 pop). But I also liked the other hits. "White Houses" includes this all-too-accurate couplet: "They put a Bible in the drawer of the motel room, and it's crying out to be read — but it stays right there, collecting dust, no one understands what's being said." Preach it, Eric.
1391. Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection: The Greatest Novelty Records of All Time - Various Artists
If you've been reading these "albums that influenced me" entries since the early days, you may have noticed that there were plenty of novelty records mentioned. I loved them as kid, and years later I sought out some of them to share with my own kids on car rides, especially morning trips to school. When I was looking for digital versions of old favorites to add to their playlists, I found many of them on Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection: The Greatest Novelty Records of All Time. Released in 1991, this double-disc set featured 36 tracks, about two-thirds of which had helped to mold (or mutate) my musical sense of humor in grade school, high school, or college. The ones that proved most popular with my progeny were probably "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" by Allan Sherman, "Star Trekkin'" by The Firm, "Fish Heads" by Barnes and Barnes, "Transfusion" by Nervous Norvus, "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" by Napoleon IV, "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashman, "Beep Beep" by The Playmates, "Witch Doctor" by David Seville, "Gitarzan" by Ray Stevens, "Earache My Eye" by Cheech & Chong featuring Alice Bowie, "Dancin' Fool" by Frank Zappa, "King Tut" by Steve Martin, "Der Fuehrer's Face" by Spike Jones and His City Slickers, and "Eat It" by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Others I cherished from my childhood included "St. George and the Dragonet" by Stan Freburg, "The Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley, "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out" by Shel Silverstein, "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On the Bestpost Overnight)" by Lonnie Donegan and His Skiffle Group, "Junk Food Junkie" by Larry Groce, "Cocktails for Two" by Spike Jones and His City Slickers, "The Time Warp" by The Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast, and "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt Kickers. For a complete track listing of Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection, go to https://www.discogs.com/master/6122-Various-Dr-Demento-20th-Anniversary-Collection-The-Greatest-Novelty-Records-Of-All-Time
1392. Disco Jews - 2 Live Jews
2 Live Jews were two young Jewish men (Eric Lambert and Joe Stone) acting (and singing and rapping) like two old Jewish men. In an earlier entry for Fiddler on the Roof, I mentioned a 1991 comedy album of theirs I owned called Fiddling with Tradition, which featured rap versions of songs from the famous musical. For that project, the individual members of 2LJ identified as MC Moisha (Lambert) and Easy Irving (Stone). Later, I came across (and bought) their next LP, in which they portrayed a couple of aged Jewish disco pioneers named Morty and Herschel. Released in 1994, Disco Jews featured 11 polyester parodies of mirror-ball music from that era of excess. My favorites were "Stayin' Inside" ("Stayin" Alive" by The Bee Gees), "The Herschel" ("The Hustle" by Van McCoy), "Bargain Town" ("Funky Town" by Lipps Inc.), "What Did You Say" ("YMCA" by The Village People), and "Mama Stein" ("Lady Marmalade" by Labelle). Other artists spoofed included Wild Cherry, Chic, The Baby City Rollers, Oliva Newton-John, Amii Stewart, and Johnnie Taylor. There was also an amusing interview segment at the end, "Live at Studio 54 With Morty & Herschel," that lasted about 12 minutes. Joe Stone's father, Henry, was a famous record executive who actually did play an important role in disco history as the president and co-owner of TK Records, which distributed the second #1 disco song ever, "Rock Your Baby" by George McCrae, plus a slew of hits by K.C. & The Sunshine Band. And get this: The last single on TK Records was none other than "Another One Rides the Bus" by "Weird Al" Yankovic. For a complete track listing, go to https://www.discogs.com/master/603449-2-Live-Jews-Disco-Jews
1393. Katy Lied - Steely Dan
Steely Dan's fourth LP may be my favorite of theirs overall as far the marriage of music and lyrics. Released on March 1, 1975, Katy Lied saw the five-man Dan down to a duo — Donald Fagen and Walter Becker — plus a ton of top-notch studio musicians. It also featured the notable addition of Michael McDonald on backing vocals. He had joined Steely Dan's touring band in '73, but this was his first appearance on one of their albums. McDonald would continue to sing on the next three Steely Dan LPs, even though he officially joined The Doobie Brothers in April '75, a mere month after Katy Lied. The first single, "Black Friday," made the Top 40 with just three slots to spare (#37), and the second single, "Bad Sneakers," missed the Hot 100 by the same amount (#103). It includes one of the best opening lines to any song ever: "Five names that I can hardly stand to hear — including yours and mine and one more chimp who isn't here." I love both of those tunes, but there are four others on Katy Lied that I enjoy at least as much, if not more: "Dr. Wu," Rose Darling," "Any World That I'm Welcome To," and "Your Gold Teeth II." Fagen and Becker wrote about the some strange characters capable of despicable deeds, but I was frequently fascinated by their storytelling style. Katy Lied sold a million copies in the United States and was equally successful on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching #13 on both the U.S. and U.K. album charts.
1394. The Royal Scam - Steely Dan
On May 31, 1976, Steely Dan released their fifth LP, The Royal Scam. It yielded two U.S. singles, neither of which made the Top 40 — "Kid Charlemagne" (#82) and "The Fez" (#59). When I worked in the corporate world back in the '90s, I used to occasionally go out to lunch with a fellow employee named Mark who liked to quote from "Kid Charlemagne," especially this line: "Is there gas in the car? Yes, there's gas in the car." Ironically, we never drove to the restaurant where we dined, and it was only a few blocks away, so it didn't really matter if there was gas in the car anyway. Another track on The Royal Scam, "Haitian Divorce," became the Dan's highest-charting U.K. single (#17). It's quite a catchy and amusing tune, as are the first two I mentioned. A fourth cut, "Don't Take Me Alive," is no laughing matter but also received airplay on American rock radio stations, thanks in part to the powerful guitars of stellar studio standout Larry Carlton. Of the remaining five tracks, I gravitate toward "Sign In Stranger," an interplanetary sci-fi saga about fugitives from the law seeking new identities on a far-off world with no police officers. In fact, that number is neck and neck in a heated competition with "Kid Charlemagne" (also about an outlaw on the lam) for my favorite track on The Royal Scam. "The Caves of Altamira" is also interesting and "Green Earrings" might as well have been called "Green Earworm." Finally, I should mention "Everything You Did," told from the perspective of a jealous husband accusing his wife of infidelity. It contains the outlandish line, "Turn up The Eagles; the neighbors are listening." Eagles singer/guitarist Glen Frey later acknowledged it as the inspiration for the line "They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast" in the title track of his group's Hotel California LP, released just six months later. Both bands had the same manager, Irving Azoff. The Royal Scam sold a million copies in the United States and reached #15 on the Billboard 200. It also hit #11 on the U.K. albums chart, a decent showing, but Steely Dan's next LP, Aja, would become their biggest on both sides of the pond (#3 U.S., #5 U.K.). I already wrote about that one long ago on this list.
How to Donate Online or by Mail
February 29, 2024, 6:22 pm EST
If you'd like to donate to the ministry of ApologetiX, you can do so online at http://www.apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
If you prefer to mail a check or money order, please make it out to "ApologetiX" and send it to:
ApologetiX
208 Charlemma Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15214-1414
Although the donations are not tax-deductible, they will be received very gratefully and used immediately. Thank you!
2 Corinthians 11:30
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. |