The Best of Twisted Tunes, Vol. 1 [Import, Best of]

So, let's start with "You Don't Send Me Flowers," on the little things that send a marriage into the downward spiral, or the long dark tea-time of the soul--"you don't take a shower, you don't put the seat down" or "you'd use to aim when you p--, now after frank and beans late at night."

"Take A Whack On The U.S. Side" takes a playful whack at Lou Reed's "Walk On The Wild Side," on the misadventures of a group of illegal Mexican immigrants with Rodney King overtones--hints of things to come: "Pull over so we can beat you senseless."

"Three Inch Tool" is a sendup of Hootie and the Blowfish's "Only Wanna Be With You." Put it this way--it's not about an Allen wrench with a short handle.

The sendup of Petula Clark's "Downtown," "Downtown In The 90's," while funny, has a sobering but factual side to it: "the alleys are dark down there/you must be missing your marbles/you'd better be scared." And "just listen to the clatter of the gunshots from the Nova/you'll be in intensive care before the night is over/those drive-bys again."

If I worked at a fast food place, "Minimum Wage" would be my theme song, and yes, I would give a customer's burger some lung butter like the frustrated and disgruntled employee of the song. The Smashing Pumpkins' "Bullet On Butterfly Wings" never sounded as funny as here.

Given the current Middle East situation, "PLO's and Israeli's," a take on McCartney/Wonder duet "Ebony And Ivory" seems a bit misplaced here.

There's more bathroom humor on "The Old Man (Is On The Commode)," a sendup of John Fogerty's "The Old Man Down The Road." It will leave you flushed, pardon the pun. Other parodies: "What An Ugly Man He Was" is Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's "Lucky Man," "Middle Age Waistline" is the Who's "Baba O'Reilly," "Baby Madonna" is the Beatles' "Lady Madonna," and "...Hole Son" is Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun."

"Strawberry Rehabs Forever," originally on Twisted Tunes 1995, is about Daryl Strawberry's drug mishaps. And finally, "Magic Comet Ride," a parody of Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride," rips into the Heaven's Gate cult of Marshall Applewhite that deified Comet Hale-Bopp with funny--I mean tragic results.

Most of the songs here are longer than usual, clocking in over two minutes, more than the one-and-half minute snippets on his Vault Collection CDs. A good place to start, although Volume 2 has funnier songs.

Not all songs will appeal to everyone. Some are stronger than others so listen to the samples that Amazon.com so thoughtfully provides. The songs go back to the 60's, and if you're not familiar with the originals then the parodies may not seem so funny. Be warned that some of the humor is extremely juvenile and scatological. For those to whom this is a recommendation rather than a warning, come on in and enjoy the show.