I just listened to 30,000 pounds of bananas by Harry Chapin (1975 Live version) and it is clearly the song upon which Biggest Ball of Twine was based. The inflections, the cadence, and some of the measures are spot on. Is this well known and I am late to the party, or is this new information?
All of Al's longest originals have place names in the title. Minnesota. Albuquerque. France. Jackson Park (Chicago).
His longest parody (Trapped in the Drive-Thru) is borderline...
And then there were eight. The two winners from today's matchups will round out our Final Four!
##2. Albuquerque vs. #4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
##2. Albuquerque
Originally recorded as a way to “annoy people for 12 minutes,” this style parody of “Dick’s Automotive” by the Rugburns was the final track on 1999’s “Running with Scissors.” Al also drew inspiration from other long storytellers in music, like George Thorogood and Mojo Nixon. Al never intended this song to become one of his most memorized and most enthusiastically received songs on tour.
How it got here:
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Defeated #15. Why Does This Always Happen to Me? 159-28
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Defeated #7. One More Minute 94-46
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Defeated #3. Like a Surgeon 134-32
##4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
Featured on 1989's "UHF," this long winded journey (both literally and figuratively) leaves us fixated on the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. It actually exists in Darwin, Minnesota; it's 12 feet in diameter and weighs 8.7 tons. However, since the writing of the famous song, other balls of twine have since taken home the title of world's largest, which is a shame!
How it got here:
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Defeated #13. Addicted to Spuds 109-26
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Defeated #12. Gump 107-49
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Defeated #1. Yoda 80-75
Vote below!!! Look for the comment with the song's title. View the full bracket here
https://youtu.be/-rZe_a2GO1U
Needless to say, we spent many hours working on this and had a ton of fun.
Now we're on the right side of the bracket to start the second half of the Sweet Sixteen.
##1. Yoda vs. #4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
##1. Yoda
This song was originally featured on the Dr. Demento show with some of Al's earliest hits. It was introduced to a wider audience when it was released with 1986’s “Dare to Be Stupid." It also set off a small tradition for Al, taking a classic hit, in this case The Kinks’ “Lola,” and updating the lyrics to match a currently popular movie. Yoda has been a staple of concerts for the past 30+ years, complete with the “Yoda Chant” at its end. Complete with a movie plot, some tasty guitar riffs, and lyrics with meta-references, “Yoda” is an iconic Al jam.
How it got here:
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Defeated #16. Lame Claim to Fame 182-23
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Defeated #8. Trapped in the Drive-Thru 122-62
##4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
Featured on 1989's "UHF," this long winded journey (both literally and figuratively) leaves us fixated on the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. It actually exists in Darwin, Minnesota; it's 12 feet in diameter and weighs 8.7 tons. However, since the writing of the famous song, other balls of twine have since taken home the title of world's largest, which is a shame!
How it got here:
-
Defeated #13. Addicted to Spuds 109-26
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Defeated #12. Gump 107-49
Vote below!!! Look for the comment with the song's title. View the full bracket here
We're down to the final four in the polka bracket, but this one still has a bit to go! Keep those votes coming.
##4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota vs. #12. Gump
##4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
Featured on 1989's "UHF," this long winded journey (both literally and figuratively) leaves us fixated on the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. It actually exists in Darwin, Minnesota; it's 12 feet in diameter and weighs 8.7 tons. However, since the writing of the famous song, other balls of twine have since taken home the title of world's largest, which is a shame!
How it got here: Defeated #13. Addicted to Spuds 109-26
##12. Gump
This song, on 1996’s “Bad Hair Day,” is a parody of “Lump” by the Presidents of the United States of America. Clocking in at 2 minutes and 10 seconds, it is the second shortest of Al’s commercially released parodies, just behind “My Bologna.” It also follows the formula of retelling a movie using a song, as the song is an interesting retelling of Forrest Gump. And that’s all I have to say about that.
How it got here: Defeated #5. Genius in France 104-74
Vote below!!! Look for the comment with the song's title. View the full bracket here
It’s back to the normal bracket, we’ve finished one half of the first round. Let’s finish the rest this week!
##4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota vs. #13. Addicted to Spuds
##4. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
Featured on 1989's "UHF," this long winded journey (both literally and figuratively) leaves us fixated on the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. It actually exists in Darwin, Minnesota; it's 12 feet in diameter and weighs 8.7 tons. However, since the writing of the famous song, other balls of twine have since taken home the title of world's largest, which is a shame!
##13. Addicted to Spuds
This parody of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" was on 1986's "Polka Party!" and later resurfaced on "The Food Album." It details a certain man's love of potatoes and potato-based dishes. Who can blame him, when there are potato skins, potato cakes, hash browns, instant flakes...
Vote below!!! Look for the comment with the song's title. View the full bracket here
Definitely an early precursor to songs like Albuquerque.
