When Stan Freberg released The United States of America in 1961, it was one of the first comedy concept albums ... and perhaps the funniest musical comedy never performed onstage. With a cast that included Jesse White and June Foray (as well as a dead-on Orson Welles impression by voice-over master Paul Frees), Freberg presented a madcap version of history that began with Christopher Columbus's insistence that "It's a Round, Round World." His crew, however, was unconvinced:
Crazy kind of scheme
It's a cockamamie dream
If we don't sight land we're gonna scream.
Later, a cautious Ben Franklin would express suspicion of the declaration Thomas Jefferson brought by for him to sign: "You go to a few harmless meetings, sign a few harmless petitions, and forget all about it.... Ten years later you get called up before a committee. No thank you! I'm not going to spend the rest of my life writing in Europe!"
For decades, fans were frustrated by the lack of sequels that would carry the story beyond the Revolutionary War. (After attempts to turn the material into a real Broadway musical were ruined by heavy-handed producer David Merrick, Freberg went on to a lucrative career in advertising.) Finally, in 1996, Freberg went into the studio with the surviving members of his original cast--as well as stars David Ogden Stiers, Sherman Hemsley, Tyne Daly, Lorenzo Music, and John Goodman--with a new batch of songs and skits that covered the period from the founding of the United States government in 1789 to the end of World War I.
Volume 2 is not quite as strong as volume 1, but that's like saying that Babe Ruth didn't hit as many home runs as Hank Aaron. There's still plenty of great material in "The Middle Years," like Francis Scott Key's first draft of his most famous composition: "Rumplemeyer's horseshoes are the best you can use, what so proudly he's nailed onto all kinds of horses." Or Ulysses S. Grant demanding a drink so he can keep on...
Pursuing the South
Over the hills
Fearless and brave, minus a shave
And crocked to the gills.
The two-CD set includes the original liner notes from the 1961 release; a 1989 CD reissue of the first volume; and the notes by Freberg, Dr. Demento, and Ray Bradbury for the sequel. It also contains a complete lyric sheet. Although some of the jokes on the first CD may be too arcane for younger listeners, The United States of America can still be called, without overstatement, a work of genius. --Ron Hogan
Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years, And Vol. 2, The Middle Years,Stan Freberg,Rhino / Wea,Comedy,Novelty,Pop,Spoken / Comedy / Radio Shows,Spoken Word Comedy
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Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years, And Vol. 2, The Middle Years
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ASIN: B0000033TV Release Date: 1996-07-02 |
Tracks:
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Overture
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Columbus Discovers America 'It's A Round, Round World'
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Pilgrim's Progress 'Take An Indian To Lunch'
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: The Thanksgiving Story (Under The Double Turkey)
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: The Sale Of Manhattan 'Top Hat, White Feathers, And Tails'
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: The Boston Tea Party
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Declaration Of Independence 'A Man Can't Be Too Careful What He Signs...
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Betsy Ross And The Flag 'Everybody Wants To Be An Art Director'
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: The Discovery Of Electricity
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Washington Crosses The Delaware (Command Decision)
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Yankee Doodle Go Home (Spirit Of '76)
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: The Battle Of Yorktown
- Vol. 1, The Early Years: Finale 'So Long, Friend...'
Tracks:
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Intro And Overture
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Madison, Jefferson, Franklin & Osbourne: The First Advertising Agency...
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Madison, Jefferson, Franklin & Osbourne'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Madison, Jefferson, Franklin & Osbourne (Part 2)
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: America! America!
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Madison, Jefferson, Franklin & Osbourne (Part 3)
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Rumplemeyer's Horseshoes: The Francis Scott Key Story
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Rumplemeyer's Horseshoes'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Stephen Foster, Beloved Songwriter
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Samuel F.B. Morse Sends The First Telegram
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Abe Lincoln In Analysis
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Show Folk'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Abe Lincoln At Home In The White House
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Barbara Freitchie, Martyr Of The Year
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Shoot If You Must'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Lincoln At Shiloh, With General Grant
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'As Long As You're Up'/'A Sober Life's A Hard Life'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: The Appomattox Courthouse Bar & Grill
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'There'll Never Be Another War'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Custer's Last Stand
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Alexander Graham Bell And The First Phone Call
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Thomas Edison Invents The Light Bulb! The Phonograph! (Part 1)
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Perserverance'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Thomas Edison Invents The Light Bulb! The Phonograph! (Part 2)
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Planned Obsolescence'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: The Wright Brothers At Kitty Hawk
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Henry Ford Invents Detroit
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Perserverance' (Reprise)
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: The Sinking Of The Lusitania
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Two Tin Pan Alley Songwriters
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'U-Boat'/'The Guns Of August'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'Hello, Peace, Hello'
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: 'There'll Never Be Another War' (Reprise)
- Vol. 2, The Middle Years: Finale 'America! America!' (Reprise)
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When Stan Freberg released The United States of America in 1961, it was one of the first comedy concept albums ... and perhaps the funniest musical comedy never performed onstage. With a cast that included Jesse White and June Foray (as well as a dead-on Orson Welles impression by voice-over master Paul Frees), Freberg presented a madcap version of history that began with Christopher Columbus's insistence that "It's a Round, Round World." His crew, however, was unconvinced:
Crazy kind of scheme
It's a cockamamie dream
If we don't sight land we're gonna scream.
Later, a cautious Ben Franklin would express suspicion of the declaration Thomas Jefferson brought by for him to sign: "You go to a few harmless meetings, sign a few harmless petitions, and forget all about it.... Ten years later you get called up before a committee. No thank you! I'm not going to spend the rest of my life writing in Europe!"
For decades, fans were frustrated by the lack of sequels that would carry the story beyond the Revolutionary War. (After attempts to turn the material into a real Broadway musical were ruined by heavy-handed producer David Merrick, Freberg went on to a lucrative career in advertising.) Finally, in 1996, Freberg went into the studio with the surviving members of his original cast--as well as stars David Ogden Stiers, Sherman Hemsley, Tyne Daly, Lorenzo Music, and John Goodman--with a new batch of songs and skits that covered the period from the founding of the United States government in 1789 to the end of World War I.
Volume 2 is not quite as strong as volume 1, but that's like saying that Babe Ruth didn't hit as many home runs as Hank Aaron. There's still plenty of great material in "The Middle Years," like Francis Scott Key's first draft of his most famous composition: "Rumplemeyer's horseshoes are the best you can use, what so proudly he's nailed onto all kinds of horses." Or Ulysses S. Grant demanding a drink so he can keep on...
Pursuing the South
Over the hills
Fearless and brave, minus a shave
And crocked to the gills.
The two-CD set includes the original liner notes from the 1961 release; a 1989 CD reissue of the first volume; and the notes by Freberg, Dr. Demento, and Ray Bradbury for the sequel. It also contains a complete lyric sheet. Although some of the jokes on the first CD may be too arcane for younger listeners, The United States of America can still be called, without overstatement, a work of genius. --Ron Hogan
Customer Reviews:
They are right.......2006-06-30
I listened to it when it came out and tracks like "A Man Can't Be Too Careful What he Signs these days" (Jefferson and Adams trying to get Franklin to sign the Declaration of Independence) and the one where Betsy Ross presents the new flag to George Washington are still indescribably funny.
But you can still buy the two volume set, pour yourself a nice dry Martini in a damp frosted glass, and use the disk with volume 2 for a coaster.
O;-)
A comedic gem (Vol. 1, that is).......2005-07-05
So I was excited when I heard that after all these years, Vol. 2 was finally coming. But what a disappointment.
Vol. 1 has great songs like "Round Round World", "Take an Indian to Lunch" and "A Man Can't be Too Careful What He Signs These Days" that not only sparkle with satiric wit, but are great tunes I sometimes find myself humming.
The songs in Vol. 2, however, fall flat and just feel, well, forced. And that applies to all of Vol. 2 as well. The sense is that they had a list of punch lines they were set on, and didn't stop to think if it was funny or not. Funny is not a word that can be applied to Vol. 2, sadly.
So buy it for Vol. 1. You can just discard the other disc.
Five stars for Volume 1; one star for Volume 2.......2005-04-19
Ever since then, I had hoped that a) Vol. 1 would someday come out on CD, and b) that he would eventually make good on his promise in the original album's liner notes to bring out a Vol. 2.
Well, both of my wishes came true. Vol. 1 is out on CD and as good if not better than I remember it. Plus, they added back in some parts that were cut so the original recording could fit on one LP. Vol. 2, on the other hand, is a *major* disappointment.
Vol. 2 simply tries too hard. It tries to tackle a huge amount of American history (from the late 1700s through the end of World War I) in 34 tracks on one CD (a virtually impossible task). It tries to satirize events during the Civil War (a hopeless task). And, its satire lacks the "let's not take ourselves too seriously" light-heartedness of Vol. 1, which is another way of saying it is trying to be Politically Correct.
It's a shame Vol. 2 wasn't written and produced soon after Vol. 1. I honestly believe Stan and Co. would have come up with another classic.
I too wish Rhino still offered Vol. 1 separately. From a marketing/business standpoint, I understand why they don't do it.
Still, if you don't have Vol. 1, it's worth the sacrifice to buy the two-volume set just to get it. Who knows? You may end up liking Vol. 2. If not, it makes a good (albeit expensive) coaster.
Ten Stars for Volume 1.......2005-02-10
Chris Colomubus and his duet with King Ferdenand is great!
Chris: It's a round, round world, it's a round, round world. I contend its round and its goin' be found, it's a round world now and its always been!
Kind Ferdindad: It's a flat, flat world, it's a flat, flat world, I contend its flat, as a welcoming mat, and you're sailing off the end, it's a flat world now and its always been!
If you are Stan Freberg fan, this is a MUST HAVE! And while you are at it, get yourself a nutcup and a couple of french horns!
A classic (if a bit corny)!!.......2004-12-24
A must-have for anyone who enjoys good comedy and great production value.
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