From: gasarch@cs.umd.edu (William Ian Gasarch)
Newsgroups: rec.music.dementia
Subject: Review of FOOLS ON THE HILL (Cap Steps)
Date: 31 Aug 92 17:09:02 GMT
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742


REVIEW of `FOOLS ON THE HILL' by the CAPITAL STEPS

This is the Capital Steps 8th (?) album.  It is political humor based 
on very current (some of it is dated) events.  If you call 1-800-733-STEP 
you can get a list of all there stuff and an order form.
Some of the Humor depends on how much you know about some newsevents.

OVERALL REVIEW: EXCELLANT ALBUM.  They are getting more polished
with every album. Since its an election year there is more
to make fun of.  EIGHT songs are EXCELLANT. All are at least GOOD.

INDIVIDUAL SONGS:

FOOLS ON THE HILL: (Tune, Beatles song Fool on the Hill) EXCELLANT. 
Various politicians say things over the backdrop of the music. 
Best line ``So I said to myself, Dan, If you're going to Albany
you should learn Albanian!''

YUPPIE LOVE: (Tune Puppie Love). GOOD. A bit of a tired
theme, but good for what it is.

GROUND CONTROL TO JEDI BROWN. EXCELLANT.  An Excellant concept executed 
excellently.  A song about Jerry Brown to the Tune of
`Major Tom to Ground Control'

SUPERFRANTICUNPRODUCTIVELEGISLATION (TUne of Supercalifragilistic..)
GREAT.  About Congressional incompentence and Graft.  Perhaps too tame, 
no names are named. Still a good idea executed well. 

FISHING IN THE STAR (Tune I don't know but it is familiar)
GOOD. About rumors about Clinton in the STAR.  Nothing special.

PANDER BEAR (Tune Elvis's TEDDY BEAR).  GREAT. Making fun of Bill Clinton 
being (as Paul Tsongas put it) a `pander bear', pandering to voters. 
ALSO makes fun of Bill Clinton's being associated with Elvis. Need to
KNOW all this to like it though.  (As well as knowing that 
`I want to be your Teddy Bear' is an ELVIS song)

BILL N' DAN (Tune of 1-2-3- what are we fightin for?) EXCELLANT. 
Great theme executed greatly.  Its about how Clinton, Quayle (also Cheney is 
mentioned) Didn't serve in Vietnam, and thus are in political trouble now. 
Then its about that entire issue. Using an anti-Vietman-war tune is BRILLIANT!

IF I WEREN"T A RICH MAN (Obvious Tune) GOOD. Geroge Bush talking about how 
it might be like to be an ordinary guy. Good imititation of Bush. 
The point- that Bush is out-of-touch - is never really made that well.

STAND BY YOUR KLAN (tune- Stand by your man) GOOD. About David Duke and 
George Bush.  Would want more exposure of the hypocracy of Bush here.

CAN"T HELP LOVIN THAT MAN GOOD. Duet by Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush.
Not quite sure what the point is.  Good ending though.

TSONNDS OF TSONGAS. (Tune- Sound of Silence) EXCELLANT. They make fun 
of Tsongas's being boring.  Sung in Monotone, so its not really a FUN song,
but it really makes its point.  (One irony- Tsongas really isn't that boring)

FAVORED RIGHT WING (Tune- My Favorite Things) EXCELLANT. The song is 
Pat Buchanan singing about what he likes and dislikes. Really captures 
Buchanan (though exaggerated).  
Best rhyme `Pat Buchanan' rhymes with `Bash Japan in'

HELLO MULLAH (Tune of Hello Mother, Hello Father) EXCELLANT. About the 
Mideast Peace talks. Mostly the Israel's and Arabs bickering.

TAX YOUR CHILDREN WELL (Tune of something by Crosby-Stills-Nash-Young)
GREAT- about the budget deficit going to the future generations.
Makes the point well.

RULERS OF MORALITY (Tune of WHEN I WAS A LAD)
GREAT- Makes the point that Clarence Thomas's accursers were themselves 
not of high moral character.  A bit soft on Thomas himself.

YOKOHAMU (Tune of Oklahoma) GREAT. About the Japanese beating us 
in Trading. But NOT japan-bashing,  more like everyone-bashing.

RUBBER CHECKY (Tune of Rubber Ducky) GREAT. About Check Bouncing in Congress.

CUBA-HAVANA (Tune of Copacabana) EXCELLANT. About Fidel Castro's 
problems with Communism halling. Great Tune, Great mood.

CHEVROLET (Tune of ??) GREAT- About Americans becoming more protectionist.
Great mood, but content a bit weak.

MARIO (Tune of Maria) GREAT About The democrats wanting Mario Cuomo to run 
for Prez.  This is there fifth version of it, they've been singing
it since 1984. What changes is the VP. Has been Ferraro, Dukaksis, Bentson, 
Hussien (not on any tape) Schwartzkoff, and the latest is Sonny Bono.
(Recall that he ran for Senator in California)

Mike Milikan. (Tune of Banana Boat Song) EXCELLANT. They use the setting 
to make fun of LOTS of stuff, not just Mike Milikan's insider trading.