Funny / Beck (Musician)

• Early on Beck liked to detune his guitar till the strings were almost falling off which resulted in hilarious 'songs' such as "Trouble All My Days", "Magic Stationwagon" and "Total Soul Future (Eat It)".
  • Of these, only "Trouble All My Days" actually saw a few live performances, seemingly thrown in spontaneously for Beck's own amusement during a tour in 1994 - at least once this was done to troll an audience who were being too loud and boisterous during an acoustic set.
• The absurd yet detailed storytelling lyrics to early songs such as "Are You Positive?", "Steve Threw Up", "Mexico", "Cut In Half Blues", "Heartland Feeling", "Satan Gave Me A Taco", "Whimsical Actress", "Whiskey-Faced Radioactive Blowdrying Lady" to name a few.
  • Halfway through "Steve Threw Up", the lyrics derail into a List Song naming all of the foods that could be found in Steve's vomit, which contrasts hilariously with the beautifully harmonized backing vocals provided by members of the group that dog. That list, in turn, is abruptly cut off by a Last Note Nightmare befitting a song about vomiting during a bad acid trip:
    Pop-tarts, tamales, shish-kabob and a side order of-
    (unintelligible Metal Screams)
• The use of anger for comedic effect in "Bad Energy", "Stomping Room", "Azzkizz Powergrudge" and "Truckdrivin' Neighbors Downstairs" to name a few.
• The random stream of consciousness at the end of Beercan is hilarious. "BURN ME UP A PLATE O' SASSAFRASS!"
• The beginning of "Lord Only Knows" is either hilarious or frightening, depending on who you are.
  • The ending is great too. "I'm goin' to Houston... do the hot dog dance... goin' back to Houston... to get me some pants!"
• In a hilarious bit of Self-Deprecation, the middle of "High 5! (Rock the Catskills)" derails into weird sample-heavy instrumentation, just like many other songs on the album... only to be abruptly cut short by irritated voice: "Turn that shit off, man! What's wrong with you man? Get the other record! Damn!".
• His performance of "Where It's At" on the show, Live at the Rehearsal Hall. It included cheap Casio keyboard that he told his keyboardist to switch to a different instrument voicing every so often, a Seinfeld-inspired "sitcom bass" solo, and other moments Beck described as "musical crimes." Even Beck couldn't help but crack up during the song.
• Towards the end of "Loser", a humorous song on it's own (albeit a bit dark), between the chorus is the glorious "Get crazy with the Cheez-Whiz!". Beautiful.
  • As a b-side or extra track on the "Loser" single there are the songs "Corvette Bummer" and "MTV Makes We Wanna Smoke Crack" - both songs are from the surreal department but the style and lyrics make them hilarious.
• "In A Cold Ass Fashion" with such incredible lines as "I can squeeze the breeze, drink a bottle of lice, Smoke a pack of whiskey with Jesus Christ " and "I love you, but you don't know how to spell"
• Another memorably silly ad-lib comes from "Soul Suckin' Jerk (Reject)", an alternate version of "Soul Suckin' Jerk" that was released as a B-Side: "Rockin' the town like a moldy crouton!"
• "Beercan" samples the song "Hog Leg" by Melvins, and Melvins' singer / guitarist Buzz Osborne has a cameo in the music video: You'd think he'd appear during the part with the aforementioned sample, but instead Buzz is seen rocking out on guitar while a gentle vibraphone plays. Once the highly discordant Melvins sample is heard, the video shows a couple peacefully frolicking in the grass.

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