Reviewed by Mark Weber
As the self-proclaimed “Weird Al” of Catholic music, Nick Alexander takes pop songs and parodies them along Catholic lines. He found some success with his first release, A Time To Laugh, a year ago. Now he’s back with more silly songs on Eternal Life: The Party Album.
Life has a distinct 70s/80s feel. The only recent songs parodied are somewhat lackluster versions of Lenny Kravitz’s “Fly Away” and Barenaked Ladies’ “Pinch Me.” Skip those in favor of other classic hits.
Alexander’s high-pitched, “new wave” (slightly whiny/nasal) voice is just right for “Nahum, Zephaniah, Malachi,” a dead-on parody of Tommy Tutone’s original “Jenny (867-5309).” The rosary is the front and center subject of “These Beads,” a strange albeit educational version of “These Dreams” by Ann & Nancy Wilson of the band Heart. “Evangelize,” a well-written religious parody of Gloria Gaynor’s huge 70s hit, “I Will Survive,” will make you laugh. “Therese of Lisieux,” a send-up of Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue,” will liven up dull Catholic CCD classes. It’s a very clever three-minute mini-bio about the legendary saint known as “The Little Flower.”
The highlight of “Life” has got to be “We Want To Stand United,” which finds Alexander hitting the Church history books spoofing Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire.” If you want to sum up theological history from AD 313 to the present, this song covers it.
Baptists form, then they split, Wesleyan makes Methodists, Mormons follow Joseph Smith as a Deity. Whitfield, Edwards, then Finney, A.M.E. from bigotry, JWs, they’ve introduced a lower-case ‘g.’ Maria Monk’s tale untrue. Darwin’s Monkey Trial blues. Azusa Street, Campfire Meet, Preacher Billy Sunday
That’s just one of the verses in this detailed study of Christianity throughout history. Alexander should win a songwriter’s award for “We Want To Stand United.”
Recently married, and living near New York City, Alexander keeps busy writing parodies and sharing them with appreciative audiences who aren’t afraid to laugh. Eternal Life: The Party Album is the kind of disc you’ll want to share with friends. If you’re in the mood for Catholic parodies (did you even know they existed?), Nick Alexander is your man.
Go to www.nickalexander.com for more info.
Mark Weber can be reached at zeebozine@juno.com. His website can be found at www.geocities.com/mw6218.
