I have a bad habit. Ok, I have many, but arguably the worst is my penchant for inflicting a certain CD on people riding in my car. For some reason I think it's totally hilarious to play Sons of Provo for nice normal people who are usually atheists.
Then I get the joy of explaining all the lyrics to them, as their faces grow more and more horrified.
For those living a blissful Mormon-free existence, Sons of Provo is a CD which was released along with a "mockumentary" back in--oh, 2004? Ostensibly following the travails of an LDS boy band called Everclean, the mockumentary and its CD were created by the same dudes who brought you The Singles Ward and The RM (and probably other stuff since, unless they've been excommunicated or something). At the time, I thought Sons of Provo was hysterical. Of course I still do, but now the joy I take in this truly magical album is tempered by more joy that I can now safely laugh my head off without fearing that my stepfather will frown at me and tell me that the whole venture is very disrespectful. After all, the lyrics DO contain solid Mormon doctrine. This isn't something we should be treating with levity (one of his favorite words).
Choice tracks from the album include its smash hit "Diddly Wack Mack Mormon Daddy," "Sweet Spirit," and "Dang Fetch Oh My Heck." I have to admit, honestly, that the lyrics are remarkably witty and the music does sound exactly like any boy band from the early 2000s. Unfortunately Everclean is not available on Spotify, so you'll either have to shell out for the disc or torrent it (which of course I would NEVER EVER advocate doing).
4 comments:
The RM and the Singles Ward were hysterical while I was a TBM, and they're hysterical now. Mormon culture is a laugh riot whether you believe the doctrine or not.
Now that we're out of it, we can mock without always being half-mortified that all the weirdness applies to us! And, y'know, the being told that levity is disrespectful thing
Yeah, I still find them really funny. For some reason my favorite bit of The RM is that running gag about how Kirby isn't a real name. :B
I own copies of Sons of Provo, The RM, and The Singles Ward. They're all funny to Mormons and ex-Mormons. -- Although my in-laws thought The SW was too disrespectful. sigh.
As an ex-Mormon I get a kick out of the scene where Jonathan's wife leaves him while drinking beer and smoking. Also, when Eldon (the Franklin Covey addict) advises Jonathan on how to ask out a nice Mormon girl. "You've been meeting women of the world at bars and nightclubs . . ."
God. Too funny.
Donna, I was quite scandalized as a teen by the relatively low-cut blouses the female love interests in both films wear. As I recall the woman in The RM also wears a SLEEVELESS DRESS at the end (oh my!).
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