Oregon Daily Emerald
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
“Have you ever noticed that nobody ever
gets laid on Thanksgiving? I think it’s
because all of the coats are on the bed. ”
George Carlin | Comedian
RYAN NYBURG
BUDGET RACK
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Spike Jones,
humor music
In my last column I asked readers to send
ideas for worthwhile cultural activities for
students to get involved in on campus. The
responses didn’t exactly flood my mailbox,
so I think I’ll hold off on that one for a while.
Until then, I’m just going to write more crap
about musicians nobody has ever heard
about. We do enjoy our esoteric ramblings
here at the Pulse desk.
So what’s the question of the day? Ah,
here we go: “Does humor belong in music?”
Those of you who understand the reference
inherent in that question already know the
answer, but for the rest of you it’s time to sit
back while pompous ol’ professor Nyburg
begins the lecture.
Humor and recorded music go way back,
but for me the show really gets on the road
with Spike Jones. Through the 1940s and
‘50s, he and his band created some of the
best novelty songs around, performing a cal
culated deconstruction of popular songs of
the era. Rather than just rewrite the song
with funny lyrics, the band would instead
recreate it from the ground up, mercilessly
deflating it of all pomp and pretense. To this
day it is no longer possible to take a wide ar
ray of classic pop songs seriously due to the
damage Jones and Co. did to them. (“My Old
Flame” done in a maniacal Peter Lorre voice,
“You Always Hurt the One You Love” done
with explanatory sound effects and “The
William Tell Overture” done as a horse track
announcer’s narrative.)
Jones’ work stands out because it remains
fresh over repeated listenings. Most comedy
music is good for a laugh or two the first
couple of times, but nobody except Dr. De
mento sits around listening to it all day. Who
out there still owns all of those “Weird” A1
Yankovic albums they bought in middle
school? You loser.
What Jones discovered is that comedic
music could hold its own if the music itself
were well executed. If you actually listen to
the music itself, never mind the parody, it
sounds tight and inventive. The rhythms are
constructed out of the oddest percussion in
struments ever recorded, with cowbells, gun
shots, tin pans and a wide array of human
and animal sounds all blasting out in time to
the beat. Listening to the original songs
alongside Jones’ take on them is remarkable.
For anyone interested in picking up some
thing by Jones, I would recommend Proper’s
excellent “Strictly for Music Lovers” compila
tion. With four discs of about 24 songs
apiece, it’s as close to comprehensive as any
one is likely to find. It also has a relatively
low retail price for such a collection.
This isn’t the only route to quality comedy
in music. Another performer from the same
era as Jones laid out a good way to make hu
morous music with real lasting power. Tom
Lehrer was an adept songwriter who wrote
satirical vignettes about drug dealers and
homicidal maniacs at a time when Marilyn
Monroe’s chest was the most scandalous
thing out there. Lehrer took classic folk and
pop melodies and turned them inside out
NYBURG, page 8
Bon appetit
Local bars and other venues provide a variety of entertainment
options for students staying in town for Thanksgiving weekend
BY AMY LICHTY
PULSE REPORTER
hanksgiving is usually associated with
JL course, family. Going home for Thanks
giving weekend is common for many students,
but some can’t go home because they live in
other states or countries, or they just don’t
want to leave. For those sticking around Eu
gene for the Thanksgiving weekend, for what
ever reason, there are events going on around
town to entertain.
Many bars around town will be closed for
Thanksgiving Day, but there are establish
ments ready to entertain no matter what. Cele
brate Tlirkey Day by time-traveling back to the
rockin’ ‘80s by going to Ladies ‘80s Night at Di
ablo’s and the Downtown Lounge or ‘80s
Night at John Henry’s. Both start at 10 p.m.
On Friday night, several bars and concert
venues in Eugene will be open to visitors. At
6 p.m., Luna will host Erik Muiderman, a Eu
gene-based singer and songwriter. At 8 p.m.,
Ritmo De La Noche hits the stage with its
Latin jazz beats. The cost is $5.
John Henry’s will be holding its Second
Annual Moustache Rally. The cost is only $2
turkey, cranberries, stuffing and, of
for everyone except those with a “stache,”
who will be admitted for $1.
Down at Diablo’s and the Downtown
Lounge, Motorama will play its revved-up
rock-and-roll sounds. The show begins
at midnight.
The McDonald Theatre Lounge is also
open Friday at 9:30 p.m. and will be featur
ing a live DJ.
Cafe Paradiso is also hosting some fun Fri
day evening. Americanistan and featured
dancer Deena present an “Evening of Music
and Dance” beginning at 8:30 p.m. American
istan performs original and traditional
melodies from the East on rare acoustic and
ethnic instruments such as the kanoon, oud
and harmonium, just to name a few. Add to
that Deena’s double veil dance for an evening
of fun and exotic belly dancing. The cost is
only $5. The show is for those 21 and over.
Near the campus area, the Oregon Ballroom
Dance Club is hosting a dance Friday evening.
Formal wear is optional, although leather
soled shoes are advised. Not knowing how to
dance is not a problem as hour-long lessons
are offered beginning at 7:30 p.m. The dance
EVENTS, page 8
Thanksgiving dinner made
easy with recipes and cooking
tips provided by local chefs
BY NATASHA CHILINGER1AN
SENIOR PULSE REPORTER
For some students, Thanks
giving dinner means taking a
break from simple college
apartment dinners and getting
spoiled by mom’s homestyle cook
ing. But for those who won’t be
going home this week, Thursday’s
meal can pose a big challenge.
Students who are staying in town
to tackle their own Thanksgiving
feasts have a variety of options for
making the dinner easy and cre
ative.
Preparation of the Thanksgiv
ing turkey might seem over
whelming, but knowing the se
crets of making a succulent
bird ahead of time can im
prove your results. Lane Com
munity College Executive Chef
John Onstenk said allowing
for adequate thawing and
cooking time, as well as letting
the turkey reach the correct tem
-» perature, is important. University
f Housing Chef Bill Town said that a
turkey isn’t fully cooked until its juices
run clear.
_ Onstenk mentioned that students need to
W avoid getting raw turkey juices near their faces
or on the countertops.
“Food safety is a big concern this time of
year; it’s when we see more food-born illness
es,” he said.
Town suggested easy recipes for stuffing
and gravy that don’t involve from-the-box
ingredients.
“For stuffing, get breadcrumbs and ground
sage and mix it with melted butter and chick
en stock,” he said. “My mother always put in
water chestnuts and mushrooms, and celery
and onions have always been stuffing main
stays. For turkey gravy, take the drippings
from the bottom of the pan and mix it with
flour and water.”
For a change of pace on Thanksgiving,
Town said lasagna, with a little pork sausage
mixed in with ground meat for extra spice, is a
great dish to serve.
“It’s simple, and it’s something all of us can
afford,” he said.
If a group of Thanksgiving diners are only
able to make it through half a turkey, they
might wonder what to do with all those left
overs. Besides turkey sandwiches for lunch
every day, the meat can be used for some cre
ative dinner options. Onstenk said turkey en
chiladas and turkey with dumplings are great
dishes, and Town suggested a turkey noodle
casserole with vegetables.
University graduate Nikki Ferguson took on
the task of preparing Thanksgiving dinner at
her friend’s apartment last year when neither
of them were able to make it home, and she
said the culinary aspect was very successful
with a little over-the-phone help from her
mother.
“We had a whole feast,” she said. “We had
turkey, homemade macaroni and cheese, stuff
ing, peach cobbler, green beans, mashed pota
toes and Franzia wine. I called my mom like 16
times that day.”
For students who want to take the easy way
out in the kitchen, there are a number of simple,
pre-made options. They can purchase a pre
cooked turkey breast which only needs to be
heated for an hour, canned vegetables and cran
berry sauce, instant potatoes and stuffing, frozen
biscuits, packaged turkey gravy and pumpkin pie
THANKSGIVING, page 8
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