Are a Drag

• Artist: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• Rating:
• Release Date: May 04, 1999
• Total Time: 25:58
• Genre: Rock

Review

Though it doesn't sound like a brilliant idea, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, an all-star cover band dedicated to regurgitating punk rock-style the most frothy music in their parents' record collections, are actually extraordinarily entertaining and can make the likes of John Denver and Barry Manilow sound not so bad. The lineup includes Fat Mike of NOFX, the guitarist from the Foo Fighters, a couple of the guys from Lagwagon, and Spike Slawson, the Gimmes' sweet-voiced singer, who also plays bass for the Swingin' Utters. On their second record, Are a Drag, the Gimmes tackle all of their parents' favorite showtunes, claiming homage rather than satire. Most of their choices are songs that anybody even remotely into musicals knows by heart. Their cover of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" has more choruses than the original, rocks pretty damn hard, and is certainly worthy of a swirling slam pit. Though it's not as wild as John Coltrane's version, the Gimmes' "My Favorite Things" is raging enough to send Julie Andrews swan diving off the stage into a sea of sweaty punkers. They mess with the jazz standard "Summertime" by Gershwin, adding some fine surfy leads to a song that's been played a million times over. Also, there's their furious rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera." On Are a Drag, the Gimmes succeed at playing showtunes that punk kids can dig, no small feat. ~ Adam Bregman, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Over the Rainbow	E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Harold Arlen	Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(1:31)
Don't Cry for Me Argentina (Lyrics)		Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(2:29)
Science Fiction/Double Feature		Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(2:34)
Summertime	George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Ira Gershwin	Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(2:09)
Favorite Things (Lyrics)	Richard Rodgers	Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(1:52)
Rainbow Connection (Lyrics)	Paul Williams, Kenny Ascher	Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(2:18)
Phantom of the Opera Song (Lyrics)		Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(1:45)
I Sing the Body Electric (Lyrics)		Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(1:43)
It's Raining on Prom Night		Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(2:56)
Tomorrow (Lyrics)	Edward C. King, Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, Mark Weitz	Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(1:30)
What I Did for Love (Lyrics)	Edward Kleban, Marvin Hamlisch	Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(1:46)
Stepping Out (Lyrics)		Me First and the Gimme Gimmes	(3:25)

Credits

Adam Krammer (Engineer), Spike Slawson (Vocals), Ryan Greene (Engineer), Karina Denike (Vocals), Joey Cape (Guitar), Fat Mike (Bass), Spike Slawson (Vocals (Background)), Jackson (Guitar), Dave (Drums)

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