This musical spin-off of the animated television series retained the same skewed-life humor that made the show a hit and tried to instigate a dance craze ("Do the Bartman"). Not really a comedy album, though it certainly contains funny moments ("Look at All Those Idiots," "Deep Deep Trouble"). Despite its smart-ass front, it sneaks in some subversive musical education, too: no album that includes Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child," Randy Newman's "I Love to See You Smile" and a parody of King Curtis's "Memphis Soul Stew" (redone as "Springfield Soul Stew") can be all bad. ~ Brian Mansfield, All Music Guide
Brian Mann (Accordion), Dr. John (Piano), Buster Poindexter (Vocals), John Sebastian (Harmonica), Joe Walsh (Guitar), Joe Walsh (Slide Guitar), John Capek (Keyboards), John Capek (Programming), John Capek (Keyboard Programming), Kim Richmond (Sax (Alto)), Tom Scott (Sax (Tenor)), Andrew Gold (Guitar), Andrew Gold (Guitar (Rhythm)), Marcy Levy (Harmony Vocals), Michael Thompson (Guitar), Michael Thompson (Guitar (Rhythm)), Bryan Loren (Instrumental), Bryan Loren (Vocals (Background)), Bryan Loren (Producer), Bryan Loren (Engineer), Bryan Loren (Mixing), The Simpsons (Main Performer), Lisa Angelle (Harmony Vocals), Gerry Beckley (Programming), Michael Botts (Drums), John Boylan (Programming), John Boylan (Producer), John Boylan (Sampling), Alexandra Brown (Harmony Vocals), Rosemary Butler (Harmony Vocals), Emilio Castillo (Sax (Tenor)), David Cole (Vocals), Victor Emanuel Cooke (Assistant Engineer), Victor Emanuel Cooke (Assistant), Richard Cottrell (Engineer), DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Scratching), DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Keyboards), DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Producer), DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Drum Programming), Guy DeFazio (Engineer), George Doering (Guitar (Acoustic)), Chuck Domanico (Bass (Acoustic)), Kevin Dukes (Guitar (Rhythm)), Bob Glaub (Bass), Steve Grove (Sax (Tenor)), Paul Grupp (Engineer), Mick Guzauski (Engineer), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Guitar), B.B. King (Guitar), Nick Lane (Trombone), Julie Last (Assistant Engineer), Mark Leonard (Bass), Mark Leonard (Fretless Bass), Steve Madaio (Trumpet), Roger McGuinn (Banjo), Brian Mendelsohn (Synclavier), Doug Norwine (Sax (Baritone)), Timothy B. Schmit (Harmony Vocals), Duane Seykora (Assistant Engineer), Duane Seykora (Assistant), Stephanie Spruill (Harmony Vocals), Barton Stevens (?), Barton Stevens (Assistant Engineer), Barton Stevens (Assistant), Barton Stevens (Shouts), Brett Swain (Assistant Engineer), Brett Swain (Assistant), Ron Taylor (?), Lee Thornburg (Trumpet), Wally Traugott (Mastering), Maxine Willard Waters (Harmony Vocals), David Woodford (Sax (Tenor)), Harry Shearer (?), Carol Farhat (Score Supervisor), Stephen Kupka (Sax (Baritone)), Michael Hart Thompson (Guitar (Rhythm)), Ernie Rose (Engineer), Lee Thornberg (Trumpet), Greg Adams (Trumpet), Lester Cohen (Photography), Bill Merryfield (Producer), Bill Merryfield (Design), Jai Winding (Piano), Jai Winding (Keyboards), Jai Winding (Programming), Jai Winding (Associate Producer), Jai Winding (Keyboard Programming), Jai Winding (Assistant Producer), Jesse Kanner (Engineer), Jesse Kanner (Assistant Engineer), Jesse Kanner (Assistant), Julia Tillman (Harmony Vocals), John Chamberlin (Assistant Engineer), John Chamberlin (Assistant), Julie Kavner (Vocals), Bleeding Gums Murphy (Vocals), Jeff Rach (Assistant Engineer), Jeff Rach (Assistant), Laurie Rox (Shouts), Richard Voltrop (Shouts), Teri Weigel (Vocals), Teri Weigel (Production Coordination), Matt Groening (Percussion), Matt Groening (Vocals), Matt Groening (Sampling), Bob Cobban (Engineer), Dan Castellaneta (Vocals), DJ Jazzy Jeff (Scratching), DJ Jazzy Jeff (Keyboards), DJ Jazzy Jeff (Drum Programming), John Moyer (Engineer), Nancy Cartwright (Vocals), Yeardley Smith (Vocals), Maggie Simpson (Percussion)
The Simpsons Sing the Blues is the 1990 album released as an offshoot of The Simpsons. The album contained originally recorded music not featured in the series save for the first verse of the track "Moaning Lisa Blues" which was first featured in the episode Moaning Lisa, aired February 11 1990.
An early musical number, "Do the Bartman", leads the album as the first track and the first single released. It was an international success, including being the UK number one single on February 16, 1991, staying there for a further two weeks being certified Gold after selling over 400,000 copies.[1] This was over 5 years before the show was actually shown on mainstream British TV, though it had premiered on the satellite channel Sky One in 1990. The album was released in the same month, and reached number six. This song is considered a style parody.
Though "Bartman" was hugely popular on North American radio and video music channels, it was not released commercially as a single.
The album The Simpsons Sing the Blues was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest charting Simpsons album.[2] On February 13, 1991 it was certified 2x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[3]
The album was also a success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at #6 on the country's albums chart. The album was eventually certified Gold in the UK.
