Sounds Like Ween

A couple of months back Chris posted this on the /music channel on Farcaster. I mean – it’s not like I’m going to pass up an opportunity like that ;-p. I reached out and suggested a collaboration and was stoked when he said yes.

It’s been great fun getting an insight into the band, their music, and lore – if like me you kinda knew of the band but didn’t really – you’ll love this list – they’re great!

Flutes of Chi – Ween

Ok, let’s start off with Flutes of Chi.

Like a lot of Ween songs, the lyrics are poetry and open to interpretation. 

I’ve heard it said it may represent mental depression and the repetition of life. 

I see it kind of like hunting rabbits, where if you miss, you just sit back and wait and they’ll eventually come running around to you again. So, it’s more of an optimistic song to me than anything.

The groove points to “relax”

Could also interpret as death, because Death supposedly comes in threes.  

This is an old Ween song that went unreleased. White Pepper came out in 2000 and I think this song was played live since the mid 90s.

Ween is famous for changing genres, when it comes to their albums. White Pepper lands in the psych-pop territory. Almost a Beatles like sound.

Tomorrow Never Knows (2022 Mix) – The Beatles

I always listen to a track at least three times before trying to make an association. It’s weird how the choice gets made; sometimes it’s the lyrics, sometimes the melody, sometimes the instrumentation or production. There are so many variables that go into making that connection.

My impression of Ween is that they’re just smart motherfuckers out there having fun. Flutes of Chi makes me smile – everything comes in threes, and it’s in three-four time, but then lyrically yes – life, death, the holy trinity – 3’s a power number.  But tt was the tonal qualities that immediately made me think of the Beatles.

I always thought Tomorrow Never Knows was Harrison, but of course, it was a Lennon-McCartney track. I love the handoff from the end of “Flutes of Chi” into “Tomorrow Never Knows.” I have my Spotify set on a five-second crossfade, and that just brought a smile to my face. So yeah, this is cool – thank you ;-p.

The Golden Eel – Ween

The vocals in Tomorrow Never ends pointed me towards The Golden Eel.

Ween explored many styles and genres in their career but there are certain threads that were woven throughout. We’ll explore that as we work our way through the playlist. 

In this case a (half) open window into someone’s psychosis? Possibly sitting on the couch at 5:30 am smoking DMT talking to the eel? I don’t know.  It’s a challenge. I’m not sure if we’re even meant to figure it out. After all, he could not reveal the words of the eel. lol. 

I love the kinda janky solo in the middle.

Season of the Witch – Donovan

The percussion and guitar tone immediately set an anchor point, but it’s the ridiculousness of the lyric that has me grinning.  I remember being up in the mountains, smoking salvia and discovering the secrets of the universe and then being totally unable to share what I’d learned, (or remember tbh ;-p) – but that’s the thing about psychedelics and altered states – they rarely translate back into the straight world.

Donavan knew this, although he was more concerned about the expanding type of stimulants.  While weed & shrooms were accepted mind enhancements, it was the arrival of the white & brown powders that were muddying the waters.  Sonically The Golden Eel feels older than it is and Season of the Witch feels pretty evergreen for a track from the 60’s – with the long silence at the end of the Ween track – I think it sets the groove up pretty well ;-p

Joppa Road – Ween

I think I have the next one, I tried a bunch to follow that one. I think Joppa Road’s groove worked pretty nicely. It was the choice that made me smile the most. Fun song. Killer bass line.

Hug Trees – Tom Freund

Joppa Road’s been burrowing in my brain for weeks – it’s one of those tracks that feels quintessentially Ween to me – both melody and lyric hit me as light confections – a pleasant temporary treat to be experienced and discarded in one sitting, and yet… ;-p.   That drum groove opening – (I spent days trying to track down a memory of a similar groove opening ;-p) – then the upbeat “nonsense” lyric – beautifully executed with doubled vocals and that bass line – the spanish guitar solo – that bass lick towards the end – WTF is going on?!

And the lyric – like most things that stand the test of time – it’s simple – beautifully simple – who doesn’t want to go to Joppa Road?  I want to go to Joppa Road.  I want to be told I look great today – hell yes – how do you get there???

I did spend a day trying to find the opening groove that I just know is on another track and can’t for the life of me remember ;-p.  Likewise – the lyricaly sentiment had me reaching for Keen’s Somewhere Only We Know but it was wrong – both musically and lyrically – but then – after standing back I ended up going with a Tom Freud track.

I like it ‘cos the track has a similar sensibility to Joppa Road – it’s another simple confection that – on repeated listening has you nodding along going – yes – yes – this is pretty great: the opening drum groove – the beautiful descending guitar riff – throw in the harmonies – and the spoken word break down, and before you know it you’re looking round for a trunk to hug.

It’s also brilliant if you have young kids.

If You Could Save Yourself (You’d Save Us All) – Ween

I’m not too familiar with Freud. I see he’s been a long time collaborator with Ben Harper, I have seen Harper play a few times. There’s definitely a happy and pleasant mood.

Simple solutions to simple problems. It makes sense, break life down to the basic steps and happiness follows.

I chose If You Could Save Yourself (You’d Save Us All) as a bit of a juxtaposition to that. It also starts off kind of pleasant, but not really happy. It builds to a gut wrenching plea from someone who thought he had the answers but it turned out he was wrong.

The Fletcher Memorial Home – Pink Floyd

Love the piano on this track – had me spinning all over the place – but it’s the crazy ass song composition that just makes me grin – how they go from the verse to the chorus in a completey different key and indeed vibe – that would be challenging as hell to sing live and ensure you get the right note on the chorus hook!  And then lyrically – heh! ;-p. How dark do we want to go?!

Had so many tracks that jumped to mind – Radiohead’s Creep is the perfect transition but wasn’t “Ween” enough for me;-p. Bowie’s Five Years was definitely in the right space but I kept hearing Pink Floyd and opted from something from the lesser Known Final Cut – I like to think the subject of “If You Could Save Yourself…” would fit in well at the Fletcher memorial Home.

The Stallion (Pt. 3) – Ween

Well, I figure this is a good time to talk about Boognish.

In the lore of Ween, boognish was an “entity” that appeared to Dean and Gene when they were just 14 years old. He’s a demon-god, possibly insane. 

Ween are the outlet through which boognish expresses himself to the world, speaking in “tongues” of various music styles, country, funk, sludge, drone.  

He first spoke to them through am transistor radio. 

The reason I brought him in now, as it relates to the Fletcher Memorial Home because waters wants to institutionalize the political leaders of the time as insane. 

The Stallion is kind of a prophet of boognish and pt.3 is the song where Boognish is directly addressed the most, so that’s why I went with pt.3. 

Boognish will likely reappear in the list.

I guess as I am listening to this over a few times I’m reminded of how pretentious Waters can be, the assumption that everyone has to agree with his opinion. I’m probably wrong there, I’m sure he’s open to dialog but Waters is a legendary curmudgeon and opinionated to say the least. 

He really is a Stallion like character. 

A god like ego.

Explosivo – Tenacious D

I just sat and listened to all 5 stallions in a row – I think I’m slightly different now than I was back then;-p. The world is mad – certainly Ween’s world is, and I’m so here for it.  I love the lore of Boognish – that they’ve managed to build this over the years – different albums and live performances – and that he’s such a thing that he needs to be introduced at this point of the playlist – it’s brilliant – that Demon’s a genius ;-p

I think it was the vocal character and indeed the fantastic nature of the concept that led me to early Tenacious D – I remember being in Amsterdam with my wife during a winter – taking Shrooms and watching Tribute on MTV – and then just cracking up over the album – couldn’t resist going with Explosivo – not least for the initial nod to the faithful steed! ;-p

(And yes, Waters is an interesting cat – a god like ego indeed – it always cracked me up how he was “shocked” that Pink Floyd didn’t cease to exist after he left – the whole Live Aid thing was cool of the rest of the band but yeah – sonically I love most of the music but lyrically he does get rather preachy ;-p)

Up on the Hill – Ween

Soon as I heard it, I knew it had to be something from God Ween Satan. Birthday Boy is probably my favorite on that record. It’s kind of “brown” on the studio version (more on brown later) Live, that song is really sweet. You can hear the beautiful melody even through all the distortion they were using then. 

Up On The Hill matches Tenacious D sonically and thematically. Plus….Boognish

Another Celebration at the End of the World – Mammoth

Looking forward to learning gmore about “Brown”;-p. Just love the absurdity – the vocal doo wops and then the full on electrified version – such a classic blues feel and the tone of the guitar – it’s so Ween that sonically they could sit in with any band in the world yet they use their talent to create something so batshit crazy it’s awesome.

I’m beginning to get the Boognish vibe – I like the idea of a manic force subtly manipulating things in the background with a sense of impending – well – not quite dread but – certainly chaos.  But he’s not quite here yet – he’s coming – for sure – the excitement is building – soon – it might be time for him to take the throne!

Sorry Charlie – Ween

Brown is a feeling. It can be low-fi, absurd, off-kilter even grotesque and terrible but in a good way. It’s bad until it’s good. 

It’s 4-track recording, it’s recording over your bootleg copy of Pink Floyd echos and leaving behind a few chunks of what you were recording over.  It’s bad drum machines and random samples. 

It’s ugly beauty. 

Wasn’t sure if mammoth was your choice but either way, went for Sorry Charlie from The Pod, one of the “brownest” commercial ween records. (They had their cassette years before being signed and that was all brown as fuck)

Sorry Charlie contrasts the Mammoth song by being the anti-polish. Where mammoth is music done in likely many takes to get to a perfect sound, Ween comes across more straight from demo to final product.

It’s sitting on the couch after the End of The World party and feeling, well kinda brown.

Put a Banana in Your Ear – Jason Steele

Brown is now making sense ;-p. Mammoth was the choice previously for the whole impending ascencion to the throne – WVH might not be Boognish but he’s still pretty powerful ;-p

I don’t know if you ever saw the Charlie Goes to Candy Mountain video – https://youtu.be/_yJCNNwHUOE?si=h7yzMBx32VDSkPYk  – “Shun The Non-Believer!” – ;-p. but my mind went straight to it and well – it’s not so much Brown as ridiculous and fits quite nicely ;-p

Bananas and Blow – Ween

I had planned to avoid Bananas and Blow. It’s one of their more well known tunes and I was hoping to use deep tracks as much as possible. You brought up bananas though so pretty much had to add it :).

Boyz In The Hood – Dynamite Hack

Avoiding bananas and blow is just generally strong advice ;-p. Another ridiculously hooky chorus that yeah – you probably don’t wanna be singing out loud to but can’t help yourself.

I was dialing in the music – the tropical almost margaritaville vibe but then realized it really had to be more about the lyric.  This is my favorite version of Boyz In The Hood – and to me, very “Weeny” in that musically it’s excellent – the harmonies at the end!!! ;-p

Help Me Scrape the Mucus off My Brain – Ween

Nice!

Was getting worried I wasn’t going to get to 12 Golden Country Greats (theres only 10 songs on the record), wasn’t finding the right opening. A countrified version of Boyz in the Hood is perfect.

Ween went to Nashville to record this record with some old school studio musicians and even took them on the road. It was made (to me) during the absolute shittiest period of country music. It was gross in the mid 90s. Terrible. So what does ween do? Makes a country record. Top to bottom, it’s really probably one of their best. It’s what hooked me.

Since we have this little party subtheme happening now, the party is over, Help Me Scrape the Mucus Off My Brain

Broke – Scott Lavene

I’ve never spent more time giggling to myself when making a playlist ;-p. I just love this!

My first “proper” music gig was as the MD on a Country project in the aughts – fortunately they wanted a more retro sound – my pre gig homework was to go listen to the catalogs of Patsy Cline,Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton – you’d come out of those listening sessions and go and listen to Shania or Toby Keith and just – yeah – wasn’t the best decade for Country – though, to be fair – it hasn’t really recovered ;-p

But I do like the character in mucus – nothing like waking up in the morning and knowing you fucked up ;-p. It’s something that the character in Broke can relate to – in fact – it’s possible they’re the same person ;-ppp

Monique The Freak – Ween

Country music is absolutely phenomenal right now, at least the bluegrass scene. Billy Strings rules the world atm. 

I’m starting to panic, we’re getting close to the end and I am doing my best to give a taste of all aspects of the band but still feel a couple tracks away. 

There are two major influences of the band that haven’t really surfaced. Maybe a little in Joppa Road but funk is one of the Boognish’s tongues. 

Where the last two songs were “I fucked up” jams, Monique The Freak is all about confidence.

Oh yeah, Sturgil Simpson, that guy is classic country. One of my favorites  The modern Waylon. Charley Crockett is really good as well.

Funky Cold Medina – Tone-Loc

Is there a groove they can’t play ;-p. I mean – the obvious response to Monique would be any of Prince’s more salacious tracks – Darling Nikki comes to mind – but considering they use the iconic drum fill a few times in the track and that her “voice is deep” – it could only be Ton Loc’s problematic ode to date rape! ;-p

As for Country – yes – you’re right – there are now plenty of great acts – Sturgill Simpson is a great example – his gig at Austin City Lights with his amazing guitar player was epic – Listening To The Rain was a stand out. A few months ago I was driving down from Sacramento to LA – going through the central valley and station hopping on the radio and came across a Country station and it was the same bland crap  – what we used to call “pass the hat” music – same song structure – same instrumentation – same talk about engines and feelings.  But yes – that’s one data point in a world of almost infinite music ;-p

Woman And Man – Ween

Well, Monique-Funky Cold-Woman and Man is from La Cucaracha. 

It starts off super Ween weird but builds into an absolute epic. There’s one band this song absolutely screams but I won’t say it yet 😉

Man-Erg (Remastered 2021) – Van Der Graaf Generator

I was going say Fela – but did end up with Santana ;-p

Woman And Man is absolutely batshit crazily mental and awesome and everything that I find to be excellent about Ween!  After the journey we’ve been on, it feels right to end reflecting on the whole “point of it all.”  I like Ween’s imagery of the duality – derived from nothing – and how collaboration and cooperation between that duality is essential for – well – for a good life.

I’m ending with a similarly batshit crazy track from 70’s stoners VDGG – I can’t remember how I ended up owning this album but I do remember loving this track.  This time the duality’s on the inside – not even a duality – the idea that there are many different versions of us – all competing to be seen and manifest.  And maybe there is no single idea of who we are – maybe we are all these people – all these men and woman – maybe we’re all inexorably moving back to the one.

Boognish probably knows but from what little I know of him – he’s certainly never going to tell.

This has been an absolute trip – I loved every second of making this list – and also feel that I’ve got to know a little about this amazing band – thank you Chris.

Track Listing

• Flutes of Chi – Ween
• Tomorrow Never Knows (2022 Mix) – The Beatles
• The Golden Eel – Ween
• Season of the Witch – Donovan
• Joppa Road – Ween
• Hug Trees – Tom Freund
• If You Could Save Yourself (You’d Save Us All) – Ween
• The Fletcher Memorial Home – Pink Floyd
• The Stallion (Pt. 3) – Ween
• Explosivo – Tenacious D
• Up on the Hill – Ween
• Another Celebration at the End of the World – Mammoth
• Sorry Charlie – Ween
• Put a Banana in Your Ear – Jason Steele
• Bananas and Blow – Ween
• Boyz In The Hood – Dynamite Hack
• Help Me Scrape the Mucus off My Brain – Ween
• Broke – Scott Lavene
• Monique The Freak – Ween
• Funky Cold Medina – Tone-Loc
• Woman And Man – Ween
• Man-Erg (Remastered 2021) – Van Der Graaf Generator

We’ve taken an image of Boognish from theinternet and are hoping we can use it under this CC license under fair use. If that’s not cool – please let us know and we’ll swap it out.