# Best "Gimmick" Album? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831 "2018-05-26T00:42:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![betterlifethroughchemistry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/betterlifethroughchemistry/32/3094_2.png) [@betterlifethroughchemistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betterlifethroughchemistry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/1 "2018-05-26T00:42:40Z")
Yes, I know we have chipmunks, comic characters, etc., but I’m from the 60’s/70’s, grew up with the Partridge Family, and I have to say The Blue Brothers “Briefcase Full of Blues” is exemplary, it started as a gag with the amazing original Saturday Night Band, including Matt Guitar Murphy, Donald Duck Dunn, Blue Lou Martini, Steve Cropper, Mr. Fabulous, Murphy Dunne, Willie Hall, not to mention the original Jake and Elwood, they turned a gimmick into a serious blues album… [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31x1m6](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31x1m6) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/2 "2018-05-26T00:46:41Z")
Two of the Spinal Tap albums are pretty good. The music is good and the lyrics make you think about them. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/3 "2018-05-26T00:59:39Z")
[“All You Need Is Cash”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_You_Need_Is_Cash) by [The Rutles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rutles) has some wonderful parodies of Beatles songs. Songs include: [Ouch!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVFRgoQe86U) [Piggy in the Middle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKezWLZqRik) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/4 "2018-05-26T01:01:09Z")
An _a capella_ cover of the classic Who album [Petra Haden sings The Who Sell Out](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_Haden_Sings:_The_Who_Sell_Out) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/5 "2018-05-26T01:39:58Z")
Grown-up Me fully approves of the first three suggestions and thinks they’re going to be hard to beat. But Kid Me wants to suggest [Pac-Man Fever](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man_Fever_(album)), or maybe [Mickey Mouse Disco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxwK6fmOl88). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/6 "2018-05-26T01:50:45Z")
[This one](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimmick_(album)) by Barkmarket. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/7 "2018-05-26T02:13:49Z")
Ben Folds’ album with William Shatner - called [Has Been](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Has_Been) - is quite listenable. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/8 "2018-05-26T02:19:27Z")
[Band with racy name and talent](https://dangerousminds.net/comments/snatch_and_the_poontangs) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/9 "2018-05-26T02:24:26Z")
I quite like the album "“Having a Beard is the New Not Having a Beard” by The Beards. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/10 "2018-05-26T02:27:13Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [“All You Need Is Cash”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_You_Need_Is_Cash) by [The Rutles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rutles) has some wonderful parodies of Beatles songs. > > Songs include: > > [Ouch!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVFRgoQe86U) > [Piggy in the Middle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKezWLZqRik) Utopia’s “Deface the Music” has the same concept but better execution. https://www.youtube.com/embed/m9jUN24TWYk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLJo5diotc0oC7ehvnFlBVQRmbzYJmHP6J ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/11 "2018-05-26T04:01:01Z")
["Princess Leia’s Stolen Death Star Plans](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8s6sSjUyaxUk3mCUqiNuJiMNxs9QdthO)" is a parody of _Sgt. Pepper_, but it’s really well done. Using the original order of the songs on the Beatles’ album, they matched each song to the plotline of the original _Star Wars_ – not just lyrically, but in the tone of the songs, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Clothes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clothes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothes)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/12 "2018-05-26T04:21:12Z")
[The Templeton Twins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miTa6lnMF58) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/13 "2018-05-26T04:29:52Z")
Luther Wright & The Wrongs redid Pink Floyd’s The Wall in bluegrass. It’s very good and to top it off, before releasing it, they got Roger Waters’ blessing. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/14 "2018-05-26T14:23:51Z")
The Darkness - Permission to land. https://www.youtube.com/embed/jeRY-jxKuqA?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLF1E977B40017F0C6 https://www.youtube.com/embed/y-isI96eqGY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLF1E977B40017F0C6 https://www.youtube.com/embed/fGIcxeyWp_I?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLF1E977B40017F0C6 https://www.youtube.com/embed/sRYNYb30nxU?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLF1E977B40017F0C6 https://www.youtube.com/embed/z0Fa9ehnYTE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLF1E977B40017F0C6 I will let you search for all the other remaining tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/15 "2018-05-26T14:27:43Z")
'Not sure if it counts as a “gimmick” or not, but I’ve always loved [Kashmir: Symphonic Led Zeppelin](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kashmir-symphonic-led-zeppelin/4716608). ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/16 "2018-05-26T15:31:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Luther Wright & The Wrongs redid Pink Floyd’s The Wall in bluegrass. It’s very good and to top it off, before releasing it, they got Roger Waters’ blessing. I was gonna mention this–[here’s a taste](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qQQaHwfZ3w). It’s really good. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/17 "2018-05-26T15:47:15Z")
BlöödHag’s Necrotic Bibliophilia. A death metal album of nothing but biographies of famous science fiction writers. Wonderful, accurate, learned, hilarious mini-biographies. That you need a lyric sheet to understand a word of. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/18 "2018-05-26T16:19:12Z")
There was a band called Big Daddy that did modern songs (back in the '80s) as if they were songs from the '50s; _Sussido_ in the style of _Runaround Sue_, that sort of thing. It’s kinda fascinating, sometimes. They also did a version of Sgt. Pepper. Here’s [A Day in the Life](https://youtu.be/LMEAg3mUtyk) done as a Buddy Holly song. It works. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/19 "2018-05-26T18:00:12Z")
Of course the Blues Brothers were awesome - they had one of the best R&B bands ever put together, and both Ayckroyd and Belushi put their heart into it. Belushi even turned into a pretty good singer. I’ll give a shout-out to [Dread Zeppelin](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N2GY5O3tI-c), in which a 300lb Elvis impersonator and his band do Reggae-influenced covers of Led Zeppelin - that mostly work quite well. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831/20 "2018-05-26T19:47:57Z")
the 3 Golden Throats albums are funny , they are celebs singing , in most cases they are bad singers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-gimmick-album/814831.md?page=2)