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Sparks (Music)

 Sparks (Music)
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Sparks (Music)
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Influences: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Who, Irving Berlin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Igor Stravinsky, The Kinks, Charlie Chaplin, Gilbert and Sullivan, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Giorgio MoroderInfluenced: Kate Bush, Morrissey, They Might Be Giants, Nirvana, Björk, Ween, Sonic Youth, The Ramones, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Def Leppard, New Order, Faith No More, The Pixies, Franz Ferdinand, and "Weird Al" YankovicSparks are an American band who formed in 1970 in Los Angeles and are still active today. The band officially consists of only brothers Ron (keyboards, songwriting, questionable mustache) and Russell Mael (vocals), but over the years they have accumulated a large amount of ex-members and session musicians. The duo's style is characterized by their whimsically over-the-top songwriting, their funny, witty lyrics, Russell's falsetto, and a quirky stage presence which plays with the contrast between Russell's hyperactive attitude and Ron's deliberately stiff and taciturn stage persona. The quiet keyboardist/expressive lead singer combo would prove a major influence on Synth-Pop duos.The group initially formed under the name Halfnelson, but changed it to Sparks shortly after the release of their debut. After releasing two quirky, Zappa-esque albums that were largely ignored in their homeland, the Maels decided to try their luck on the other side of the Atlantic and relocated to England. It was there that they reached their critical and commercial peak in 1974 with third album Kimono My House, a fusion of glam-rock and dance-pop sensibilities with wry and clever stories, which spawned a surprise number two hit single with their Signature Song "This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both Of Us".They followed it up with Propaganda the same year and the more eclectic Indiscreet the next to continued success, after which they returned to the United States starting with the more straightforward Rock sound of Big Beat. During the next few decades they would go on to make over a dozen albums in which they would flirt with many different genres, including disco with No. 1 in Heaven (produced by Giorgio Moroder) and a New Wave/Synth-Pop period in the '80s (Angst In My Pants, Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat, Interior Design).They had brief resurgences of popularity (especially in Europe) with 1979's No. 1 in Heaven, 1980's Terminal Jive (which made them One Hit Wonders in France with "When I'm With You") and 1994's Europop-tastic Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins. The release of the New Sound Album Lil' Beethoven in 2002 (ahem) sparked renewed global interest and acclaim. Since then, the band has been making music that's a mocking combination of House Music, Progressive Rock, Baroque Pop and straight-up classical music. The new style paved the way for a productive decade that resulted in the rock-oriented follow-ups, Hello Young Lovers and Exotic Creatures of the Deep, as well as The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, a musical Ron and Russell composed for a Swedish radio station.The band underwent a Two Hands, One Mouth tour in 2012, stripping their music back to Ron's keyboards and Russell's vocals to great success. Their first live album, culled from the tour, followed in 2013. The Revenge of Two Hands, One Mouth Tour followed shortly after.In 2014 they formed FFS with their Post-Punk big-name fans Franz Ferdinand and released a self-titled album in 2015, followed by a tour. They released Hippopotamus in 2017, returning their sound to clever, literate (and often darkly humorous) pop.In 2021, they returned to the big screen as subjects of The Sparks Brothers, a biographical documentary directed by Edgar Wright, and the film Annette, a collaboration with director Leos Carax, with the pair writing the story, songs and music.In 2023, they re-signed with Island Records 49 years after their breakthrough on that label. Their 25th album, The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte, was released on May 26, 2023.Despite being criminally overlooked during much of their career, the duo are hugely regarded in musician circles (Morrissey, They Might Be Giants, Nirvana, Björk, Ween, Sonic Youth, The Ramones, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Def Leppard, New Order, Faith No More, The Pixies, Franz Ferdinand, and "Weird Al" Yankovic are some of their most notable admirers, and Jonathan Ross calls them "possibly the greatest band on the planet"), and their music was crucial to the development of Punk Rock, New Wave Music and Synth-Pop. Discography: Sparks / Halfnelson (1971) A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972) Kimono My House (1974) Propaganda (1974) Indiscreet (1975) Big Beat (1976) Introducing Sparks (1977) No. 1 in Heaven (1979) Terminal Jive (1980) Whomp That Sucker (1981) Angst in My Pants (1982) In Outer Space (1983) Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat (1984) Music That You Can Dance To (1986) Interior Design (1988) Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins (1994) Plagiarism (1997) - Cover Album/tribute album of their older songs Balls (2000) Lil' Beethoven (2002) Hello Young Lovers (2006) Exotic Creatures Of The Deep (2008) The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (2009) FFS (2015) - Self-titled album of collaborative band with Franz Ferdinand Hippopotamus (2017) A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip (2020) The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte (2023)
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DBTropes
 Sparks (Music) / int_159ce749
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Ensign Newbie
 Sparks (Music) / int_159ce749
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Ensign Newbie: The unwitting new owner in "Now That I Own The BBC."
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Always Someone Better
 Sparks (Music) / int_19d1c1ae
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Always Someone Better: "Lighten Up Morrissey" is about a guy whose crush isn't interested in him, because he's not enough like Morrissey.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_1b65dfad
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The Cameo
 Sparks (Music) / int_1b65dfad
comment
The Cameo: Earle Mankey's then-girlfriend appears at the beginning of "Biology 2" on their self-titled debut. Sparks appeared in the 1976 film Rollercoaster in place of Kiss, performing "Big Boy" and "Fill 'Er Up". The Go-Go's' Jane Wiedlin duets with Russell on "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You" in In Outer Space. Director Tsui Hark appears on, well, "Tsui Hark". Plagiarism features Faith No More, Erasure, and Bronski Beat's Jimmy Somerville. Inverted in 2004, where they did the vocals for Orbital's "Acid Pants" from The Blue Album. Ron and Russell themselves appeared on an episode of Gilmore Girls in 2006, playing a stripped-down version of "Perfume". On Hippopotamus director Leos Carax and opera singer Rebecca Sjowell duet with Russell on "When You're a French Director" and "Life with the Macbeths", respectively.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_1ba8eb64
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Visual Pun
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Visual Pun: The cover art for No. 1 in Heaven has a spark plug in the top right corner.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_1c5002bc
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The Stoic
 Sparks (Music) / int_1c5002bc
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The Stoic: Ron Mael is the absolute king of this trope on stage, preferring to perform completely stiff and facially flat or unnerving. Off stage he's about as smiley and affable as Russell, if a bit introverted.
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No Sympathy
 Sparks (Music) / int_1cf11f13
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No Sympathy: "Waterproof".
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 Sparks (Music) / int_1da5941e
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The Quiet One
 Sparks (Music) / int_1da5941e
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The Quiet One: Ron keeps the vocal duties to his brother. He made three spoken-word appearances ("Under the Table with Her", "Shopping Mall of Love", "Senseless Violins") before finally making his singing debut in The Seduction of Ingmar Burgman as a cab driver and a tour guide... nearly 40 years after the band formed. He speaks as much as Russell in interview situations though. He sings lead on one line in the FFS song "Collaborations Don't Work", although you can frequently hear him embedded in the backing vocals.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_22093e9b
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New Sound Album
 Sparks (Music) / int_22093e9b
comment
New Sound Album: Kimono My House began their Glam Rock era. Indiscreet incorporated orchestral arrangements, as well as Jazz and Big Band influences to the Kimono sound. Big Beat attempted a stripped-back, Protopunk Rock sound. Introducing Sparks attempted a sunny West Coast sound. No. 1 in Heaven began their Synth-Pop period, which also frequently included New Wave, Power Pop, or Electronic Dance music. Whomp That Sucker marked a return to rock, with some New Wave Music elements thrown in. Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins took the Electronic Dance up to eleven after a several-year hiatus, with a big 90's Eurodance influence. Lil' Beethoven began a Genre-Busting era which mixed Chamber Pop with dance music and Hip-Hop influences. FFS combined Spark's operatic and electronic Glam Rock with Franz Ferdinand's Post-Punk Dance Rock. Hippopotamus onwards mix-and-matches styles and sounds from all over the duo's catalogue, but with a focus on shorter, more catchy material than their ambitious releases from the 2000s.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_23b0d78
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Title Track
 Sparks (Music) / int_23b0d78
comment
Title Track: Propaganda, No. 1 in Heaven, Angst in My Pants, Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat, Music that You Can Dance To, Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violinsnote (albeit as two separate tracks book-ending the album), Balls, Hippopotamus and The Girl is Crying in Her Latte each have one.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_24b88e85
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Unwanted Assistance
 Sparks (Music) / int_24b88e85
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Unwanted Assistance: The title character of "Suzie Safety" is always helping and protecting the narrator from every little possible danger, and he's starting to resent it.
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Stage Mom
 Sparks (Music) / int_2978c012
comment
Stage Mom: "Talent Is An Asset" plays Albert Einstein's mother as this.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_2bd2b7b8
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List Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_2bd2b7b8
comment
List Song: "Perfume", of women and the perfumes they wear: "Ride 'Em Cowboy", of various stock phrases and cliches placed against their opposites: "Hippopotamus", of various things that end in 'us' that the narrator finds in his pool. These include the titular hippopotamus, a book by anonymous, a painting by Hieronymous Bosch, and even Titus Andronicus! "Things I Won't Get" lists both things that the narrator "won't get" as in not being able to possess them (e.g. an Oscar, a luxury car), and things that he "won't get" as in not being able to understand them ("String theory, thoughts on Satre and such")
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 Sparks (Music) / int_2e22f7d4
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Minimalistic Cover Art
 Sparks (Music) / int_2e22f7d4
comment
Minimalistic Cover Art: Kimono My House is a picture of two geisha girls against a green backgroundnote One of them, Michi Hirota, later contributed Spoken Word in Music to David Bowie's "It's No Game". The cover also didn't have text in its first pressing. Introducing Sparks is just a bust shot of Russell or Ron, depending on which side you're looking at, against a blue background with the album title. Said bust shots are combined in this page's image above. No. 1 in Heaven has a women in a white lab coat holding a microscope against a flat, white background. Balls is just a colored circle on a gradient background. Lil' Beethoven is mostly text except for a miniature Beethoven cartoon in the corner.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_3059a3a2
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Dual-Meaning Chorus
 Sparks (Music) / int_3059a3a2
comment
Dual-Meaning Chorus: "Without Using Hands" has a Title-Only Chorus that the verses give different contexts to. The first verse describes men and women meeting up under the shelter of the canopy of the Paris Ritz Hotel in the rain, planning to "love tonight, without using hands". In the second verse, a couple is showing off slides of their vacation at the same hotel to their kids; the children start misbehaving, and the father laments that "the only way children are punished, unlike old times, is without using hands". Finally, it turns out that during this vacation there was an explosion at the hotel - only the hotel manager had any serious injuries, and everyone else seems pretty unconcerned that he's "going to live his entire life... without using hands", implying he either suffered paralysis or loss of limbs.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_31df118
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Attention Whore
 Sparks (Music) / int_31df118
comment
Attention Whore: The subject of "Here Comes Bob", which details a man so desperate to have friends, he crashes his car into others. And buses. And mobile homes. And passenger trains.
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Gratuitous French
 Sparks (Music) / int_34f8042a
comment
Gratuitous French: "The Louvre", "Bon Voyage". Russell speaks very good French.
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Mister Seahorse
 Sparks (Music) / int_38e4b69d
comment
Mister Seahorse: "(She Got Me) Pregnant", taking the song's title literally. It's really about a guy dealing with the emotional consequences of a one-night stand.
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Handsome Lech
 Sparks (Music) / int_3a967286
comment
Handsome Lech: The narrator for "Ladies".
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Hormone-Addled Teenager
 Sparks (Music) / int_3b27cf16
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Hormone-Addled Teenager: "Amateur Hour".
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Punk Rock
 Sparks (Music) / int_3d1aadec
comment
Big Beat is stripped-down Rock centered on guitars and drums, which was partially inspired by the burgeoning Punk Rock movement in New York. Subverted with its last song "I Like Girls", which employs a full orchestra.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_3eb0f889
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Pun-Based Title
 Sparks (Music) / int_3eb0f889
comment
Pun-Based Title: Kimono My House is a pun on the title of the traditional pop song "Come on-a My House". Angst in My Pants is a pun on "ants in my pants". Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins is a play on "gratuitous sex and senseless violence". The individual songs "Gratuitous Sax" and "Senseless Violins" play the phrases literally.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_3f1f6c04
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The Cover Changes the Meaning
 Sparks (Music) / int_3f1f6c04
comment
The Cover Changes the Meaning: Their cover of The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" plays it maturely as opposed to the original's innocent teenage romance tone.
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Pie in the Face
 Sparks (Music) / int_41435fc2
comment
Pie in the Face: Ron is the victim of this on the In Outer Space cover and the video for its single, "All You Ever Think About Is Sex". He got it once more when they performed the album in full during their 21 Albums Tour.
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 Sparks (Music) / int_42c8293a
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Sibling Team
 Sparks (Music) / int_42c8293a
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Sibling Team: The Mael brothers. The band's first incarnation also included brothers Jim and Earle Mankey on bass and guitar.
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LongRunner
 Sparks (Music) / int_43273c71
comment
Long Runner: In 2023, Sparks (including Halfnelson) will have been a band for 55 years.note This includes their earliest incarnation, Urban Renewal Project, and the original Halfnelson A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing demo album, both from 1969.
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Ambiguous Gender
 Sparks (Music) / int_4510b368
comment
Ambiguous Gender: Russell in the early days. The operatic falsetto didn't help.
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Synth-Pop
 Sparks (Music) / int_48df825a
comment
Synth-Pop: Began with 1979's No. 1 in Heaven and ran until Balls in 2000. No. 1 in Heaven marks them as an influential example of the "fire and ice" Synth-Pop duonote passionate vocals set against cold synthesizers that grew to popularity in the 80s with bands like Yazoo and Soft Cell.
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Their First Time
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Their First Time: "Amateur Hour" advises that the first time isn't expected to go well, and that you need to practice at sex before you can get good at it.
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Holy Pipe Organ
 Sparks (Music) / int_4e6c80ca
comment
Holy Pipe Organ: In "As I Sit Down to Play the Organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral" (from Hello Young Lovers), the organ player resents that the congregation is too focused on worship to properly appreciate his performance, referring several times to how he's been "upstaged" by God.
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Kavorka Man
 Sparks (Music) / int_4f62bde6
comment
Kavorka Man: "Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls". In "Sigmund Freud's Party" (which Ron co-wrote for the Belgian group Telex), we see that Freud is renowned for trashing house parties and his sex exploits, taking a keen interest in a blonde "patient".
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Revolving Door Band
 Sparks (Music) / int_5033694a
comment
Revolving Door Band: In the situations where the Mael brothers have hired a backing band rather than session musicians, said group will change with every few albums. Backing band Bates Motelnote guitarist Bob Haag, bassist Leslie Bohem, and drummer David Kendrick and drummer Tammy Glover stayed with them for five albums eachnote Bates Motel: Whomp that Sucker through Music That You Can Dance To, Tammy Glover: Balls through The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, and guitarist Dean Menta for six.note Lil' Beethoven through Hippopotamus, as well as an Early-Bird Cameo on Plagiarism whilst still a member of Faith No More.
 Sparks (Music) / int_5033694a
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_5033694a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
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Sparks (Music) / int_5033694a
 Sparks (Music) / int_515eeccc
type
Sampling
 Sparks (Music) / int_515eeccc
comment
Sampling: Ur-Example with their 1969 demo and 1971 debut albums. The arrangements and sound effects were too complex to completely record live, so parts were recorded to tape then overlaid into the final mix later. The music for "Roger" in particular is composed similarly to Hip-Hop beats-making.
 Sparks (Music) / int_515eeccc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_515eeccc
featureConfidence
1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_515eeccc
 Sparks (Music) / int_51f90774
type
Step Up to the Microphone
 Sparks (Music) / int_51f90774
comment
Step Up to the Microphone: Ron provided brief spoken word sections in "Under the Table With Her" and "Senseless Violins". He nearly speaks every word in "Shopping Mall of Love," besides Russell, who sings the chorus. Then, he finally sang for The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman. Founding guitarist Earle Mankey sings "Biology 2" on their self-titled debut.
 Sparks (Music) / int_51f90774
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_51f90774
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_51f90774
 Sparks (Music) / int_56240281
type
Country Matters
 Sparks (Music) / int_56240281
comment
Country Matters: The protagonist of "Hasta Manana Monsieur" has this reaction when his foreign ladyfriend mentions reading Kant.
 Sparks (Music) / int_56240281
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_56240281
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_56240281
 Sparks (Music) / int_5791e14f
type
The Future
 Sparks (Music) / int_5791e14f
comment
The Future: "In the Future", natch.
 Sparks (Music) / int_5791e14f
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_5791e14f
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_5791e14f
 Sparks (Music) / int_5a268981
type
Three Chords and the Truth
 Sparks (Music) / int_5a268981
comment
Three Chords and the Truth: Big Beat is stripped-down Rock centered on guitars and drums, which was partially inspired by the burgeoning Punk Rock movement in New York. Subverted with its last song "I Like Girls", which employs a full orchestra. The Two Hands One Mouth and Revenge of Two Hands One Mouth tours consisted of only Russel's voice and Ron's keyboard, with all of the songs played minimalistically.
 Sparks (Music) / int_5a268981
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 Sparks (Music) / int_5a268981
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_5a268981
 Sparks (Music) / int_5d25f366
type
You Can Leave Your Hat On
 Sparks (Music) / int_5d25f366
comment
You Can Leave Your Hat On: The video for "I Predict", courtesy of Ron. In drag.
 Sparks (Music) / int_5d25f366
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_5d25f366
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1.0
 Sparks (Music)
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Sparks (Music) / int_5d25f366
 Sparks (Music) / int_5fe1360d
type
Audience Participation Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_5fe1360d
comment
Audience Participation Song: "Metaphor" is designed as one of these.
 Sparks (Music) / int_5fe1360d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_5fe1360d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
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Sparks (Music) / int_5fe1360d
 Sparks (Music) / int_6053dc28
type
Record Producer
 Sparks (Music) / int_6053dc28
comment
Record Producer: Have DIY-produced the majority of their records starting with In Outer Space. They have also made use of Todd Rundgren (Sparks), Muff Winwood (Kimono My House, Propaganda), Tony Visconti (Indiscreet), Rupert Holmesnote who later recorded "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" and Jeffrey Lesser (Big Beat), Terry Powell (Introducing Sparks), Giorgio Moroder (No. 1 in Heaven, Terminal Jivenote along with Harold Faltermeyer), Moroder associate Mack (Whomp That Sucker, Angst in My Pants), and John Congleton (FFS).
 Sparks (Music) / int_6053dc28
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_6053dc28
featureConfidence
1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_6053dc28
 Sparks (Music) / int_67eff7
type
Being God Is Hard
 Sparks (Music) / int_67eff7
comment
Being God Is Hard: "What The Hell Is It This Time?" deals with a God being plagued by rather banal demands as prayers.
 Sparks (Music) / int_67eff7
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_67eff7
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_67eff7
 Sparks (Music) / int_6917389
type
Supergroup
 Sparks (Music) / int_6917389
comment
Supergroup: Formed FFS in the mid-2010's with Scottish Post-Punk band Franz Ferdinand. They disassociate themselves from the "supergroup" label, emphasizing that FFS is an actual band.
 Sparks (Music) / int_6917389
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_6917389
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_6917389
 Sparks (Music) / int_6f77ef8e
type
Anti-Love Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_6f77ef8e
comment
Anti-Love Song: "Throw Her Away (And Get a New One)", "Confusion", "Eaten by the Monster of Love", "I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song". Pulling Rabbits out of a Hat and Hello Young Lovers alternate between this and Silly Love Songs. See also Anti-Christmas Song above.
 Sparks (Music) / int_6f77ef8e
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_6f77ef8e
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_6f77ef8e
 Sparks (Music) / int_7089d02e
type
All Germans Are Nazis
 Sparks (Music) / int_7089d02e
comment
All Germans Are Nazis: The narrator of "Girl from Germany" has parents who have this mentality when he brings his German girlfriend home to meet them.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7089d02e
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7089d02e
featureConfidence
1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7089d02e
 Sparks (Music) / int_7301ae04
type
Serial Killer
 Sparks (Music) / int_7301ae04
comment
Serial Killer: "National Crime Awareness Week" is sung from an inept killer's point of view as he taunts the police.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7301ae04
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7301ae04
featureConfidence
1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7301ae04
 Sparks (Music) / int_74149c93
type
Epic Rocking
 Sparks (Music) / int_74149c93
comment
Epic Rocking: "The Number One Song in Heaven", "Ugly Guys with Beautiful Girls" and "As I Sit to Play the Organ at the Notre Dam Cathedral" each pass seven minutes.
 Sparks (Music) / int_74149c93
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_74149c93
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_74149c93
 Sparks (Music) / int_771f6307
type
Brother–Sister Incest
 Sparks (Music) / int_771f6307
comment
Brother–Sister Incest: "Fa La Fa Lee" is sung from the point-of-view of a man who has sex with his sister.
 Sparks (Music) / int_771f6307
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_771f6307
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_771f6307
 Sparks (Music) / int_7833ecb3
type
Cat Up a Tree
 Sparks (Music) / int_7833ecb3
comment
Cat Up a Tree: "Here Kitty" is from the point of view of a fireman who has to rescue stuck cats, and ends up going after a tiger during a circus fire after its trainer offers to sleep with him.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7833ecb3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7833ecb3
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7833ecb3
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a35bf79
type
Historical Biography Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a35bf79
comment
Historical Biography Song: "Veronica Lake", which recounts the true story of the Hollywood starlet's fall from grace during World War II.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a35bf79
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a35bf79
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7a35bf79
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a82c3d2
type
All Love Is Unrequited
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a82c3d2
comment
All Love Is Unrequited: "Johnny Delusional" is about a guy obsessed with a girl even though he knows she's completely out of his league. Possibly bordering on Stalker with a Crush.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a82c3d2
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7a82c3d2
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7a82c3d2
 Sparks (Music) / int_7d276626
type
Siamese Twin Songs
 Sparks (Music) / int_7d276626
comment
Siamese Twin Songs: The title/intro song from Propaganda leads immediately into "At Home, At Work, At Play", and both are played together live.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7d276626
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7d276626
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7d276626
 Sparks (Music) / int_7f0f2e2
type
Recycled Title
 Sparks (Music) / int_7f0f2e2
comment
Recycled Title: Their second album, A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing, recycles its name from their first demo album as Halfnelson but none of the songs.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7f0f2e2
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7f0f2e2
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7f0f2e2
 Sparks (Music) / int_7febc23b
type
Establishing Character Moment
 Sparks (Music) / int_7febc23b
comment
"Fa La Fa Lee" is a Silly Love Song about incest. It's from their first album.
 Sparks (Music) / int_7febc23b
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_7febc23b
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_7febc23b
 Sparks (Music) / int_82518cf7
type
Motor Mouth
 Sparks (Music) / int_82518cf7
comment
Motor Mouth: Russell frequently is this, to name one example: B.C..
 Sparks (Music) / int_82518cf7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_82518cf7
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_82518cf7
 Sparks (Music) / int_82e40acf
type
Whammy Bid
 Sparks (Music) / int_82e40acf
comment
Whammy Bid: The subject of "Now That I Own the BBC", in one of the most delightfully preposterous auctions ever. The punchline is that the winning bid was a measly £5, but it still had the whammy effect.
 Sparks (Music) / int_82e40acf
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_82e40acf
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_82e40acf
 Sparks (Music) / int_8411ab92
type
Red Oni, Blue Oni
 Sparks (Music) / int_8411ab92
comment
Red Oni, Blue Oni: A major component of the band's public image is the contrast between the flamboyantly exuberant Russell Mael and The Comically Serious Ron Mael.
 Sparks (Music) / int_8411ab92
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8411ab92
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_8411ab92
 Sparks (Music) / int_8829dfa0
type
What the Hell Is That Accent?
 Sparks (Music) / int_8829dfa0
comment
What the Hell Is That Accent?: "Mid-Atlantic" is about a guy who refuses to date a woman because of her Mid-Atlantic accent.
 Sparks (Music) / int_8829dfa0
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8829dfa0
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_8829dfa0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8ae880f7
type
Deconstruction
 Sparks (Music) / int_8ae880f7
comment
Deconstruction: Lil' Beethoven is this to the Pop music format, condensing the songs to minimalist and repetitious structures.
 Sparks (Music) / int_8ae880f7
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8ae880f7
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_8ae880f7
 Sparks (Music) / int_8af7b342
type
Sibling Yin-Yang
 Sparks (Music) / int_8af7b342
comment
Sibling Yin-Yang: Deliberately played up by flamboyant frontman Russell and stodgy, button-down keyboardist Ron.
 Sparks (Music) / int_8af7b342
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8af7b342
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_8af7b342
 Sparks (Music) / int_8b442f50
type
Did Not Get the Girl
 Sparks (Music) / int_8b442f50
comment
Did Not Get the Girl / Failure Is the Only Option: A recurring theme in their songs. For just a few examples, "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" is about someone who is a romantic rival for a girl. Even though he imagines various movie-themed scenarios for challenging his rival, he never actually DOES anything. "Amateur Hour" is about failure at sex, "Édith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)" is about someone who's never accomplished anything, "When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'"?" is about never getting a fair shot...even their collaboration with Franz Ferdinand "Johnny Delusional" is somebody who explicitly feels they're not good enough to get the girl.
 Sparks (Music) / int_8b442f50
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8b442f50
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_8b442f50
 Sparks (Music) / int_8eb3d48f
type
Revisiting the Roots
 Sparks (Music) / int_8eb3d48f
comment
Revisiting the Roots: After decades of Electronic Music, experimental Chamber Pop, two tours of just voice and piano, and a collaborative album with Franz Ferdinand, Hippopotamus returns the band's style to literate and humorous Pop with musical elements taken from throughout their career.
 Sparks (Music) / int_8eb3d48f
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_8eb3d48f
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_8eb3d48f
 Sparks (Music) / int_9aaf8eca
type
Crippling Overspecialization
 Sparks (Music) / int_9aaf8eca
comment
Crippling Overspecialization: The narrator for "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" is desperately waiting for his big break, but he only knows the one song in the title.
 Sparks (Music) / int_9aaf8eca
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_9aaf8eca
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_9aaf8eca
 Sparks (Music) / int_9c8701b5
type
A Day in the Limelight
 Sparks (Music) / int_9c8701b5
comment
A Day in the Limelight: The narrator of "When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'" is desperately waiting for his.
 Sparks (Music) / int_9c8701b5
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_9c8701b5
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_9c8701b5
 Sparks (Music) / int_9e9c53ee
type
One-Man Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_9e9c53ee
comment
One-Man Song: "Roger", "Fletcher Honorama", "Here Comes Bob", "Angus Desire", "Sherlock Holmes", "Mickey Mouse", "(When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing", "Tsui Hark", "The Ghost of Liberace", "Lighten Up, Morrissey", "I Am Ingmar Bergman".
 Sparks (Music) / int_9e9c53ee
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_9e9c53ee
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_9e9c53ee
 Sparks (Music) / int_a040ed2e
type
Silly Love Songs
 Sparks (Music) / int_a040ed2e
comment
Silly Love Songs: Often, though not as much as Lyrical Dissonance Love Songs. Includes "Wonder Girl", "When I'm With You", "(When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing". Pulling Rabbits out of a Hat and Hello Young Lovers alternate between this and Anti Love Songs. "Fa La Fa Lee" is a Silly Love Song about incest. It's from their first album.
 Sparks (Music) / int_a040ed2e
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_a040ed2e
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_a040ed2e
 Sparks (Music) / int_a40533bb
type
Glam Rock
 Sparks (Music) / int_a40533bb
comment
FFS combined Spark's operatic and electronic Glam Rock with Franz Ferdinand's Post-Punk Dance Rock.
 Sparks (Music) / int_a40533bb
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_a40533bb
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_a40533bb
 Sparks (Music) / int_a7de3c30
type
Anti-Christmas Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_a7de3c30
comment
Anti-Christmas Song: "Thank God it's Not Christmas", combined with Anti-Love Song: a man dreads the Christmas season because he has to spend it with his dull wife. "Christmas Without a Prayer" is about a guy who's left out from the festivities.
 Sparks (Music) / int_a7de3c30
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_a7de3c30
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_a7de3c30
 Sparks (Music) / int_a8a4b41e
type
Not So Stoic
 Sparks (Music) / int_a8a4b41e
comment
Not So Stoic: Ron's on-stage character is stiff and taciturn. Occasional music videos and off-stage appearances have him smiling widely, and in person he's as affable as his brother.
 Sparks (Music) / int_a8a4b41e
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_a8a4b41e
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_a8a4b41e
 Sparks (Music) / int_aa4a4c57
type
Kids Rock
 Sparks (Music) / int_aa4a4c57
comment
Kids Rock : Used to great effect on "Please Don't Fuck Up My World."
 Sparks (Music) / int_aa4a4c57
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_aa4a4c57
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_aa4a4c57
 Sparks (Music) / int_b20fdfc8
type
Ur-Example
 Sparks (Music) / int_b20fdfc8
comment
Ur-Example with "(No More) Mr. Nice Guys" from their self-titled debut, which has a heavy Rock sound and a loud, feedback-laden guitar solo.
 Sparks (Music) / int_b20fdfc8
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_b20fdfc8
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_b20fdfc8
 Sparks (Music) / int_b53077b3
type
Take That!
 Sparks (Music) / int_b53077b3
comment
Take That!: "Rock 'n' Roll People In a Disco World" was one against their pure-rock peers hopping on the Disco bandwagon in the late '70s. "Suburban Homeboy" is a mockery of privileged youths who try to act street, set to a classy, vaudevillian orchestra arrangement. "What Are All These Bands So Angry About?" is one towards angsty rock bands whose complaints tend to be rather trivial in nature, and compares them to musicians from the past (such as Billie Holiday and Howlin' Wolf) who genuinely had something to be upset about.
 Sparks (Music) / int_b53077b3
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_b53077b3
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_b53077b3
 Sparks (Music) / int_b58c6c9d
type
Cover Album
 Sparks (Music) / int_b58c6c9d
comment
Cover Album: Plagiarism, a cover album of their own songs. It was recorded after the success of Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins to introduce their new German fans to their older music.
 Sparks (Music) / int_b58c6c9d
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_b58c6c9d
featureConfidence
1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_b58c6c9d
 Sparks (Music) / int_b8e3f20a
type
Demoted to Extra
 Sparks (Music) / int_b8e3f20a
comment
Demoted to Extra: Kimono My House-era bassist Martin Gordon was annoyed when he saw the final album pressing, as on the back the planned band photo had been replaced with a large colour photo of the Mael brothers, with him, guitarist Adrian Fisher and drummer Norman "Dinky" Diamond being relegated to smaller, black-and-white portraits.
 Sparks (Music) / int_b8e3f20a
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_b8e3f20a
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_b8e3f20a
 Sparks (Music) / int_bab8a625
type
Heavy Metal
 Sparks (Music) / int_bab8a625
comment
Heavy Metal: Ur-Example with "(No More) Mr. Nice Guys" from their self-titled debut, which has a heavy Rock sound and a loud, feedback-laden guitar solo. "Ugly Guys with Beautiful Girls" and "Dick Around" from the 2000s, with the brothers adding Faith No More touring guitarist Dean Menta to the backing band.
 Sparks (Music) / int_bab8a625
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1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_bab8a625
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1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_bab8a625
 Sparks (Music) / int_bc00493f
type
Precision F-Strike
 Sparks (Music) / int_bc00493f
comment
Precision F-Strike: "The Angels": "iPhone" and "Please Don't Fuck Up My World" as well.
 Sparks (Music) / int_bc00493f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_bc00493f
featureConfidence
1.0
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Sparks (Music) / int_bc00493f
 Sparks (Music) / int_bd798dd5
type
Thrill Seeker
 Sparks (Music) / int_bd798dd5
comment
Thrill Seeker: "Take Me for a Ride" is about a couple who spend their weekends going on high-speed car chases to alleviate their humdrum dayjobs.
 Sparks (Music) / int_bd798dd5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_bd798dd5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_bd798dd5
 Sparks (Music) / int_c1883f29
type
Crossdresser
 Sparks (Music) / int_c1883f29
comment
Cross Dresser: Ron in the album art for Angst in My Pants and the video for "I Predict".
 Sparks (Music) / int_c1883f29
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_c1883f29
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_c1883f29
 Sparks (Music) / int_c22e0b2
type
Revenge of the Sequel
 Sparks (Music) / int_c22e0b2
comment
Revenge of the Sequel: The Revenge of Two Hands, One Mouth Tour.
 Sparks (Music) / int_c22e0b2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_c22e0b2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_c22e0b2
 Sparks (Music) / int_c25c7890
type
Fun with Acronyms
 Sparks (Music) / int_c25c7890
comment
Fun with Acronyms: Their collab with Franz Ferdinand, as FFS (which can also stand for "for fuck's sake.")
 Sparks (Music) / int_c25c7890
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_c25c7890
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_c25c7890
 Sparks (Music) / int_c4b74656
type
One-Woman Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_c4b74656
comment
One-Woman Song: "Suzie Safety", "That's Not Nastassia", "Nicotina", "Madonna", "Frankly Scarlett, I Don't Give a Damn", "What Would Katharine Hepburn Say?", "Scheherazade", "Brenda is Always In The Way", "Édith Piaf Said It Better Than Me", "Veronica Lake", "The Mona Lisa's Packing, Leaving Late Tonight".
 Sparks (Music) / int_c4b74656
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_c4b74656
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_c4b74656
 Sparks (Music) / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Sparks (Music) / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: Several songs are shout outs to films, including two for Gone with the Windnote The Indiscreet outtake "Gone With the Wind" (later a Big Beat bonus track), and "Frankly Scarlett, I Don't Give a Damn" from Gratuitous Sax and one for Citizen Kane.note "Rosebud" from Music You Can Dance To Filmmaker Tsui Hark receives a simultaneous Shout-Out and The Cameo in "Tsui Hark" from Gratuitous Sax. "Orson Welles' promo men" is included in the alphabetical list of possible careers sung in the outro to "Occupation" from Introducing Sparks, between "nuns" and "quiz show host". "Madonna" is about a one-night stand with the famous singer. "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" references the Frank Sinatra song and Sid Vicious's infamous cover. "(When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing" namechecks the eponymous saxophonist as well as quoting the famous musical line "And the hills are alive with The Sound of Music". "Lighten Up, Morrissey" is a tribute to the eponymous singer. The song's narrator is being brushed off by his girlfriend because Morrissey is so much cooler than him. "Ladies" is this to several historical and contemporary (of the 70s) female figures.
 Sparks (Music) / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_c75df49a
 Sparks (Music) / int_ca834552
type
Self-Titled Album
 Sparks (Music) / int_ca834552
comment
Self-Titled Album: Their first album, which was also self-titled when the band were called Halfnelson. It was re-released as Sparks after the band changed their name.
 Sparks (Music) / int_ca834552
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_ca834552
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_ca834552
 Sparks (Music) / int_cd7ef676
type
Seen It All
 Sparks (Music) / int_cd7ef676
comment
Seen It All: Played for Laughs with "Nothing is as Good as They Say it Is", which is from the point of view of a newborn baby, who is already disenchanted with the world and begs to be returned to the womb.
 Sparks (Music) / int_cd7ef676
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_cd7ef676
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_cd7ef676
 Sparks (Music) / int_cff53786
type
Cover Version
 Sparks (Music) / int_cff53786
comment
Cover Version: "Do-Re-Mi", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", and "Fingertips". The album version of "Baby, Baby (Can I Invade Your Country)" is half original, half cover of "The Star Spangled Banner".
 Sparks (Music) / int_cff53786
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_cff53786
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_cff53786
 Sparks (Music) / int_d148b019
type
Mundane Made Awesome
 Sparks (Music) / int_d148b019
comment
Mundane Made Awesome: "Arts and Crafts Spectacular", from the Halfnelson A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing demo album, treats a gathering of kindergarten-level crafts with the excitement of a film premiere. This trope is a common hallmark of the band's lyrics, for example "Pineapple", "Moustache" and "Lawnmower".
 Sparks (Music) / int_d148b019
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_d148b019
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_d148b019
 Sparks (Music) / int_d45c0b86
type
Refuge in Audacity
 Sparks (Music) / int_d45c0b86
comment
Refuge in Audacity: The title of "So Tell Me Mrs. Lincoln Aside from That How Was the Play?" alone.
 Sparks (Music) / int_d45c0b86
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_d45c0b86
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_d45c0b86
 Sparks (Music) / int_d67aae8f
type
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
 Sparks (Music) / int_d67aae8f
comment
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: "The Ghost of Liberace" starts with this.
 Sparks (Music) / int_d67aae8f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_d67aae8f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_d67aae8f
 Sparks (Music) / int_d91f1429
type
Rockers Smash Guitars
 Sparks (Music) / int_d91f1429
comment
Rockers Smash Guitars: Spoofed during the Big Beat era, in which Ron would smash his piano stool at the end of each concert.
 Sparks (Music) / int_d91f1429
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_d91f1429
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_d91f1429
 Sparks (Music) / int_d99a228f
type
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
 Sparks (Music) / int_d99a228f
comment
Unusually Uninteresting Sight: The video for "All You Ever Think About is Sex" is of the band miming the song while Ron gets repeatedly pelted with pie. Nobody besides Ron reacts to it.
 Sparks (Music) / int_d99a228f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_d99a228f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_d99a228f
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfd6b8
type
Lyrical Dissonance
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfd6b8
comment
Lyrical Dissonance: Every other song. For example, "Here in Heaven" is a rocking, dramatic song about a failed suicide pact, and most of the songs on Big Beat are charged Protopunk Rock songs about something depressing, cynical, or irreverent.
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfd6b8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfd6b8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_dbfd6b8
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfe8427
type
Intercourse with You
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfe8427
comment
"Madonna" is about a one-night stand with the famous singer.
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfe8427
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_dbfe8427
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_dbfe8427
 Sparks (Music) / int_dea5fe1
type
Kubrick Stare
 Sparks (Music) / int_dea5fe1
comment
Kubrick Stare: Ron loves to do this whenever there's a camera nearby.
 Sparks (Music) / int_dea5fe1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_dea5fe1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_dea5fe1
 Sparks (Music) / int_dfb71617
type
Male Gaze
 Sparks (Music) / int_dfb71617
comment
Male Gaze: "The Final Derriere" involves a guy receiving extensive brain surgery in an effort to cure this, only to end up lobotamized by the end of the song.
 Sparks (Music) / int_dfb71617
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_dfb71617
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_dfb71617
 Sparks (Music) / int_e01e757e
type
Unplugged Version
 Sparks (Music) / int_e01e757e
comment
Unplugged Version: The Two Hands One Mouth live tour and its corresponding album, which comprises of stripped-down versions of older material accompanied with just a keyboard and Russell's voice.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e01e757e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e01e757e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e01e757e
 Sparks (Music) / int_e085feeb
type
Broken Record
 Sparks (Music) / int_e085feeb
comment
Broken Record: The majority of Lil' Beethoven is built around stock phrases and repetition. It is taken to an extreme with "My Baby's Taking Me Home" which, apart from a spoken word monologue, consists of nothing but the title recited approximately 104 times.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e085feeb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e085feeb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e085feeb
 Sparks (Music) / int_e0fecb51
type
New Wave Music
 Sparks (Music) / int_e0fecb51
comment
New Wave Music: Were influential Ur Examples of New Wave with their early energetic oddball records, at one point being threatened by an audience who thought they were part of "the dandy new wave". In the Eighties, they took part in the style from Whomp that Sucker through Interior Design alongside their developing Synth-Pop style.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e0fecb51
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e0fecb51
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e0fecb51
 Sparks (Music) / int_e3c20140
type
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
 Sparks (Music) / int_e3c20140
comment
As Long as It Sounds Foreign: "Hasta Manana Monsieur" depicts a man struggling to woo a girl in her native tongue. Unsure of her nationality, he takes random, wild stabs at every continent.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e3c20140
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e3c20140
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e3c20140
 Sparks (Music) / int_e54482ee
type
Keet
 Sparks (Music) / int_e54482ee
comment
Keet: Russell. But everyone looks excitable when standing next to Ron.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e54482ee
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e54482ee
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e54482ee
 Sparks (Music) / int_e624f0e8
type
Suspiciously Specific Denial
 Sparks (Music) / int_e624f0e8
comment
Suspiciously Specific Denial: "There's No Such Thing as Aliens". "A Love Story" is about a guy waiting in line at a club about to score drugs for his girlfriend, whilst constantly insisting they're for her and not him.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e624f0e8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e624f0e8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e624f0e8
 Sparks (Music) / int_e6dea5bf
type
Self-Backing Vocalist
 Sparks (Music) / int_e6dea5bf
comment
Self-Backing Vocalist: Russell does this a lot, such as on "Equator" and every song from the 2000s onwards.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e6dea5bf
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e6dea5bf
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e6dea5bf
 Sparks (Music) / int_e7466f83
type
Hell of a Heaven
 Sparks (Music) / int_e7466f83
comment
Hell of a Heaven: Played for dark laughs in "Here in Heaven", as the narrator is stuck waiting for his lover's far-off death after a failed suicide pact. The song provides the trope's page quote:
 Sparks (Music) / int_e7466f83
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e7466f83
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e7466f83
 Sparks (Music) / int_e91cc721
type
In the Style of
 Sparks (Music) / int_e91cc721
comment
In the Style of: Their cover of The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is in the style of Philadelphia Soul.
 Sparks (Music) / int_e91cc721
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_e91cc721
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_e91cc721
 Sparks (Music) / int_ea314e84
type
Ode to Food
 Sparks (Music) / int_ea314e84
comment
Ode to Food: "Pineapple", which is literally about, well, pineapples.
 Sparks (Music) / int_ea314e84
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_ea314e84
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_ea314e84
 Sparks (Music) / int_eb28ab57
type
Bound and Gagged
 Sparks (Music) / int_eb28ab57
comment
Bound and Gagged: The cover art for Propaganda.
 Sparks (Music) / int_eb28ab57
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_eb28ab57
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_eb28ab57
 Sparks (Music) / int_eca73f1
type
Power Pop
 Sparks (Music) / int_eca73f1
comment
Power Pop: Coincides with their Glam Rock and New Wave Music albums.
 Sparks (Music) / int_eca73f1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_eca73f1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_eca73f1
 Sparks (Music) / int_ecf2949f
type
Surreal Music Video
 Sparks (Music) / int_ecf2949f
comment
Surreal Music Video: "The Existential Threat", animated by - off all people - Cyriak Harris.
 Sparks (Music) / int_ecf2949f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_ecf2949f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_ecf2949f
 Sparks (Music) / int_ee9bf817
type
Sanity Slippage Song
 Sparks (Music) / int_ee9bf817
comment
Sanity Slippage Song: "The Existential Threat" from the A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip album, which is about someone losing their mind with paranoia. Cyriak's music video for it only further highlights this with his signature Deranged Animation.
 Sparks (Music) / int_ee9bf817
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_ee9bf817
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_ee9bf817
 Sparks (Music) / int_eef90616
type
Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick
 Sparks (Music) / int_eef90616
comment
Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: During the fade-out in "Occupation", Russell continues to list off various trades. Among these are "ladykillers", "undertakers", and "X-rated actors."note The full list is sung in alphabetical order as follows: actors, bombers, Cut Rate druggists, doughnut makers, elephant trainers, Greyhound drivers, hotelkeepers, hitmen, knights, Dukes of Earl, ladykillers, maids and nuns, Orson Welles' promo men, quiz show host and Royal family, saviours, trollops, undertakers, werewolves, witches, x-rated actors, yes men, Zorro. This is unoffical so feel free to challenge!
 Sparks (Music) / int_eef90616
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_eef90616
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_eef90616
 Sparks (Music) / int_f3faf1d4
type
Something Something Leonard Bernstein
 Sparks (Music) / int_f3faf1d4
comment
Something Something Leonard Bernstein: On the 70s material, Russell Mael frequently sings in such an odd falsetto that it can often be hard to discern any lines other than the title of the song. A good example is "Here In Heaven".
 Sparks (Music) / int_f3faf1d4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_f3faf1d4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_f3faf1d4
 Sparks (Music) / int_f4d8ac92
type
The Assimilator
 Sparks (Music) / int_f4d8ac92
comment
The Assimilator: "Eaten By The Monster of Love" describes men (and dogs!) being swallowed and spat out as sad creatures with "goo-googly eyes" and "sickly smiles." Resistance is futile for everyone except the narrator, who always narrowly dodges it.
 Sparks (Music) / int_f4d8ac92
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_f4d8ac92
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_f4d8ac92
 Sparks (Music) / int_f6b2bfb7
type
Gold Digger
 Sparks (Music) / int_f6b2bfb7
comment
Gold Digger: The narrator of "La Dolce Vita".
 Sparks (Music) / int_f6b2bfb7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_f6b2bfb7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_f6b2bfb7
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbc54605
type
Riches to Rags
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbc54605
comment
Riches to Rags: The protagonist of "Dick Around" works his way up to CEO of a major company until his wife leaves him, prompting him to lose the motivation that first got him to riches, and he falls back down dramatically until "all [he does] now is dick around".
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbc54605
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbc54605
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_fbc54605
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbd285b7
type
Comically Missing the Point
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbd285b7
comment
Comically Missing the Point: "National Crime Awareness Week" is about a criminal who thinks the titular week is a celebration of him.
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbd285b7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_fbd285b7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_fbd285b7
 Sparks (Music) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Sparks (Music) / int_name
comment
 Sparks (Music) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Sparks (Music) / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sparks (Music) / int_name
 Sparks (Music) / int_name
itemName
Sparks (Music)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Sparks (Comic Book)
seeAlso
Sparks (Music)
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Album Title Drop / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
All Germans Are Nazis / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Anti-Christmas Song / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
As Long as It Sounds Foreign / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Attention Whore / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Band of Relatives / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Cat Up a Tree / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Channel Hop / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Digital Destruction / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Dual-Meaning Chorus / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Everything Is an Instrument / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Firemen Are Hot / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Fluffy Cloud Heaven / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Geisha / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Glam Rock / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Hell of a Heaven / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Holy Pipe Organ / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
I Am the Band / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Kimono Fanservice / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Larynx Dissonance / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Long-Haired Pretty Boy / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Making Love in All the Wrong Places / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Medium Awareness / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Mobile Shrubbery / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Monochrome Past / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
New Sound Album / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
New Wave Music / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Not Big Enough for the Two of Us / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Overly Narrow Superlative / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Pie in the Face / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Power Pop / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Pretty Fly for a White Guy / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Progressive Rock / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Properly Paranoid / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Questioning Title? / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Remake Cameo / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Self-Backing Vocalist / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Self-Titled Album / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Senseless Violins / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Siamese Twin Songs / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sibling Team / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Sperm as People / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Suicide Pact / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Textless Album Cover / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
The Future Will Be Better / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
The Stoic / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Their First Time / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
This Is a Song / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Together in Death / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Two-Timing with the Bestie / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife / int_99922571
 Sparks (Music)
hasFeature
Wounded Gazelle Gambit / int_99922571
 NewWave
seeAlso
Sparks (Music)