I met Robbie once and asked him about this song as I too thought he was taking the piss out of the band. He disagreed vehemently and told me that the song came from he and his band listening to FOW on the tour bus, marveling at the effortless hooks, riffs and progressions. They imagined that with talent so rich, of course they would open a resource line for struggling composers to help hone their craft. He actually got a bit pissed at me for assuming otherwise and I suppose being more than a few beers in didn't help me sound coherent. Anyway, it's definitely a tribute, not a dis, as told to me from the man himself. RIP Adam. You will be missed. So sad.
That bit about RF getting prickly is how we know this anecdote is true! But yeah, it's hard to conceive of a more Fulksian compliment for a fellow songwriter than this song, I reckon.
Apparently Fountains of Wayne heard he was doing this song and threatened to sue him and then realized it was actually a tribute to them. I think was put out as a single.
Here’s where the songwriting genius of Robbie Fulks and the late Adam Schlesinger fully intersects - in the tiny throwaway detail of committing to just one more rhyme where it’s not required or expected, but somehow powers the lyric perfectly. I’m speaking, of course, of the word “down.” “Now I’ve racked my brain And I’ve looked all around But I can’t find a way To freshen my sound Who do you call When you’re *down* To one musical dime?” That shit is sublime right there.
@@brianpanulla7061 Even better, the guy who voiced that is actually named Gerald. I have known Gerald Dowd (a Chicago drummer who occasionally backs Dowd live) for about 10 years, and that bit is vintage Dowd.
Been listening to this song for YEARS and that line makes me laugh out loud to this day. My friends and family have also told me that I have morphed into Grant. I used to be Gerald. I swear.
I was so sad to see the news and the first article I saw that somehow managed to say that FOW was a one-hit-wonder. I immediately thought of this song and that no "one-hit-wonder" gets a song like this written for them.
@@robayre I mean...let's not pretend that Fountains of Wayne was NOT a one-hit wonder. They had one hit, that everybody knows. That's a one-hit wonder. There's no shame in that. You can be a great band full of musical geniuses and still be one-hit wonder, that's OK.
@@Raulbikcube I mean...I guess it depends on your definition of hit. Pick 100 people off the street and ask them to name a second FoW song and how many would you think say "Rradiation Vibe"?
First time I heard this song my mind was BLOWN, it was like watching 2001 in the theater in 1968, or hearing Sgt Pepper in stereo for the very first time --- also in 1968
On top of all Robby Fulks' other dimensions of highly discerning and brilliant smartassery, he totally cops Chris Collingwood's sound and vocal nuances here. Damn but those guys (Adam and Robby) are/were smart and good at their craft. I stand in awe.
News of Adam Schlesinger’s hospitalization for COVID-19 led me to revisit this track. I love how Robbie Fulks breaks it down - to me it has always seemed like a tribute, not a put down. I hope Adam recovers. Stay healthy, everyone!
Grant: "...That 9th, is that telegraphed or is that just gratuitous coloration..." Robbie; "A bit of both, actually" Grant, between dismissive and impressed: "Oh-hh!"
Best part of the song! Or at least the funniest :-) I can imagine myself sounding like that if I had to work the same job for 15 years, haha. Even an awesome one like that - wish it existed for real! Would certainly beat the hell out of my last corporate slave job! Make it happen, Adam :-)
It only has palm muted guitar and lead vocals - in this case broken down means the same thing as stripped down. Often mid-song breakdowns (hence broken down) have that stripped back sound before a band comes in for the final hurrah.
I happen to think BOTH Robbie Fulks and Adam Schlesinger are geniuses, so it's a bit disconcerting to see Robbie skewer Adam so skillfully and accurately here. That said, I don't think it is meant maliciously, it's just he definitively dissects the FoW formula.
And its not like FOW are even that one dimensional at all in terms of songwriting formula compared to most bands out there, popular or otherwise. I actually wish they'd use this formula more (not that I understand it...I'm an aspiring/wannabe songwriter just starting with guitar and "music theory", so most of the words go completely over my head - didn't realize power pop was rocket science!) lol Plus, Adam could just as easily write a song skewering country music cliches, I'm sure (probably already been done many times over, though). But yeah, big FOW fan and I love this song, sounds just like them (wish it was theirs), so I'd like to think its a loving tribute :-) Have to admit I'm not familiar with Fulks outside this song...does his voice always sound just like Chris Collingwood? If all his songs are this good, I'd love to check out more :-)
I've listened to this song countless times and up till today I always considered the reading of "Oh that Gerald" to be Grant's exasperation at Gerald always employing (and therefore overusing and rendering cliche) the Radical Dynamic Shift. But upon this listen I thought more about the the 7 Geralds line and for the first time it occurred to me that Grant is only now identifying which Gerald. I still think I might be right, that it's "oh that GERALD" not "oh THAT Gerald" because Grant is a burnout, probably a liar and certainly an exaggerator, so when he says "We've got about 7 Geralds here" he's really just talking trash
Grant’s sighs still kill me in 2024. Been a musician for almost 50 years and this song makes me and non musicians laugh.
I met Robbie once and asked him about this song as I too thought he was taking the piss out of the band. He disagreed vehemently and told me that the song came from he and his band listening to FOW on the tour bus, marveling at the effortless hooks, riffs and progressions. They imagined that with talent so rich, of course they would open a resource line for struggling composers to help hone their craft. He actually got a bit pissed at me for assuming otherwise and I suppose being more than a few beers in didn't help me sound coherent. Anyway, it's definitely a tribute, not a dis, as told to me from the man himself. RIP Adam. You will be missed. So sad.
That bit about RF getting prickly is how we know this anecdote is true! But yeah, it's hard to conceive of a more Fulksian compliment for a fellow songwriter than this song, I reckon.
You can find videos of youtube of him doing basically half a show's worth of FOW covers. He definitely loves FOW. As we all should.
Apparently Fountains of Wayne heard he was doing this song and threatened to sue him and then realized it was actually a tribute to them. I think was put out as a single.
No dis has this depth
Thanks for the explanation. I too thought it was a dis. Glad to see it’s not. Whatever way you take it, it’s really funny.
can't tell you how many times i've deployed the radical dynamic shift thanks to this ♡
I love a good radical dynamic shift!
Gonna do it now! 🙃
Here’s where the songwriting genius of Robbie Fulks and the late Adam Schlesinger fully intersects - in the tiny throwaway detail of committing to just one more rhyme where it’s not required or expected, but somehow powers the lyric perfectly. I’m speaking, of course, of the word “down.”
“Now I’ve racked my brain
And I’ve looked all around
But I can’t find a way
To freshen my sound
Who do you call
When you’re *down*
To one musical dime?”
That shit is sublime right there.
What makes it great is that final rhyme isn't stressed at all - it just shows up.
This song still makes me laugh. "Sir, we've got about 7 Geralds here, you're talkin' to me now." Now with Adam gone it's bittersweet.
"Oh, *that* Gerald".
@@brianpanulla7061 Even better, the guy who voiced that is actually named Gerald. I have known Gerald Dowd (a Chicago drummer who occasionally backs Dowd live) for about 10 years, and that bit is vintage Dowd.
Oh, THAT Gerald...
Been listening to this song for YEARS and that line makes me laugh out loud to this day. My friends and family have also told me that I have morphed into Grant. I used to be Gerald. I swear.
That's a line that any stand-up comedian would kill for.
@@kinseymilkbone Can't beat the setup!
Hilarious
this is one of the most awesome homages ever! FoW would be (and I'm sure are) proud!
Un-ironically fucking love that guitar solo
Sounds like a Grant Tye one (although Robbie's no slouch, so it could be him) - dude's a fret-beast.
It’s pretty much perfect. Love it.
it's scrumptious
CHECK!
I'm sad today and this helped.
RIP Adam Schlesinger.
Came here after the news and listening to some other FOW songs. Love this little homage. RIP
I was so sad to see the news and the first article I saw that somehow managed to say that FOW was a one-hit-wonder. I immediately thought of this song and that no "one-hit-wonder" gets a song like this written for them.
@@robayre I mean...let's not pretend that Fountains of Wayne was NOT a one-hit wonder. They had one hit, that everybody knows. That's a one-hit wonder. There's no shame in that. You can be a great band full of musical geniuses and still be one-hit wonder, that's OK.
Nicholus Yee "Radiation Vibe" was a hit too.
@@Raulbikcube I mean...I guess it depends on your definition of hit. Pick 100 people off the street and ask them to name a second FoW song and how many would you think say "Rradiation Vibe"?
It's ridiculous how good this is!
First time I heard this song my mind was BLOWN, it was like watching 2001 in the theater in 1968, or hearing Sgt Pepper in stereo for the very first time --- also in 1968
Have you heard of Cotton Mather? If not, listen to “Kontiki”. It’s an absolute masterpiece. If you like this you’ll love it.
Radical Dynamic Shift...adding that to my list of potential band names...73 other bands already called Flattening The Curve.
On top of all Robby Fulks' other dimensions of highly discerning and brilliant smartassery, he totally cops Chris Collingwood's sound and vocal nuances here. Damn but those guys (Adam and Robby) are/were smart and good at their craft. I stand in awe.
This is possibly the most relevant song I have ever heard.
Really sorry to hear about the spectacularly gifted Adam Schlesinger dying of covid more than 5 months ago. I didn't know. An immeasurable loss.
News of Adam Schlesinger’s hospitalization for COVID-19 led me to revisit this track. I love how Robbie Fulks breaks it down - to me it has always seemed like a tribute, not a put down. I hope Adam recovers. Stay healthy, everyone!
Absolutely!
Oof. This one hurts for real
Just friggin' fantastic. And so RIGHT.
Thanks for the upload. I really Robbie Fulks and Fountains of Wayne, so this is a real treat.
Man...sad sad sad. God bless you Adam Schlesinger
"Bridges and infrastructure" is a great joke going into the bridge
Grant: "...That 9th, is that telegraphed or is that just gratuitous coloration..."
Robbie; "A bit of both, actually"
Grant, between dismissive and impressed: "Oh-hh!"
I always assumed Adam and Chris dug this song, hope so! RIP Adam
I didn't know about it till Chris mentioned it on Twitter some months back. He gets the joke, definitely.
Fogg yeah, I found an interview where he said they thought it was funny
I intend to use the radical dynamic shift some day
this would be the time . . .
It's hard to do it without thinking about this song
Oh, THAT Gerald... Hahaha
Best part of the song! Or at least the funniest :-) I can imagine myself sounding like that if I had to work the same job for 15 years, haha. Even an awesome one like that - wish it existed for real! Would certainly beat the hell out of my last corporate slave job! Make it happen, Adam :-)
Brilliant and so much fun!
This is so great.
This is to power pop what "Adaptation" is to thriller cinema.
Good call!
Thanks for that reference - top shelf!
Always cracks me up.
… ah… THAT Gerald… 😂
Marvelous...Classic
Awesome tune!!!
"Oh, that Gerald..."
Robbie sounds like chris in some of the parts, almost makes me think it’s actually him, he’s good.
Frickin hilarious!
Oh. THAT Gerald.
Brilliantly funny.
Somewhere, Weird Al is smiling.
I'd say he is deeply admiring.
Funny. Sad. Funny. Sad.
What’s hilarious is that Weezer actually did try and come up with a mathematical formula for power pop but it failed
How did it fail?
lots of people calling this today
Slightly distorted melodic solo... check! Damn, I'm happy and sad at the same time. Fountains of Wayne hotine.
Where can i get?!?
Is this song available on steaming?
Not being a songwriter, I'm not sure what they mean by the first verse being "broken down". Can someone explain what that means?
It only has palm muted guitar and lead vocals - in this case broken down means the same thing as stripped down. Often mid-song breakdowns (hence broken down) have that stripped back sound before a band comes in for the final hurrah.
@@vidiia Thanks - that's sort of what I thought, but it's always good to have it confirmed by someone who knows what they're talking about.
Asymmetrical backhand?!?!
Back end, I think.
I happen to think BOTH Robbie Fulks and Adam Schlesinger are geniuses, so it's a bit disconcerting to see Robbie skewer Adam so skillfully and accurately here. That said, I don't think it is meant maliciously, it's just he definitively dissects the FoW formula.
And its not like FOW are even that one dimensional at all in terms of songwriting formula compared to most bands out there, popular or otherwise. I actually wish they'd use this formula more (not that I understand it...I'm an aspiring/wannabe songwriter just starting with guitar and "music theory", so most of the words go completely over my head - didn't realize power pop was rocket science!) lol Plus, Adam could just as easily write a song skewering country music cliches, I'm sure (probably already been done many times over, though). But yeah, big FOW fan and I love this song, sounds just like them (wish it was theirs), so I'd like to think its a loving tribute :-) Have to admit I'm not familiar with Fulks outside this song...does his voice always sound just like Chris Collingwood? If all his songs are this good, I'd love to check out more :-)
@@ShyLivesMatter Robbie is the epitome of the musical chameleon. He can go from Al Jolson to Al Green at the drop of an E chord.
I think Chris is a genius too. He wrote a lot of FOW songs too
ShyLivesMatter he wrote Roots Rock Weirdos about the Americana scene, that was fun
@@PassiveNights i swear that song was about a show in Bloomington IN in the late '90s....fucking swig dancers...
I've listened to this song countless times and up till today I always considered the reading of "Oh that Gerald" to be Grant's exasperation at Gerald always employing (and therefore overusing and rendering cliche) the Radical Dynamic Shift. But upon this listen I thought more about the the 7 Geralds line and for the first time it occurred to me that Grant is only now identifying which Gerald. I still think I might be right, that it's "oh that GERALD" not "oh THAT Gerald" because Grant is a burnout, probably a liar and certainly an exaggerator, so when he says "We've got about 7 Geralds here" he's really just talking trash