Allan Sherman - My Son, the Nut

All Music Guide

Allan Sherman's greatest achievement in comedy-song was this record, particularly with "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" (using Ponchielli's music from "Dance of the Hours," though it had been used by Spike Jones to feature comedian Doodles Weaver's famous horse race starring Feetlebaum in the 1940s), which was initially a huge hit on radio and got even wider exposure a few years later when Dr. Demento played it repeatedly on his syndicated show and added it to his first anthology, Dr. Demento's Delights. With Sherman providing the sidesplitting lyrics and Lou Busch the music and arrangements, the string of successes within this release could fill a Sherman greatest hits collection by itself. Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody is recast as a hilarious survey of worldwide entrees, "Hungarian Goulash No. 5." King Louis XVI is the target of the razor sharp (or guillotine sharp?) "You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louis." One of the best comedy records of all time, Allan Sherman struggled for the rest o...f his all-too-short career to match the success of this still very funny record. - Ken Dryden, All Music Guide Read more Less