My Son, The Greatest: The Best Of Allan Sherman CD

Producer: Jimmy Hilliard.
Compilation producer: Bill Inglot.
Includes liner notes by Steve Allen.
Personnel: Allan Sherman (vocals).
Liner Note Author: Steve Allen.
The bad news is that Allan Sherman hasn't received the credit and praise he deserves. The good news is that his gifts and genius are manifest in abundance on this best of package. The word-playing godfather of the modern parody, Sherman's songs are definitely rooted in his Jewish culture. However, his humanity is so strong and universal that appeal crosses all boundaries. Whereas many parodists were biting and sarcastic, the portly Sherman was able to be hip and articulate, yet sound like everyman, helped by his very untrained voice and underlying vulnerability. He may have sung about the woes of the average person, but it was easy to decipher that he was also talking about himself. It is difficult to pick out favorites, but among the best numbers are the Ponchielli-based hit "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh," the "Frere Jacques" parody "Sarah Jackman," and the love song "Harvey and Sheila," based on "Hava Negila." Interspersed among these often hilarious songs are references to history, literature, Jewish culture, and art. Those who think Weird Al Yankovic started it all would be wise to check out this often unheralded contributor. Allan Sherman proved you could be hip and clean at the same time -- something that may be lost on today's audience. But that doesn't take away from his contribution, which is substantial and ready to be enjoyed by those willing to take the plunge. ~ Michael Ofjord
An unlikely star who, according to legend, got his recording contract strictly through being at the right party at the right time, Allan Sherman crafted musical parodies that were, in some ways, a musical equivalent to Charles Schulz's PEANUTS. Like that revered comic strip, the genial surface goofiness of Sherman's ditties barely masked the fashionable neuroses of its era (the 1960s) underneath. For example, "Crazy Downtown" inverts the premise of Petula Clark's soaring original by taking on the hysterical voice of Petula's parents, worried sick about what their daughter is getting up to in a dangerous part of town during the wee hours of the morning.
Beyond his reliance on generation gaps and Jewish humor, Sherman was a genuinely clever songwriter who was able to wring laughs from the most unexpected juxtapositions. Unlike some comedians from the same period, more importantly, Sherman presented humor that dated remarkably well, being more concerned with personal foibles than topical events. MY SON, THE GREATEST: THE BEST OF ALLAN SHERMAN is an excellent introduction, especially for those who only know "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh."