Ween… Poopy pokin’

11 Ween Tunes to Start Your Summer With (part 2)

Published on June 1st, 2012 | Jonny Abrams

Here is part 2 of our 11 Ween Tunes to Start Your Summer With feature…(click here for part 1)…

“Back to Basom” (from 2000 album White Pepper)

A top-drawer psych-ballad worthy of Super Furry Animals, this mightn’t have gone down the best with those who prefer Ween’s more twisted side, but it’s shiveringly beautiful stuff. In a bygone era, they might even have scored a hit with this.

“The Blarney Stone” (from 1997 album The Mollusk)

And here’s one for the sickos. Everyone enjoys speaking like a pirate, even if they won’t admit it, so what could be more entertaining than a communal pirate singalong? Especially when it contains lyrics such as “Get off my ass, you wee bitty fuck / If I pull out the Claymore, you’re shit outta luck / Who’s that girl, that pretty young thing? / After I fuck her, she’ll get up and sing”. This is then followed on the album by shimmering, ’80s-style love song “It’s Gonna Be”. Wharratheyloik?

“Big Jilm” (from 1992 album Pure Guava)

Sharply rhythmic, monotone baritones are insanely fun – have an earful of this Trojan ska classic if you disagree, not to mention Ween’s own “Big Fat Fuck” from Shinola Vol. 1 – and when it’s spouting nonsense like “Bol Weevil, it’s a pleasel, it’s a pleasel, my weasel” while set to a grunge-lite chord progression, it’s impossible to resist. Oh, and do you reckon Pavement might have adapted those “ooh ooh ooh”s for “Cut Your Hair”?

“Mister Richard Smoker” (from 1996 album 12 Golden Country Greats)

A master class in how to sound childish and sophisticated at the same time – but, then, you could argue that the same could be said of Ween’s whole career. This microcosm of it flaunts such outrageously offensive playground insults as “you’re a poopy poker” and “you’re a chicken choker” to rhyme with our protagonist’s name (he also likes to, we are told, “smoke big dick”) – but it’s all wrapped up in such a swinging vaudeville number, complete with scatty vocable, that all is forgiven. Like the puerile cousin of The Kinks’ “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina”.

“The Fruit Man”/”Spirit Walker” (from 2007 album La Cucaracha)

“The Fruit Man” is the most ridiculous, borderline offensive and all-round greatest reggae pastiche that Rocksucker for one has ever heard. It’s compelling, funny, groovy, stoned and segues straight into the fiddly vocoder, Flaming Lips-ian splendour of “Spirit Walker” – yes we’re cheating by packaging two songs together, but…well, yeah. Just listen.
Oh, and just for good measure…

Happy cheese-finding, everybody!

Artists: ween

About the Author

Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.