Barenaked Ladies: Born on a Pirate Ship

It might be due largely to the fact that my formative years occurred primarily during the '90s, and as such there's a certain nostalgic value when I now listen to the music from that decade, but I am an ardent fan of '90s music. For some reason, though, '90s music--especially '90s pop--has unfairly earned itself a pretty bad rep.

Personally, I've never understood this. Perhaps it's because there were a lot of one-hit-wonder bands during the '90s, but even that doesn't justify it, seeing as those one-hit-wonders were all sorts of fantastic. I mean, think about it. If you're somewhere in the age range of 18 to 30, chances are pretty good that, as you're perusing radio stations in search of something other than today's tween sensations (Justin Bieber, anyone?), some of the songs that most catch your attention are straight from the '90s.

Admit it. You know you leave the station where it's at when you hear Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy" or "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something.

Now, somewhere in the midst of all the artists who came along in the '90s, leaving their mark on the music world with one (maybe two) big hit, there were a few bands who managed to consistently crank out stellar single after stellar single. One such band, however, managed to never quite get the attention that their music warrants. I'm talking about the Canadian band Barenaked Ladies.

Barenaked Ladies first hit the scene back in 1992 with the release of their first album, Gordon, featuring the still hugely popular single "If I Had $1,000,000." That song set Barenaked Ladies rolling with a series of single releases that all did pretty well. Interestingly though, despite the fact that several of their albums made it into the Top 10 on the Billboard charts, most of their albums seem to have gone relatively unnoticed by the general public. Really, the only one of their albums that I recall being talked about widely was 1998's Stunt, which, I'll admit, was in fact a very good album.

That being said, though, I strongly suggest that BNL's album Born on a Pirate Ship be given another listen by the masses.

I was eight years old when Born on a Pirate Ship was released in early 1996, and I remember instantly falling in love with the song "The Old Apartment" the first time I heard it on the radio. The track was played on a consistent basis for about 6 month, and then...nothing. It just sort of fizzled out. I'm pretty sure it's been years since I've heard "The Old Apartment" even randomly played on the radio. "Shoebox," the only other single from Born on a Pirate Ship, generated some buzz when it was on an episode of Friends, but aside from that, the album garnered little attention.

To be frank, the fact that Born on a Pirate Ship went so unrecognized is a downright shame. This is an album that has a little bit of everything in it, and it's all executed amazingly. You've got a touch of folk with the track "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank," lighthearted pop with "Stomach vs. Heart" and "Call Me Calmly," an utterly heart-wrenching ballad in the form of "Break Your Heart," and a nice bit of introspection with "Same Thing." Throw in the strong vocal work of Steven Page, instrumentals that are catchy and completely unique on each song, and you've got a fusion of musical elements that make Born on a Pirate Ship a great listen the entire way through.

Where BNL's real genius lies, though, is in their lyrics, and on Born on a Pirate Ship they completely nailed that aspect of their music. The lyrics take on a serious note when necessary, but for the most part are driven by very well utilized sarcasm. They lyrics are humorous, often biting and tongue in cheek, witty, and thought provoking, even when they don't entirely seem like it on the surface.

Honestly, I have never been able to find a reason why Born on a Pirate Ship didn't receive more accolades, or why Barenaked Ladies remain (at least in my humble opinion) one of the most underrated bands in the music biz.From beginning to end, Born on a Pirate Ship is a fun, entertaining album without being cheesy or camp, and Page's voice perfectly conveys whatever emotion is called for in each song (believe me, the power and raw emotion in his voice on "Break Your Heart" has moved me to tears on more than one occasion).

As I said, Born on a Pirate Ship was released when I was 8 years old. I'm now 22, and it remains one of my most consistently listened to albums--and it's not just the sentimental value of listening to an album from my childhood that makes it such. Everything about this album is so spot-on to begin with, and yet I find something that strikes me differently, something I appreciate more, every time I listen to it; Born on a Pirate Ship gets better with every listen. Regardless of whether or not you're into '90s music, whether or not you enjoyed Barenaked Ladies at the height of their career, Born on a Pirate Ship is definitely an album worth revisiting.