I’m normally too much of an earnest music writer/fan to have much time for parody songs. I’m not averse to songwriter wit, but when the humor’s about as subtle as a teenage boy in heat, I’m inclined to turn off the stereo and do the dishes. My main beef is that music is such a wonderfully expressive artform—so why the compulsion to waste this virtue? If a songwriter goes to the effort of making arrangements, conceiving harmonies, and refining production, then surely they should attempt to say something meaningful. Too often, listeners settle for mere novelties—a cheap guffaw over a real melody. That is not my philosophy.

However, there are exceptions. A humorless writer I am not. (Normally.) Tripod are one of these “humor” bands that I am willing to afford some time. They’ve become renowned in Australia for their “Song in an Hour” segments on local youth radio station Triple J, where they compose a song in one hour based on ridiculous scenarios: think “The Ballad of Floor Buffer Smurf.” Invariably, their songs contain hilarious lyrics and inspired musical arrangements.

“Bevan the Musical” was where it all started for Tripod, when lead singer Gatesy paired up with local comedian Peter Helliar to tell the tale of Bevan. Very rarely would you find a song that references Danni Minogue and Jon Stevens, and pairing Led Zeppelin with “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.” Sure, ultimately the song hinges upon a bunch of puns on the word heaven, but “Bevan the Musical” transcends its humble origins. If you listen to the impassioned, over-the-top vocal from Gatesy and the sardonically straight narration from Helliar, you’ll see easily where the song succeeds. The interplay between these apparently serious—but deadly sarcastic—performances with the cackling laughter of the radio DJs gives the recording an exuberant energy.

Like many of the novelty songs that it plays, Triple J had a radio hit with this song. But for licensing issues, “Bevan the Musical” would have dominated end-of-year best-of compilations. Evidently, those damn lawyers don’t have a sense of humor.

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