Skip to main content

ALF Week: Day 5- Alles, Paradiso!

 So yesterday I mentioned that the only theme park experience that featured ALF was in Germany. This is probably because ALF was something close to a God in Germany due to the show's popularity over there. Along with the success of the show, the voice actor who provided the voice of Alf in the German dub, Tommi Piper, also quickly rose to stardom. Piper has a giant list of credits of dubbing work, way too many to name here, so here's a link to them which I recommend checking out: Tommi Piper's Credits. 

In 1989, Tommi Piper would provide more than just Alf's speaking voice with the release of the album "Alles, Paradiso!" in which of course German Alf sings a collection of original songs. The album was produced by Anthony Monn who has over over 200 production credits and nearly 600 writing credit, all of which where I largely don't recognize anything. This particular album features Alf singing over Schalger-esque music accompaniments and according to the titles he sings about all sorts of stuff. Here's a list of the tracks with their English translations:

1. Alf Wird Unser Bundeskanzler (Alf Becomes our Federal Chancellor)

2. Tujujahe (Es Tut So Wohl, Schön Faul Zu Sein) (It's So Good To Be Nice, To Be Lazy)

3. Alf- Superstar

4. Leben Ist Gold (Life is Gold)

5. Alf's Geburtstags-Boogie-Woogie (Alf's Birthday Boogie Woogie)

6. Rhonda

7. Alles Paradiso (All Paradise)

8. Sandkastenrocker (Sandpit Rocker)

9. Alles Null Problemo Leute (Everything Zero Problem People)

10. Ach Wie Gern Wär Ich Jetzt Auf Meinem Stern (Oh, How I Would Like To Be On My Star Now)

Now, there are plenty of albums that are based on IP that are obvious cash grabs that I end up really enjoying... for example McGruff's Smart Kids album and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's Coming Out of Our Shells. But even though I've listened to plenty of these kinds of albums and enjoy them sometimes past the point of irony I don't believe I've ever come across songs that I would describe as beautiful and moving like I did on "Alles, Paradiso". Some of the tracks obviously give off a standard Euro Pop feel and sometimes a semi-Pet Shop Boy's feeling but then I arrived at "Leben Ist Gold". It starts off with a melancholy synth and a gentle clean guitar and Alf gives a monologue. A piano calmly enters the fray as Alf starts to sing in very much a lullaby like manner. After the first chorus a sample of birds chirping starts playing and if you aren't already struck with a feeling of serenity I promise when those birds kick in you feel it. Another track I'd like to mention is "Rhonda". The character Rhonda is an apparently beautiful Melmacian who Alf is supposed to go on a date with but is interrupted by the destruction of their planet. This song is probably the highlight of the album and starts off with a female voice, presumably Rhonda, singing the enchanting theme of the tune. Alf comes in with his response in the form of a verse and pre-chorus backed by a very 80s drum loop and soaring synths. The song builds with additions of more sounds and instruments and plus the intensity of Alf's voice increases as he longs for his lost love. 

If you're into these kinds of albums I would for sure recommend "Alles, Paradiso" slides into your rotation. The album is on YouTube but I made a playlist arranging the tracks in the order as they appear on the album: Alles, Paradiso Playlist.  

Tomorrow is Saturday and maybe you know what that means as we conclude ALF Week.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Devin Tour Diary 2023

 I spent the majority of the month of November on tour playing bass with Tourneforte. I had a great time and I’m going to recap it to the best of my ability on here. In true Windleyhub fashion, I am not proofreading this.  Day One: Camp Transylvania, Greenville SC  We kicked off the tour in Greenville SC at the third annual Camp Transylvania. This was the third and final day of the fest. We played right after our friends in the North Carolina band Condado, who are super tight and entertaining. We took the stage at 5PM. I usually remember to take my hat and glasses off when I perform since I move around a lot. I forgot to on this occasion, and my glasses flew off my face onto the stage where I at some point stepped on them. After the set, I helped load out gear and had Andrew pick me up to meet with our good friends Justin and Meleah at a Halloween party their friends were having. We got to meet some cool people all in various degrees of corpsepaint, including the legendar...
Post a Comment
Read more

Top 50 Greatest Things: #32

My top 50 greatest things. Number 32: Sam and Max Another one of my favorite video game genres is the point and click adventure game. However, this entry's origins are in comic books. Sam and Max! An anthropomorphic dog and rabbit who are officers of the Freelance Police. They were created by Dave and further developed by his older brother Steve Purcell. Steve Purcell basically adopted the characters (with his brother's permission) and started using them in their owncomic series that bounced around different publishers. When Purcell was hired by LucasArts he helped develop what would become Sam and Max: Hit the Road, the duo's first video game. That game in particular is where first I met these characters on the family's Gateway computer. The game is a hysterical parody of classic Americana that involves visiting the world's largest ball of twine, the celebrity vegetable museum, and bungee jumping off of Mount Rushmore. Over a decade later, Telltale would launch a t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Garrett’s Squat Tunes Review #2- Kid Rock ft. Monster Truck “Don’t Tell Me How To Live”

Let’s face it. The past few years have been pretty lame.. AND pretty tame. In a time of censorship, sensitivity, and an overall lack of attitude, no genre has suffered more in my opinion than rock and roll. Who is the biggest rock and roll band of 2021? Greta Van Fleet? IMAGINE DRAGONS? Please. Give me real rock and roll. Well, when we needed him most, dawning his signature red satin jumpsuit, our Detroit born and raised, Devil without a cause savior Kid Rock, along with newcomers Monster Truck, pulled through for us with the most ROCKIN’ single of the year. “Don’t Tell Me How To Live”.  The song starts with a simple, yet high throttle guitar riff that really gets the juices flowing. Along with the hook sang by Mr. Monster Truck himself “Ain’t nooooooobody gonna tell me how to liiiiive!” Off to a great start. The song starts with a strong message to all the snowflakes; “Fuck all you hoes! Detroit 'til I die, motherfucker! Talkin' all that bullshit!” Let’s go. Lyrically, Rock is...
Post a Comment
Read more