Is musical comedy doomed to never be taken as serious art?

I think it’s amazing what they can all do, they are definitely very talented people. But as you said many people don’t really know the talent that they have so yeah I’d say that most people wouldn’t take is as serious act.

Funny that you see them as musical act. I see them as comedians who use music as a prop, so to speak. Bands like They Might Be Giants, Cake and The Barenaked Ladies are musical acts that use comedy in their lyrics. It’s all just perspective, I guess.

@tinyfaery No need to be dismissive. They are musicians with a comedic bent. How are they not a musical act? I think the other bands you mentioned are similarly great.

Not at all. I think they are less popular, but I don’t think they are taken less seriously. I don’t think anyone questions the legitimacy of such artists and the music they create.

This is a great question by the way.

I’m not being dismissive, they are good at what they do, but I see them as comedians first. And I like Flight Of The Conchords better that Cake and BNL.

True, but Cake is pretty awesome.

I think of art as a reflection of real life and the FOTC song “Business Time” is about as accurate of a love/sex song as I’ve head in a while.

Let’s not forget The Lonely Island/Incredibad.

@TabernakAttack That is funny.

they’re really good at what they do (and they make me laugh man) and what you say about them being better than some music people today, definetly true i guess…
i guess people dont take it ‘seriously’ though (in a way that it can be serious), which is kinda bad because they’re really clever/talented
i love weird al… ha so great
favourites… eat it and smells like nirvana, and amish paradise =P

@TabernakAttack Always liked this better.

Probably. They won’t take it as serious, but do you really want them to? Sometimes stuff like that is better when taken lightly, and not as what could be a huge commercial hit…

@Grisaille That is by far their best. But not appropriate for anybody…

This is good too…

You know, I don’t know about the D and Flight of the Conchords, but Weird Al? Is a legend.

When he started out, I was 10. And now I’m a lot older than 10, and half the acts he’s parodied are long gone. Further, it seems that in the creative community in LA, he’s not taken as a joke at all. He produced and performed on Ben Folds Songs for Silverman album, for example. I think Al’s a consummate musician. If he wanted to, he could write regular songs, he’s talented enough, but he made a different choice. And good for him. Many a song of his has given me a smile when I needed one.

It depends on who’s making the assessment, too. It’s an act’s peers, and not critics so much, who probably make the truest assessment. Without your peers, you don’t work.

Bowling for Soup has had some success recently. I’m a long time Weird Al fan, too. See ya….wtf

I think that the groups you mentioned could care less that they aren’t considered serious art.

Most of them would probably just say duh and go cash their paychecks.

paychecks they get for doing something they love