A Video Not to Forget

Written March 5, 1998

The first time I heard the song, "Fire, Water, Burn," I was in my family's front room. My sister had recorded it off MTV and demanded that I watch it. The rest of my family had already had the pleasure of seeing the video twice, but they all came back in to see it again. Bambi sat on the rocker so she would be able to control the VCR - the remote was long since lost. My little sister and brother (Brandy and Jon) were on the couch behind me. I had taken a front row seat, standing off to the side of the TV. My mother was standing behind Bambi. Plastered on their faces were huge grins that were barely keeping the laughter back. They were all awaiting my reaction. I didn't know what to expect and would never have guessed what came next.
Although sung by an actual band - the Bloodhound Gang - it was a comical song. It didn't help that the video was ridiculous. It starts out as if it were being shown on a program called 120 Midgets (a spoof on an MTV show titled 120 Minutes) because there is a reference to Emmanuel Lewis in the song. I'd have to say that the lead singer was the biggest draw. While mouthing the complete nonsense lyrics, he'd make all sorts of faces, exaggerating the movement of his lips to sing the song. The video ends with them leaving the stage and walking outside. Outside the door is a sign that reads Mt. Yermom and further informs the viewer that the band has been playing if a home for the deaf. The first time my mother caught this sign, she thought it read Mt. Vernon. We all had a laugh at that because my deaf grandfather's name is Vernon. We laughed ten times longer and harder when we discovered it really read Mt. Yermom.
The second time watching it, I tried to capture all the details. Eventually - through faithful rewinding - we pieced together the video. The band plays in an old folks' cafeteria while all the old people continue to eat their tapioca pudding. On the sign labeled events for the day, tapioca pudding is in all caps above the smaller printed Bloodhound Gang. The residents eventually get up to dance - the lead singer has jumped from the stage to one of the tables so the residents have to take notice. As the residents crowd the stage, a mosh pit forms with body surfers and a pair of underpants even ends up on stage. At the end of the video, the lead singer leaves with a male resident, obviously flattered by his attentions.
Even before we got through the video once, everyone was laughing and trying to figure out its lyrics. We repeatedly rewound it until we had come up with a pretty good idea of what they were saying. I can't say who was more amused - my 13 year old brother or my 40 year old mother. The lyrics were very juvenile - with references to Han Solo stroking his own wookie and crashing into Uranus.
Needless to say, I went out and bought the album the very same weekend.

Click here to hear the song. You'll need a realplayer.
You can also visit the Bloodhound Gang online.