Ween is mostly known for their only charted hit, "Push Th' Little Daisies", and has as a result been pigeonholed as a novelty act.

That wouldn't be such a bad assessment, really, if the term didn't have such negative connotations; you can hear a new musical idea in every one of their songs.

They can write something like "The Goin' Gets Tough From The Getgo", an unbelievably catchy 808-backed rap performed in a light yet obviously fake british accent (a trademark of theirs), the chorus to which goes:

When the goin' gets tough from the getgo, go man go
Oh brother, not another muddy funster gotta go now.

And then "Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony?", with the following lyrics sung over (under?) demented, ridiculously high-pitched guitar lines:

Mister, would you please help my pony?
He's over there behind the tree
He's down in the dirt could you help him?
I think it's his lung

And then "It's Gonna Be (Alright)", which lyrically consists of almost nothing but love-related cliches, but is somehow legitimized by the lyrical bizarreness of the surrounding material.

But the best part is they have the musical skills to back it all up -- strongest in my mind is their excellent sense of melody and counterpoint.

Ween (?), v. i. [OE. wenen, AS. wnan, fr. wn hope, expectation, opinion; akin to D. waan, OFries. wn, OS. & OHG. wan, G. wahn delusion, Icel. van hope, expectation, Goth. wns, and D. wanen to fancy, G. wahnen, Icel. vana to hope, Goth. wnjan, and perhaps to E. winsome, wish.]

To think; to imagine; to fancy.

[Obs. or Poetic]

Spenser. Milton.

I have lost more than thou wenest. Chaucer.

For well I ween, Never before in the bowers of light Had the form of an earthly fay been seen. J. R. Drake.

Though never a dream the roses sent Of science or love's compliment, I ween they smelt as sweet. Mrs. Browning.

 

© Webster 1913.

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