Editing Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons

{{short description|1999 soundtrack album from The Simpsons}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons
| type       = soundtrack
| artist     = [[The Simpsons]]
| cover      = Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = November 2, 1999
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Soundtrack]]
| length     = 61:12
| label      = [[Rhino Records|Rhino]]
| producer   =
| prev_title = [[The Yellow Album]]
| prev_year  = 1998
| next_title = [[The Simpsons Movie: The Music]]
| next_year  = 2007
}}

'''''Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons''''' is the 1999 [[soundtrack]] album from ''[[The Simpsons]]''.  It takes many of the musical numbers from the series which were either not included in the previous album, ''[[Songs in the Key of Springfield]]'', or were created since the previous album's release. The album has 53 tracks, most of which were written by [[Alf Clausen]]. It was well received by critics, being named the Best Compilation Album of 1999 by [[Soundtrack.net]], and charted at number 197 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. [[Hollywood Records]] released the album on digital and streaming platforms on December 9, 2021.

==Background and release==
''Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons'' is a soundtrack album that features songs that have appeared on the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'', as well as some songs that never made the final cut.<ref name=Koran>{{cite web|last=Koran|first=David|title=Go Simpsonic With The Simpsons|url=http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=2165|publisher=[[Soundtrack.net]]|accessdate=June 6, 2011|date=October 21, 1999}}</ref> It is a sequel to the album ''[[Songs in the Key of Springfield]]'',<ref name=Koran/> and the second album to feature songs from the show.<ref name=alfsoundtrack.net>{{cite web|last=Goldwasser|first=Dan|title=Interview - Alf Clausen|url=http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=46|publisher=[[Soundtrack.net]]|accessdate=June 6, 2011|date=October 31, 1999}}</ref> The third and latest soundtrack album, ''[[The Simpsons: Testify]]'', was released eight years after ''Go Simpsonic'' in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|last=Donkin|first=Annemarie|title='The Simpsons' Songsmith Hits 400|newspaper=[[Santa Clarita Signal]]|date=August 27, 2007}}</ref>

Most songs on the album were written by [[Alf Clausen]],<ref name=Koran/> who is the composer on ''The Simpsons'' and co-writes, arranges, produces, and conducts almost all music that is featured in the show.<ref name=Erlewine>{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|title=Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/go-simpsonic-with-the-simpsons-r431501/review|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=June 6, 2011}}</ref> Although the album also features covers of songs written by others.<ref name=Koran/> For example, a cover of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" sung by the character [[Bleeding Gums Murphy]], and a cover of [[Terry Cashman]]'s "[[Talkin' Baseball]]" called "Talkin' Softball", that Cashman himself sung on the show, are included.<ref name=Koran/> The [[The Simpsons Theme|main theme song]] of ''The Simpsons'', written by [[Danny Elfman]], is also featured.<ref name=Koran/>

The album was released on the [[Rhino Records]] label on November 2, 1999, during the [[The Simpsons (season 11)|eleventh season]] of the show.<ref name=alfsoundtrack.net/> It peaked at number 197 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], number two on [[Top Kid Audio]] and number 14 on [[Billboard charts|Top Internet Albums]].<ref name="AM">{{cite web|title=Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/go-simpsonic-with-the-simpsons-r431501/charts-awards|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=June 6, 2011}}</ref> The album remained on the Top Kid Audio chart for 17 weeks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the simpsons|chart=all}}|publisher=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=June 6, 2011}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
{{Album reviews
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name=Erlewine />
| rev2 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Chiswick |first=Linton |date=February 2000 |title=''The Simpsons'' – ''Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons'' |url=http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=18712 |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue= |page= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001202133800/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=18712 |archive-date=December 2, 2000 |access-date=October 23, 2022}}</ref>
| rev3 = [[Soundtrack.Net]]
| rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name=Koran />
}}

''Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons'' received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release. [[AllMusic]]'s Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a five out of five rating, writing that "it serves as a reminder of the sheer brilliance of the music within this peerless show. Much of that musical brilliance is due to Alf Clausen [...] Hearing all of this music, ranging from the first to the ninth season, in one place confirms how Clausen and his collaborators can master everything from show tunes to commercial jingles. What's really impressive is that the music is every bit as funny, sometimes more so, than the lyrics — and that's no easy trick to pull off."<ref name=Erlewine/>

[[Soundtrack.net]] named ''Go Simpsonic'' the Best Compilation Album of 1999. The creator of that website, David A. Koran, said the album features some of his all-time favorites from the show, including the song "[[Canyonero]]".<ref name=Koran/> He also wrote that "one of Alf Clausen's other great talents besides working well along great lyricists is his ability to parody without sounding like an exact knock-off. In 'The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase' medley, the 'Chief Wiggum, P.I' cue was great invention in the style of [[Jan Hammer]]'s original orchestrations for ''[[Miami Vice]]''."<ref name=Koran/> Koran also praised the "Scorpio" and "McBain" songs for their similarities with [[John Barry (composer)|John Barry]]'s [[James Bond]] tunes.<ref name=Koran/> Similarly, Elysa Gardner of ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' commended the parodic nature of many songs on the album. She wrote that "this showcases the brilliant work of series composer Alf Clausen and his delightful knack of spoofing various musical forms. Included are sendups of musicals, movies (''[[Mary Poppins (film)|Mary Poppins]]'' and Bond themes) and commercials, each lovingly and lethally delivered. There are 53 cuts in all, and most of them, like the show itself, stand up to repeated listenings. A treasure."<ref>{{cite news|title=CD Reviews – 'The Simpsons' music has bite|newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|date=December 12, 1999|page=5}}</ref>

[[Alan Sepinwall]] of ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'' was more critical, writing that "Unfortunately, ''Songs in the Key'' [...] used up most of the show's best musical inventory, leaving only assorted scraps for ''Go Simpsonic''. There are some wonderful tunes, including the 'Mary Poppins'-ish 'Cut Every Corner,' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Sideshow Bob]] performing the score to '[[HMS Pinafore]],' the SUV parody commercial 'Canyonero,' and Homer and Marge's take on the ''[[All in the Family]]'' theme [...], but too much of it is filler."<ref>{{cite news|last=Sepinwall|first=Alan|title=ALL TV - 'Tooning in to animation CDs|newspaper=[[Star-Ledger]]|date=November 12, 1999|page=39}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{| class="toccolours" style="min-width:50em"
! Track – Artist(s)
|-
|
#"[[The Simpsons Theme|''The Simpsons'' Main Title]]" - The [[Alf Clausen]] Orchestra
#"[[Lisa's Sax]]": "Those Were The Days/'[[The WB|WB]]'s Proud To Present' Theme" - [[Dan Castellaneta]]/[[Julie Kavner]]/[[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]
#"[[All Singing, All Dancing]]": "'Gonna Paint Our Wagon' Theme & Reprise/A Singing, Dancing,..." - Dan Castellaneta/Julie Kavner/Nancy Cartwright/[[Hank Azaria]]/[[Yeardley Smith]]
#We Put the Spring in Springfield - Dan Castellaneta/[[Harry Shearer]]/[[Tress MacNeille]]
#"[[Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious]]": "Turkey In The Straw/Minimum Wage Nanny" - Dan Castellaneta/Julie Kavner/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith
#"Cut Every Corner" - Dan Castellaneta/Nancy Cartwright/Hank Azaria/Yeardley Smith/[[Maggie Roswell]]
#"A Boozehound Named Barney" - Dan Castellaneta/Nancy Cartwright/Hank Azaria/Yeardley Smith
#"Happy Just the Way We Are" - Dan Castellaneta/Julie Kavner/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith/Harry Shearer
#"Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala([[D'oh]])cious End Credits Suite" - The Alf Clausen Orchestra
#"Cash and Cary" - Dan Castellaneta/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith/Harry Shearer
#"Meet [[The Flintstones]]" - Dan Castellaneta
#"Underwater Wonderland" - Dan Castellaneta/Julie Kavner
#"Happy Birthday, Mr. Burns" - [[The Ramones]]/Harry Shearer
#"The Field of Excellence" - Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith/Harry Shearer/Awards Show Singers
#"''The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show'' Theme" - Studio Singers
#"Poochie Rap Song" - Dan Castellaneta/Harry Shearer
#"[[The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson]]": "No Regards/You're Checkin' In" - The Alf Clausen Orchestra/Julie Kavner/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith
#"'Quimby' Campaign Commercial" - Hank Azaria/Harry Shearer
#"''The Simpsons'' End Credits Theme" - [[Sonic Youth]]
#"[[Trash of the Titans]]": "Before The Garbage, Man!/The Garbageman" - Dan Castellaneta/Julie Kavner/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith
#"Canyonero" - [[Hank Williams, Jr.]]/Studio Singers
#"Everyone Loves Ned Flanders (''The Adventures Of Ned Flanders'' Theme)" - Dan Castellaneta/Nancy Cartwright/Harry Shearer
#"''Scorpio'' End Credits" - Sally Stevens
#"''Chief Wiggum, P.I.'' Main Title" - The Alf Clausen Orchestra/[[Phil Hartman]]
#"''The Love-Matic Grampa'' Main Title" - Phil Hartman/Studio Singers
#"[[The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase]]": "''The Simpsons Family Smile-Time Variety Hour'' Opening Theme..." - Dan Castellaneta/Julie Kavner/Nancy Cartwright/Harry Shearer/[[Pamela Hayden]]/[[Tim Conway]]
#"The Ballad of Jebediah Springfield" - Rick Logan/Dick Wells/Tommy Morgan
#"[[In Marge We Trust]]": "Klang And Koto/'Mr. Sparkle' Theme & Logo" - Dan Castellaneta/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith/[[Sab Shimono]]
#"''Krusty the Clown'' Main Title" - The Alf Clausen Orchestra
#"[[Cape Feare]]": "Any Last Requests?/H.M.S. Pinafore/Bart's Holding The Buttercup Bart And Bop Bop And..." - Nancy Cartwright/[[Kelsey Grammer]]
#"[[Mr. Plow]]" - Dan Castellaneta/Nancy Cartwright/Yeardley Smith
#"Plow King" - Dan Castellaneta/Hank Azaria/[[Linda Ronstadt]]
#"'[[Kamp Krusty]]' Theme Song" - Hank Azaria
#"''The Simpsons'' End Credits Theme" - Dan Castellaneta/Terry Harrington
#"Union Strike Folk Song (Parts 1 & 2)" - Yeardley Smith/Harry Shearer
#"Rappin' Ronnie Reagan" - Dan Castellaneta/Harry Shearer
#"Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel!" - Hank Azaria/Rick Logan/Dick Wells/[[Tress MacNeille]]
#"''Ya-Hoo'' Main Title" - The Alf Clausen Orchestra/Hank Azaria
#"The Land of Chocolate" - Dan Castellaneta/Hank Azaria/[[Phil Hartman]]
#"'Skinner & the Superintendent' Theme" - Hank Azaria/Studio Singers
#"Presidents' Song" - Harry Shearer
#"The Star-Spangled Banner" - Harry Shearer/[[Daryl Coley|Daryl L. Coley]]
#"[[Talkin' Baseball|Talkin' Softball]]" - [[Terry Cashman]]
#"[[Like Father, Like Clown]]": "A Warm Round/Oh, My Papa/A Love Thing" - Dan Castellaneta/Hank Azaria/[[Jackie Mason]]
#"Blessed Be the Guy That Bonds (''McBain'' End Credits)" - [[Sally Stevens]]
#"You're Gonna Like Me (The Gabbo Song)" - Lil' Weenis/Harry Shearer/Pamela Hayden
#"Can I Borrow a Feeling?" - Hank Azaria/Maggie Roswell
#"''The Simpsons'' End Credits Theme" - The Alf Clausen Orchestra
#"We Love to Smoke - Julie Kavner
#"Apu in 'The Jolly Bengali' Theme" - Studio Singers
#"The Garbageman Can (Long Demo Version)" - Studio Singers (While [[U2]]'s voices were heard on the program, they are replaced on this album by noticeably different voices.)
#"Señor Burns (Long Version)" - [[Tito Puente]] & His Latin Jazz Ensemble
#"Happy Birthday, Mr. Smithers" - Harry Shearer
|}

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for ''Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons''
! scope="col"| Chart (2000)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite Ryan|page=254}}</ref>
| 82
|-
! scope="row"| US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="AM"/>
| 197
|-
! scope="row"| US [[Top Kid Albums]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="AM"/>
| 2
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Simpsons albums}}

[[Category:1999 soundtrack albums]]
[[Category:The Simpsons soundtrack albums]]
[[Category:Rhino Entertainment soundtracks]]
[[Category:Rhino Entertainment compilation albums]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Matt Groening]]
[[Category:Hollywood Records soundtracks]]
[[Category:Hollywood Records compilation albums]]