The Arrogant Worms
Encyclopedia
The Arrogant Worms are a Canadian
musical comedy
trio that parodies
many musical genres. They are well known for their humorous on-stage banter in addition to their music.
station CFRC in Kingston
, Ontario
, and quickly moved to doing spots on CBC Radio One
. Since 1992 the troupe has released thirteen CDs. Their most recent album, Hindsight 20/20
, is a greatest hits CD spanning their 20 year career and was released in November 2010. The Worms have toured in Canada
, the United States
, the United Kingdom
, and Australia
.
Each album consists mostly of independent tracks paying homage, always humorously, to different genres and topics. Two exceptions are the 1997 Live Bait
and 2003 Semi-Conducted
CDs, which are live albums, comprising collections of their best songs. Semi-Conducted is performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
.
Rock
, folk
, ballad
s, country
, Celtic folk, and children's music
all have come under the Worm's satirical guns.
When not spoofing a particular style of music, the Worms' material pokes fun at various aspects of daily life in Canada with songs like "Canada's Really Big", "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate", "Me Like Hockey", "We are the Beaver", "I Am Not American", and "Proud to Be Canadian".
They have also recorded music video
s for three songs: "Big Fat Road Manager", "Carrot Juice Is Murder", and "Sex, Drugs, and RRSPs". The first two of these are included on the Three Worms and an Orchestra
DVD.
Former members of The Arrogant Worms include:
Additional contributors along the way include (but not limited to):
is a book released in February 2005 that was written by one of the Arrogant Worms, Trevor Strong. It teaches the "Ignorance IS Bliss Method".
It contains three parts:
" (both of which are by Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie
) as well as Vito Petroccitto Jr's recording of "The Assumption Song". Other frequent misattributions, according to their official website, include "Cows With Guns" by Dana Lyons
and "Wayne Gretzky Rocks" by The Pursuit of Happiness. This has occasionally led to fans requesting these songs during encores of their live shows.
On a similar note, the Captain Tractor
cover version of the Worms' "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate" is often simply credited to The Arrogant Worms themselves, or Captain Tractor is credited with writing the song.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musical comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
trio that parodies
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
many musical genres. They are well known for their humorous on-stage banter in addition to their music.
History
The Arrogant Worms came together in 1991 to do a few spots on campus radioCampus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
station CFRC in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and quickly moved to doing spots on CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
. Since 1992 the troupe has released thirteen CDs. Their most recent album, Hindsight 20/20
Hindsight 20/20 (album)
Hindsight 20/20 is a greatest hits compilation album by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. The album consists of twenty songs spanning the band’s twenty year career and a dance remix of “The Last Saskatchewan Pirate.”-Track listing:...
, is a greatest hits CD spanning their 20 year career and was released in November 2010. The Worms have toured in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Each album consists mostly of independent tracks paying homage, always humorously, to different genres and topics. Two exceptions are the 1997 Live Bait
Live Bait
Live Bait is a 1997 live album of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. It features concert versions of some of the songs from their previous releases plus some new material.-Track listing:# "Jesus' Brother Bob"# "The Mountie Song"...
and 2003 Semi-Conducted
Semi-Conducted
Semi-Conducted is a live album by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms, recorded on January 22, 2002, and backed by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. It was released the following year...
CDs, which are live albums, comprising collections of their best songs. Semi-Conducted is performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to country...
.
Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, Celtic folk, and children's music
Children's music
Children's music is used here to refer to music composed and performed for children by adults. In European influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has historically held both entertainment...
all have come under the Worm's satirical guns.
When not spoofing a particular style of music, the Worms' material pokes fun at various aspects of daily life in Canada with songs like "Canada's Really Big", "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate", "Me Like Hockey", "We are the Beaver", "I Am Not American", and "Proud to Be Canadian".
They have also recorded music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for three songs: "Big Fat Road Manager", "Carrot Juice Is Murder", and "Sex, Drugs, and RRSPs". The first two of these are included on the Three Worms and an Orchestra
Three Worms and an Orchestra
Three Worms and an Orchestra is a DVD of a performance of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. It includes their most popular songs performed live, as well as two music videos....
DVD.
The Worms
The Arrogant Worms currently consist of:- Chris Patterson - Bass guitar and vocals
- Mike McCormick - Guitar and vocals
- Trevor Strong - Vocals
Former members of The Arrogant Worms include:
- John Whytock - Appeared on The Arrogant Worms, Russell's Shorts, and C'est Cheese
- Steve Wood - Appeared on The Arrogant Worms
Additional contributors along the way include (but not limited to):
- Andy Thompson - Producer, recording engineer, keyboards, backing vocals, and more
- Andrew Affleck - Bass
- Gord Thompson - Bass, electric guitar, backing vocals
- Adrian Dolan - Accordion, fiddle, and mandolin
- Tim Readman - Filled in for Mike McCormick in the early 2006 tour
- Mike Ford- Filled in for Chris Patterson in March 2009, after Chris' wife gave birth to twins
Discography
- AlbumAlbumAn album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s- 1992 The Arrogant WormsThe Arrogant Worms (album)The Arrogant Worms is the self-titled debut album of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. It was released in 1992. It was the only album on which bassist Steve Wood appeared, who left the band afterwards...
- 1994 Russell's ShortsRussell's ShortsRussell's Shorts is the second studio album of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. It was released in 1994. "Having Fun Is Bad For You", "A Night In Dildo", and "Losing Hair Under God" were recorded live....
- 1995 C'est CheeseC'est CheeseC'est Cheese is the third album of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. It was released in 1995. It was the last album for co-founder John Whytock, and the first appearance of Chris Patterson, who replaced Whytock on bass guitar onstage...
- 1997 Live BaitLive BaitLive Bait is a 1997 live album of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. It features concert versions of some of the songs from their previous releases plus some new material.-Track listing:# "Jesus' Brother Bob"# "The Mountie Song"...
(live album) - 1997 Christmas TurkeyChristmas TurkeyChristmas Turkey is a Christmas-themed album released in 1997 by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. It includes a re-recorded version of "The Christmas Song" .-Track listing:...
- 1999 Dirt!Dirt!Dirt! is the sixth album by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms, released in 1999.-Track listing:All tracks by The Arrogant Worms# "A Man Has Needs" – 3:46# "Steel Drivin' Man" – 4:03# "Great to be a Nerd" – 1:57...
- 2001 Idiot RoadIdiot RoadIdiot Road is the seventh album by the Canadian musical comedy group The Arrogant Worms, released in 2001.-Track listing:# "Idiot Road"# "Boy Band"# "We Are The Beaver"# "Baby Poo"# "Fuzzy Dice"# "I Ran Away"# "Trichinosis"...
- 2002 Gift WrappedGift WrappedGift Wrapped is a greatest hits compilation by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms, released in 2002 under the Oglio Records label...
(compilation album) - 2003 Semi-ConductedSemi-ConductedSemi-Conducted is a live album by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms, recorded on January 22, 2002, and backed by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. It was released the following year...
(live with the Edmonton Symphony OrchestraEdmonton Symphony OrchestraAs the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to country...
) - 2004 Toast! (live album)
- 2006 BeigeBeige (album)Beige is an album by the Canadian comedy music group, The Arrogant Worms. It was released in February 2006.-Track listing:# "Pressure Washer"# "Go To Sleep Little Leech"# "Twins"# "The Guy With Computer Know-How"# "I.B.S."# "Ezra Eats"...
- 2008 TorpidTorpid (album)Torpid is an album by the Canadian comedy music group, The Arrogant Worms. Torpid was the twelfth album for the band and was released on September 30, 2008.Torpid was recorded in the year 2008 during three shows at the Kingston Brewing Company...
(live album) - 2010 Hindsight 20/20Hindsight 20/20 (album)Hindsight 20/20 is a greatest hits compilation album by the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms. The album consists of twenty songs spanning the band’s twenty year career and a dance remix of “The Last Saskatchewan Pirate.”-Track listing:...
(compilation album)
- 1992 The Arrogant Worms
- VideosVideotapeA videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
- 2004 Three Worms and an OrchestraThree Worms and an OrchestraThree Worms and an Orchestra is a DVD of a performance of the Canadian comedy music group The Arrogant Worms with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. It includes their most popular songs performed live, as well as two music videos....
(DVD of Semi-Conducted performances and other original music videos)
- 2004 Three Worms and an Orchestra
Get Stupid!
Get Stupid!Get Stupid!
Get Stupid! is a book released in February 2005 that was written by one of the members of the comedy team The Arrogant Worms, Trevor Strong...
is a book released in February 2005 that was written by one of the Arrogant Worms, Trevor Strong. It teaches the "Ignorance IS Bliss Method".
It contains three parts:
- "The IQ (Ignorance Quotient) Test", which tests how ignorant you really are.
- "The Seven Steps to Bliss", which teaches you how to find happiness through ignorance.
- "Simplifying the World", which teaches you how to deal with the problems of the world after you have become ignorant. It contains information about everything, including artArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, gardeningGardeningGardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
, healthHealthHealth is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
, and recipes.
Misattribution
The Arrogant Worms are frequently miscredited (on the internet and otherwise) as writing and/or recording songs such as "The White House Burned (The War of 1812)" and "The Toronto SongThe Toronto Song
"The Toronto Song" is a comedy song by Canadian comedy group Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie. It is one of many songs the Trolls recorded that are often mistakenly attributed to The Arrogant Worms...
" (both of which are by Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie
Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie
Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie are a Canadian comedy group from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Childhood friends Wes Borg and Joe Bird met actress Cathleen Rootsaert at a weekly Theatre Sports comedy jam to form the initial group. Later, Neil Grahn was recruited...
) as well as Vito Petroccitto Jr's recording of "The Assumption Song". Other frequent misattributions, according to their official website, include "Cows With Guns" by Dana Lyons
Dana Lyons
Dana Lyons is a folk music and alternative rock musician from Bellingham, Washington. He was born in Kingston, New York and graduated from Swarthmore College in 1982....
and "Wayne Gretzky Rocks" by The Pursuit of Happiness. This has occasionally led to fans requesting these songs during encores of their live shows.
On a similar note, the Captain Tractor
Captain Tractor
Captain Tractor is a Canadian folk rock band, based in Edmonton, Alberta. They play a punk-influenced variant of Celtic folk music, similar to such bands as Great Big Sea, The Pogues or Spirit of the West...
cover version of the Worms' "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate" is often simply credited to The Arrogant Worms themselves, or Captain Tractor is credited with writing the song.
External links
- Official website
- Official blog - Not recently updated and no longer linked to on the main site.
- "Carrot Juice Is Murder"
- lyrics
- MP3 and Real Audio (authorized)
- Fan site with complete song lyrics and more information