Review of "Sing Along With Mad," by Frank Jacobs

Review of

Sing Along With Mad, by Frank Jacobs ISBN 0446863009

Five out of five stars

 This book demonstrates the creative genius of the people at “Mad Magazine” and the humor is timeless. When the jokes in the books from Mad are based on current events and politicians it is lost on people of a future generation that do not know and understand the context of the jokes. The humor here is based on events that have changed little in the decades since first publication and are based on humorous lyrics that can be sung using well known tunes.

 For example, there there is a song based on the context of Moses leading his people across the Red Sea that is sung to the tune of “Born Free.” The opening line is “Red Sea.” Another standout is one that references Leonardo da Vinci that is to be sung to the tune “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and the opening lines are “There’s no genius but no genius. Like my genius, you see!”

 It takes a bit of carrying a tune in your mind while you read, but when you do it you will find the tunes to be catchy and humorous.