Songs of My Life #62 - Tenacious D - Tribute - 2001

Songs of My Life #62 - Tenacious D - Tribute - 2001

I knew nothing of Tenacious D when I first saw their album cover, which was what first drew me in. Then I saw they had a song titled "Dio", and when I first heard it I realised it was indeed about my hero Ronnie James Dio (yes, I know there is a very similar thread in most of my Songs of My Life including Dio...). And so I bought the album, and the rest is history.

This was the song released from the album, upgraded from how they performed it on their TV show. Utilising the talents of Dave Grohl on instruments and as the Devil in the film clip, this song went ballistic and made Tenacious D stars in their own right. It's not their only great song, but it is the one most people know. Not only are they humorous, they can both sing, and Kyle Gass is a terrific guitar player. And how do you come up with this idea - a song sung as a Tribute to a song you sang to defeat the Devil, because you can't remember how the actual song went. Brilliant. And when Jack proclaims "we are but men!", tears open his shirt, and they both rock with the light behind them... how can you not laugh and join in at the same time?

We saw the D live at the Sydney Opera House a few years ago in all of their acoustic glory, and they were as fantastic as I ever imagined they would be. And when they played this song, and everyone in the whole house was singing it back at them, literally drowning out their own vocals, it gave me goosebumps and shivers down my spine.

My kids loved this from an early age. Then again, they didn't have much choice. Keep an eye out for Ben Stiller towards the end of the clip too. \m/