Sure they can act, but can they sing?

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Ever heard of Troy McClure? You might remember him from such hit shows as "Planet of the Apes: The Musical," the highlights of which you'll find on this very CD. And how about Lurleen's country classic "Bagged Me A Homer?" That's here too, along with the Latin stylings of Tito Puente on "Senor Burns." If you were depressed by Homer's short-lived musical career with his barber shop quartet, now you can relive the good old days again and again with their live performance of "Baby on Board." And there's plenty of spoken-word tidbits thrown in to help put the tunes (or should that be "toons"?) in context. Personally, I would savor this disc just for Barney's exclamation of, "I don't know where you magic pixies came from, but I sure like your pixie drink!" But since there's a total of 51 cuts on the album, there's plenty more to enjoy beyond that.

It's true that the Simpsons have tried to make it in the music business before, but have not had a great deal of success. That's due mostly to the fact that the songs they put out weren't always from the show - they were just familiar voices, without context, whereas these are sounds we already know and love.

"Simpsons" composer Alf Clausen was in charge of selecting what tracks would make the cut on this disc, and, as he explains in the liner notes, "I spent many hours surfing the Net, reading the fans' opinions about the best Homer line, the best Apu line, the best musical moment, and countless other observations. This album directly reflects the fans' views regarding the most attention-getting moments from the series, making it truly a product of the '90s love affair with the Internet." Clausen is the man responsible for most of the music on the show, as well as on the CD (the most notable exception being the main theme song, by Danny Elfman). He has received seven Emmy nominations for his work on the Simpsons, so he was the best choice for the organization of this project. Simpsons creator Matt Groening actually considers the album a "showcase" for Alf's work, but you can easily enjoy it with or without that perspective. Clausen happily notes that many of his own favorites are included, like "We Do (The Stonecutters' Song)," "Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart?" (featuring the debut of Apu's vocal abilities) and Mr. Burns' infernal number "See My Vest," a play on the "101 Dalmatians" theme.

The packaging of the CD is great too, with the disc itself designed to look like a donut and a donut-shaped "grease stain" on the insert behind it. In the booklet, there's a full description of the processes involved in creating and recording music for the show, which includes a nostalgic look back by Matt Groening which reveals such surprises as the fact that the Simpsons creator actually has two sisters named Maggie and Lisa and an obsession for TV theme songs and commercial jingles.

That's another part of the appeal of "Songs in the Key of Springfield" - listening to it evokes that world of TV fantasia, where the arrival of your favorite show or segment is signaled by a catchy, familiar tune that you've been unknowingly waiting to hear all day. Many of the songs here even pay homage to (or poke fun at, you decide) some very popular television themes. "Cheers" is covered by the theme for "Flaming Moe's." "The Amendment Song" is a hilarious satire of "Schoolhouse Rock," and through multiple versions of "The Simpsons End Credits Theme," nods are given to "Hill Street Blues," "The Addams Family" and "Dragnet" among others.

If you're a true Simpsons fan, this CD will be indispensable. It does for "The Simpsons" what the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack did for its namesake - it brings some of the best scenes right up in front of your eyes without the aid of a TV. Plus, you'll have a whole new way to liven up your parties. After all, who can resist the mob-inducing energy of "The Monorail Song," or the rousing hymn, "Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida?" I know I can't, and if you've read this far, I bet you're the same way.