Songs in the Key of Springfield explained

Songs in the Key of Springfield is a soundtrack/novelty album from The Simpsons compiling many of the musical numbers from the series. The album was released in the United States on March 18, 1997, and in the United Kingdom in June 1997. This was the second album released in association with the Simpsons television series; however, the previous release, The Simpsons Sing the Blues, contained original recordings as opposed to songs featured in episodes of the series.

The album was followed by The Yellow Album, a second album of original songs. Hollywood Records released the album on digital and streaming platforms on December 9, 2021.

Music

The first track is an extended version of the main title theme listed as being from the episode "Cape Feare". However, Lisa's saxophone solo featured in the album track is different from the solo that was used in that episode. The theme version matching the one on the album (with the same sax solo) that matches the one on the CD was used, complete with the same sax solo, for the episodes "Monty Can't Buy Me Love", "Simpson Safari" and "The Bart Wants What It Wants", which all aired well after the album's release. In addition, syndicated reruns of "Cape Feare" replaced the original opening with a shorter opening without the extended "chorus line" couch gag.

Cultural reference

The title is taken from the Stevie Wonder album Songs in the Key of Life. Another FOX TV show, The X-Files, had a soundtrack album entitled Songs in the Key of X. The Simpsons podcast Pods in the Key of Springfield is named after this album.^[1]

Chart performance

Compared to the previous album released in The Simpsons franchise, The Simpsons Sing the Blues, the album failed to match the success of their previous record. It managed to peak at number 18 in the United Kingdom, where it would become the last charting album for the franchise in that country.

The album was less successful in the United States, where it peaked at #103 on the Billboard 200. However, it was successful on Billboards Top Kid Audio chart, where it peaked at number one, becoming the first number one on that chart for the franchise.

The album was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry twice in the UK. On March 19, 1999, on the Warner Records label^[2] and again on July 22, 2013, on the Rhino Entertainment label.^[3]

Track listing

1. "The Simpsons Theme" (by Danny Elfman)
2. "We Do" (The Stonecutters' Song) - from the episode "Homer the Great"

Marge & Homer introduction

The Stonecutters

1. "Dancin' Homer" (Medley) - from the episode "Dancin' Homer"
   • Crosstown Bridge - The Simpsons – 0:10
   • Capitol City

The Simpsons

Tony Bennett

1. "Homer & Apu" (Medley) - from the episode "Homer and Apu"
   • Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?

Lisa introduction

The Simpsons

Apu

1. • Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart? (Reprise)

Homer & Marge introduction

Homer

Apu

1. "Round Springfield" (Medley) - from the episode 'Round Springfield"
   • Bleeding Gums Blues

Lisa & DJ introduction

Bleeding Gums Murphy

Lisa

Alto saxophone solo by Dan Higgins

1. • A Four-Headed King

Bleeding Gums Murphy

Lisa

Cast

1. • There She Sits, Brokenhearted

Bleeding Gums Murphy

Lisa

1. • Jazzman (by Carole King and David Palmer)

Bleeding Gums Murphy

Lisa

Alto saxophone solo by Dan Higgins

Baritone saxophone solo by Terry Harrington

1. "Oh, Streetcar!" (The Musical) - from the episode "A Streetcar Named Marge"
   • White-Hot Grease Fires (Prologue)

Director (Jon Lovitz)

Cast

1. • Long Before the Superdome

Chief Wiggum

1. • New Orleans

Cast

1. • I Thought My Life Would Be a Mardi Gras

Marge & Cast introduction

Marge

Apu

1. • I Am Just a Simple Paper Boy

Apu

1. • Stella

Ned Flanders

1. • She Flies

(instrumental)

1. • The Kindness of Strangers

Marge

Cast

1. "Jingle Bells" (by James Pierpont) - from the episode "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)"

Robert Goulet

Bart

Smithers

Mr. Burns

Nelson

1. "$pringfield" (Medley) - from the episode "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)"
   • The Simpsons End Credits Theme ("Big Band Vegas" Version)
   • Gracie Films Logo (Vegas version with slot machine sound at the end)
2. "Itchy & Scratchy Main Title Theme" (by Robert Israel & Sam Simon) - from the episode "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
3. "Itchy & Scratchy End Credits Theme" - from The Episode "The Front"
4. "The Day the Violence Died" (Medley) - from the episode "The Day the Violence Died"
   • Not Jazz Chor, but Sad Chor"

Krusty the Clown

1. • The Amendment Song (by John Swartzwelder)

Jack Sheldon with Kid

Bart

Lisa

Cast

1. "Señor Burns" - from the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"

Tito Puente & His Latin Jazz Ensemble

1. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Afro-Cuban" Version) - from the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part Two)

Tito Puente & His Latin Jazz Ensemble – 0:47

1. "Your Wife Don't Understand You" - from the episode "Colonel Homer"

Announcer & Cast introduction

Lurleen (Beverly D'Angelo)

Homer

1. "Kamp Krusty" (Medley) - from the episode "Kamp Krusty"
   • South of the Border" (by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr)

Bart & Krusty introduction

Gene Merlino

1. • Gracie Films Logo (Mexican version with "Ole!" at the end)
2. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Australian" Version) - from the episode "Bart vs. Australia"
3. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Hill Street Blues" Version) - from the episode "The Springfield Connection"
4. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" Version) - from the episode "Homer the Vigilante"
5. "Treehouse of Horror V" (Medley) - from the episode "Treehouse of Horror V"
   • Controlling the Transmission (Prologue)

Bart

Homer

1. • The Simpsons Halloween Special Main Title Theme
2. "Honey Roasted Peanuts" - from the episode "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood"

Homer

Marge

1. "Boy Scoutz N the Hood" (Medley) - from the episode "Boy-Scoutz N The Hood"
   • Saved by the Bell

Apu

Milhouse

Bart

1. • Jackpot

Milhouse

Bart

1. • Springfield, Springfield (Parts 1 & 2)

Bart

Milhouse

Cast

1. • Remember This?

Bart

Lisa

1. • Another Edwardian Morning

Bart

Marge

Homer

1. "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds" (Medley) - from the episode "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds"
   • The Pick of the Litter

Mr. Burns

Lisa

1. • See My Vest

Smithers introduction

Mr. Burns

Maid

Lisa

Bart

1. "Eye on Springfield" Theme - from the episode "Flaming Moe's"

Kent Brockman introduction

Homer

1. "Flaming Moe's" - from the episode "Flaming Moe's"

Kipp Lennon

Cast

1. "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (Medley) - from the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet"
   • One Last Call (by Les Applegate)

Principal Skinner

Apu

1. • Baby on Board

The Be Sharps

Cast

1. "TV Sucks!" - a dialogue sequence from the episode ""

Homer

Bart

1. "A Fish Called Selma" (Medley) - from the episode "A Fish Called Selma"
   • Troy Chic

Agent MacArthur Parker (Jeff Goldblum)

Troy McClure

1. • Stop the Planet of the Apes
   • Dr. Zaius

Troy McClure

Bart

Homer

Cast

1. • Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z

Troy McClure

Cast

1. Send in the Clowns (by Stephen Sondheim) - from the episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled"

Announcer introduction

Krusty the Clown

Sideshow Mel

1. "The Monorail Song" - from the episode "Marge vs. the Monorail"

Lyle Lanley

Cast

1. "In Search of an Out of Body Vibe" - a dialogue sequence from the episode "Lady Bouvier's Lover"

Grampa

Mrs. Bouvier

1. "Cool" - from the episode "Lady Bouvier's Lover"

Homer

Grampa

1. "Bagged Me a Homer" (by Beverly D'Angelo) - from the episode "Colonel Homer"

Lurleen (Beverly D'Angelo)

Recording Studio Guy

Homer

Marge

Baritone saxophone solo by Terry Harrington

Harmonica solo by Tommy Morgan

1. "It Was a Very Good Beer" (by Ervin Drake) - from the episode "Duffless"

Homer

1. "Bart Sells His Soul" (Medley) - from the episode "Bart Sells His Soul"
   • From God's Brain to Your Mouth

Bart

1. • "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (by Doug Ingle)

Reverend Lovejoy

Bart

Milhouse

Homer

Cast

1. "Happy Birthday, Lisa" (by Michael Jackson, credited to W. A. Mozart, due to contractual obligations) - from the episode "Stark Raving Dad"

Lisa & Bart introduction

Leon Kompowski (Kipp Lennon)

Bart

Lisa

1. "The Simpsons Halloween Special End Credits Theme" ("The Addams Family" Version) - from the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"
2. "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part One) (Medley) - from the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part One)
   • Who Dunnit?
   • The Simpsons End Credits Theme ("JFK" Version)
3. "Lisa's Wedding" (Medley) - from the episode "Lisa's Wedding"
   • The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Renaissance" Version)
   • Gracie Films Logo ("Renaissance" Version)
4. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Dragnet" Version) - from the episode "Marge on the Lam"

Charts

Year-end charts

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pods in the Key of Springfield: A Simpsons Podcast. PodBean. Development. podsinthekeyofspringfield.podbean.com.
2. Web site: Simpsons Songs In The Key Of Springfield . British Phonographic Industry . 22 July 2022.
3. Web site: Various Artists The Simpsons - Songs In The Key Of . British Phonographic Industry . 22 July 2022.
4. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1997. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 3, 2021.