I think we need to remember that in the 70s, and 80s, comedy albums were really the only way to listen to comedy “on demand”. Now, you get to just stream any comedy you like on Netflix. But back in the day, it was quite a thing to have a comedy album.
There are some comedy greats that have seminal comedy albums. Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor are two names that immediately spring to mind. But I’m not sure that the 12th man is in that league. It certainly isn’t to my taste.
But yet, I think his impact on Australian culture can’t be dismissed. I can still, to this day, recite some of his most famous songs/skits. Even after not consciously listening to him at the time and certainly not for 30 years. I can guarantee that if you started quoting the following words “The bone, the off white, the cream, the ivory or the beige” to people of a certain age (ok, men of a certain age) that they’d be able to finish the quote off for you. I do wonder how much of the 12th man material has just worked its way into the Australian consciousness. Quite a bit I think.
So, while it’s not to my taste, it is interesting to note that the 12th man has had seven (7) number 1 albums in Australia. That’s kind of amazing. It is as many as Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam and Elton John.
And more than Michael Jackson.
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