Johns Hopkins Mental Notes

The Johns Hopkins Mental Notes are a co-ed comedy collegiate a cappella group at Johns Hopkins University.

History

The group was founded in 1994. At one point, the group was intended to be named "The Leftovers" because it was made up of students who were not accepted into other a cappella groups. It is currently the only comedy a cappella group at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. While collegiate a cappella is a popular activity, the Mental Notes draw many a cappella newcomers through the incorporation of comedy into their sets. [ The Johns Hopkins Newsletter [http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2002/11/22/Arts/The-Mental.Notes.Sing.Radical.A.Cappella-2249131.shtml] ]

The Group

The Mental Notes perform a variety of songs, usually splitting their sets evenly between funny songs and regular songs. Funny songs are usually by notable comedy artists, such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, or may be parodies written by group members. Normal songs are typically rock or pop songs. [www.mentalnotes.org [http://www.mentalnotes.org] ]

The main philosophy of the Mental Notes is to have a good time singing [ The Johns Hopkins Newsletter [http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2001/10/05/Features/Mental.Notes.Version.Of.A.Cappella-2247240.shtml] ] . This is the source of the group's casual, wacky on-stage demeanor. It is also the reason that the Mental Notes do not compete in a cappella competitions, such as The ICCA (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella), or submit songs to be included on competitive compilation albums, such as BOCA (Best of College A Cappella).

The standard dress of the Mental Notes for performances is Hawaiian shirts [The Johns Hopkins Newsletter [http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2001/10/05/Features/Mental.Notes.Version.Of.A.Cappella-2247240.shtml] ] .

Gigs

Major concerts are held at the end of each academic semester. In addition to the set songs, original skits are interspersed. Smaller events may be held with traveling guest groups, or to release a new CD. It is not uncommon for a charitable event, such as Relay for Life to hold a charitable event on campus and request entertainment from Johns Hopkins' a cappella groups. University sponsored events are also common performance venues [The Johns Hopkins Gazette [http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/2005/05dec05/05quad.html] ] .

Touring

As is popular with many collegiate a cappella groups, the Mental Notes go on tour. At least once a year, in the fall, the Mental Notes spend a three-day-weekend singing on the road. Typical tour performances are with other college groups that agree to host an event. Sometimes gigs will be located at high schools. Even less formal gigs are performed spontaneously in parks and on street corners, as well as in any restaurants or businesses that will accept free entertainment.

Less frequently (approximately every other year), the Mental Notes go on a longer, extended tour over the week of Spring Break
Recent Mental Notes tour stops:

New York University

Washington Square Park

Georgetown University

Duke University

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chicago, Il

Rice University

University of Texas at Austin

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

State University of New York at Geneseo

On a stop in Chicago, Il, the Mental Notes were privileged enough to sing "Happy Birthday" at a private birthday party with Michael Feinstein.

Discography [www.mentalnotes.org [http://www.mentalnotes.org] ]

The Mental Notes currently have three albums. The original artist(s), or the artist(s) upon whose songs a parody is based, are noted for each song:
Verticality(1999)
1. End of the World - R.E.M.
2. The Pre-Med (parody) - Kenny Rogers
3. Shape of My Heart - Sting
4. Like a Prayer - Madonna
5. I Touch Myself - The Divinyls
6. Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
7. Because the Night - 10,000 Maniacs
8. White Room - Cream
9. I Just Shot a Mime (parody) - Billy Joel
10. Self Esteem - The Offspring
11. Black - Pearl Jam
12. One More Minute (live) - "Weird Al" Yankovic

Off Pants (2002)
"Disc One:"
1. The Hardest Part of Breaking Up - 2Gether
2. She Has a Girlfriend Now - Reel Big Fish
3. Walk the Walk - Poe
4. I Touch Myself - The Divinyls
5. You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
6. Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles
7. Truck Driving Song - "Weird Al" Yankovic
8. I Think I Love You - Partridge Family/Less Than Jake
9. Space Oddity - David Bowie
10. In the Hall of the Mountain King - Edvard Grieg
11. King of Spain - Moxy Fruvous
12. Goodnight Moon - Shivaree
13. Track 1a (interlude)
14. Phone Sex Girls (Are Not Pretty) - Corky and the Juice Pigs
15. Loveshack - The B-52's
16. SBDCY (interlude)
17. Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
18. Hush - Kula Shaker

"Disc Two" (Live Tracks):
1. Intro
2. Call Me - Blondie
3. Truck Driving Song - "Weird Al" Yankovic
4. Goodnight Moon - Shivaree
5. Channel Sketch
6. Walk the Walk - Poe
7. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
8. Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. The Hardest Part of Breaking Up - 2Gether
10. One More Minute - "Weird Al" Yankovic

The Platonic Make-Out Sessions(2006)
1. Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners/Save Ferris
2. Mr. Hawaiian Shirt Pattern Designer - Anheuser-Busch
3. You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
4. Schadenfreude (live - fall 2004) - Avenue Q
5. Selfless, Cold, and Composed - Ben Folds Five
6. The Night Santa Went Crazy (live - fall 2003) - "Weird Al" Yankovic
7. Like a Virgin - Madonna/Big Daddy
8. Mr. Roboto - Styx
9. What Would Brian Boitano Do? - Trey Parker/Matt Stone
10. Your Mom - Traditional (original compilation)
11. Heartbreaker (live - fall 2002) - Pat Benatar
12. She's On Time - Barenaked Ladies
13. Nintendley (live - spring 2004) - Koji Kondo, et al.
14. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler/Nikki French
15. Hey You - Pink Floyd
16. I Will Survive (live - spring 2003) - Gloria Gaynor/Cake
17. I'm the Only Gay Eskimo - Corky and the Juice Pigs
18. Lackluster (interlude)
19. Sell Out - Reel Big Fish

External links

* [http://www.mentalnotes.org| www.mentalnotes.org] (official site)
* [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=929225| The Mental Notes at Everything2.com]
* [http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/2005/05dec05/05quad.html| The Mental Notes in the JHU Gazzette]
* [http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2002/11/22/Arts/The-Mental.Notes.Sing.Radical.A.Cappella-2249131.shtml| The Mental Notes in the Johns Hopkins Newsletter (1)]
* [http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2001/10/05/Features/Mental.Notes.Version.Of.A.Cappella-2247240.shtml| The Mental Notes in the Johns Hopkins Newsletter (2)]
* [http://www.johnshopkins.edu/annualfund/homewood/credits.html| "Homewood in a Minute" Featuring the Mental Notes' music]

References