Various Artists - Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Soundtrack

Remember the show The Continental? How about the sketch featuring Christopher Walken on Saturday Night Live where he plays the seedy lout getting champagne thrown in his face? Well, let’s just say that guys like that and Ron Burgundy make me so happy I was just a kid in the 70s and never had to actually worry about dating during the decade. Silly, silly men… Seriously, there’s no reason to buy this soundtrack other than the fact that Will Ferrell is hysterically funny. The songs are 70s AM radio (any of you remember that?) gold, and if you’re a fan of that stuff, you will recognize most of the tracks. Personal favorites of mine are “Cherry Cherry” by Neil Diamond and “Use Me” by Bill Withers. I could live a lifetime without having to hear “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas again. But like I said, this soundtrack is not really about the music. The Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy soundtrack is both opened and closed with a sultry (read: hilarious) little dialogue from Ron’s bathtub, and each song is introduced by him with little relevant…and not-so-relevant anecdotes from his life of sexiness and good times. By far, the high point is “Shannon” by the forgettable Henry Gross. Oh god, I could not stop laughing! Several times I laughed so hard that the squishy foam earplug thingies I use popped right out of my ears. Ferrell talks over the entire song (which is a blessing – it was never one of my favorites), sobbing loudly, moaning, and generally does what he does best – cracking you up. “I was born without a spleen! How does that make you feel?” It makes me feel terrible, Will, really terrible – bwaaaaahahahahah!! This is truly a novelty record, and if you are a Will Ferrell fan, you will love it. It’s just too funny, and the man is a genius. But if you aren’t buying it simply to laugh at him, you could probably skip it. [www.anchorman-themovie.com]