House of Pain – Part Two

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More than just “Jump Around”

Episode 023

For many music and hip-hop fans when you bring up House of Pain they are forever associated with their huge hit “Jump Around”, and too-often relegated to one-hit-wonder status.

Granted that track is outstanding and fun to hear, the band is much more than just “Jump Around”. Their entire first album, self-titled and sometimes called ‘Fine Malt Lyrics’, is a group of three guys delivering the hip-hop goods.

Not only were they white, they were Irish and not afraid to come at you hard. Back then this was in short supply.

Everlast, Danny Boy and D.J. Lethal combined with D.J. Muggs (of Cypress Hill) to rap about such things as fighting, getting blunted, sexual prowess, food preparation and out-of-date cultural references to extremely entertaining effect.

When the album was released in July of 1992 it reached a legion of hip-hop fans like Dan Minard and Randy W. Hall who immediately connected with the album and made it part and parcel of what they were about.

For Dan it gave him music to give him an edge publicly (sometimes to tragic effect) and appreciate the clever rhymes, while Randy, a huge Notre Dame football fan, felt emboldened by its pro-Irish message.

Believe it or not this record went double platinum and is virtually forgotten today. Well the guys at Dandy Classic have never forgotten it and have gathered to pay it homage, introduce a younger generation to a great record.

So crack a brew, put on your shit kickers, pass the blunt and come and get some of this!