Balance of funny, personal songs define Unplugged

October 30, 2006 —

So another actor decided he wanted to make a CD. Big deal. I didn't buy Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts or Dogstar, so why would I buy a CD by Jeff Daniels? Well, because it's Jeff Daniels.

Having always admired Daniels and the path his career has taken, I was surprised at just how much I didn't know about him. I may love Escanaba in da Moonlight, but I didn't have the slightest idea that the man was a songwriter.

Then I took a look at the names of the songs on his first CD, Live and Unplugged, and quickly came to the assumption that these were little joke songs, and that is why I hadn't heard about his music career - because it wasn't something he took very seriously.

Well, you know the saying, "When you assume..."

One listen to the disc quickly changed my mind about the musical stylings of the man once known as Harry Dunne to the moviegoers of America. These aren't stupid little songs written by an actor who wants to sing. These are well-crafted songs written by a songwriter who just happens to be an actor.

Sure, there are the funny songs, like "If William Shatner Can, I Can Too," which pokes fun at the very fact that he is an actor singing songs, and "You Can Drink an Ugly Girl Pretty," a great song about exactly what it sounds like.

Then there's "The Lifelong Tiger Fan Blues," the original Tiger blues song written after the dismal 2003 season when there was seemingly no hope in sight.

But there's also a handful of really personal songs that are quite touching, including the simple yet beautiful "Momma Never Left Her Oldest Boy Alone," about Daniels' mother supporting his move to New York to become an actor.

Then there's the song about his wife, about which he says, "If you listen closely, you can actually hear me falling in love."

These don't sound like the words of that guy from Dumb and Dumber. Really, that's the point. It's so easy to forget that this is Jeff Daniels singing until a track ends and he recounts another moment in his life that inspired a song.

These songs were written over roughly 30 years time, so that's a lot of his life poured into one concert. But it's a life that sounds good put to music. And while there are a few songs that are too silly to warrant many listens, for the most part this CD is just good, solid, stripped-down bluesy rock with great lyrics and sing-along choruses.

Coming from any other actor, I might not give it another spin. I like The Matrix and all, but Keanu, put that guitar down. Mr. Daniels, on the other hand, you may continue to sing. You're not an actor, you're an entertainer, and with your guitar you've only found yet another way to entertain.