History & Culture
Ruined with Songs!
The American Songbook: Redacted is a comedy special filled with satirical songs inspired by lesser-known history and cultural trends. Using music videos, joke-filled monologues and graphics, comedy musician Rob Paravonian, of Pachelbel Rant fame, creates a comedy special unlike any other. Part Schoolhouse Rock, part The Daily Show, part Friday Night Videos, wholly hilarious!
The “Dance Party” Trailer
What Makes This So Special?
Part Schoolhouse Rock, part The Daily Show, part Friday Night Videos, The American Songbook: Redacted is a comedy special like no other. It features standup about history and culture, mixed with music videos of an entire set of impeccably arranged and recorded satirical songs.
The studio-shot host segments are filled with sharp jokes and insightful over-the-shoulder graphics (think The Daily Show or Weekend Update), and were honed throughout the festival performances and New York showcases. They tie the show together by giving background on the songs, relating the past to our culture today, and they’re delivered with the confidence of a veteran comedian.
The songs run the gamut of genres: from jazz, pop, and heavy metal, to 19th Century parlor songs, Western ballads, and disco; and the era- and genre-specific arrangements are perfectly executed. The videos mix animation, live action, and lyrics to deliver a multimedia tour-de-force. And taking the DIY ethos to ridiculous extremes, everything in the special—all of the music, live action shots and animation—was produced in Rob’s small Brooklyn apartment.
The American Songbook: Redacted Comedy Special isn’t like other comedy specials out there, but when a show covers over 200 years of history with songs from nearly a dozen genres of music, it helps to do things a little differently.
The Studio Album
Fully produced and lushly arranged, spanning several genres!
Get physical CDs and more at Rob’s online store!
High-quality digital downloads available at bandcamp! One of the more artist-friendly digital services 🙂
Stream The American Songbook: Redacted on Apple Music!
And, of course, it’s available on everyone’s favorite—spotify!
About the Author
the Musician
Rob started on the cello in 1st grade, played bass in bands in high school, college, and after, plays guitar with reckless abandon, and occasionally plunks away at the piano.
the Comedian
Rob’s comedy can be heard on SiriusXM’s Laugh USA and he regularly plays the comedy venues of NYC. He’s played over 400 colleges, opened 12 shows for George Carlin on his final tour, and opened for Lily Tomlin in Vegas.
the Writer
Rob has written three one-act plays that have appeared in NYC theater festivals and was a regular writer for NYC-based sketch group Spurn. He’s written and performed solo shows including Rock Monologues and Life with Guitars, and he wrote a full-length, two-act musical about boybands.
Merch!
Some fun merch items available at Rob’s online store!
