Official video:

Camper Van Beethoven’s third album was titled, well, Camper Van Beethoven. Fans tend to refer to it as The Third Album, which makes things hella-confusing sometimes, especially taking into account that the second album was titled II & III.

I have a CD version of Camper Van Beethoven that includes the Vampire Can Mating Oven EP (which is also included on Camper Vantiquities. This means that I have two copies of the Vampire Can Mating Oven tracks kicking around even though I never intentionally bought it.

Anyhow, this album is the logical bridge from their early days to their “late period.” II & III featured songs with minimal lyrics and psychedelic grooves, this album shifts the lyrical focus to mid-80′s American pop culture (cowboys, aliens, communists, politics, classic rock, and the south west – all themes that they pursued for most of the rest of their existence). Maybe shifts is the wrong word, but it is certainly cemented on this album.

“Good Guys and Bad Guys” is practically an early-70′s classic rock track. If the lyrics didn’t keep taking such odd, sarcastic Camper Van Beethoven style twists, one would be forgiven for believing this was a song by another band from an earlier time.

I played this one a bunch on WRBC when it first came out.