Born to laugh at tornadoes

    A long time ago, nearly 30 years, Was (Not Was) put out a record called "Born To Laugh at Tornadoes." It passed neatly under my radar. I had their first record (which was eponymous), because I had found it for 50 cents or so in a discount store. (I passed over a Gang of Four record, and am still kicking myself. As a sort of punishment, I've still never heard them. Crazy, no?) I really liked that one, and when I eventually found BTLAT, I liked it even better.
    Thus I was very surprised to learn in those pre-Internet days that it had been just lambasted by critics. Reviled. Body slammed. I didn't understand it then and I still don't understand it now. The first record had been hook-heavy, Motown-like and highly commercial, only with weird quirky lyrics. The second one was exactly the same, only with guest artists. Most of them had heavy Detroit connections (Mitch Ryder, Doug Fieger) or might as well have (Mel Torme, Ozzie Osbourne). Apparently, having Mel Torme croon about a guy choking to death = selling out. I just can't see it.
    To me, it was all a big joke, a parody of a concept album. It was called "Born To Laugh at Tornadoes," FFS. (Still my favorite album title ever, by the way.) I still think it's a delightful record, if dark around the lyrics. If you can find it, get it. If not, look it up and find the songs on YouTube; most are there.
    Ironically, on their next record, they really did sell out, and very successfully. I don't know how the critics felt about that, but I know which way I'm betting. But on that one, the fellows came up with "Somewhere in America (There's a Street Named After My Dad)" by which they expiated all their sins in my book. Rather like Bob Dylan with "Hurricane."
    I appreciate that I sound like a guy writing jazz liner notes in the '60s and I should erect some categories for Was (Not Was), like Neo-Motown or Sardonic Funk. (Sardonic Funk would be a great band name, but wouldn't everything?) But the source of "fan" is still "fanatic"; if I sound like a fanatic, I guess I can live with that. (Also, it's a lot of fun having "Born to laugh at tornadoes" as a subject line.)