Here’s Your Sign

Artist: Bill Engvall
Listenability Scale: 90%
Released by: Warner Bros. Nashville A Review by:
The Dude on the Right

Bill Engvall is one funny guy. My appreciation for his humor started when I saw him open for John Michael Montgomery who opened for Reba, and then continued to grow when I saw him play emcee between Jo Dee Messina, Toby Keith, and Joe Diffie. I guess, like most good comics, his talent comes from translating everyday life situations into anything we can laugh at. I kind of liken him to Bill Cosby. Mr. Engvall goes from golf, to the fair, to the family and gives a reason for people to laugh. Now, it’s really kind of hard to review a comedy CD without really listing all of the jokes, but that can’t even relate the jokes because a lot of times it’s in the voice and inflections of the comedian that the jokes take a life. So, I guess I’ll just kind of go through the track by track synopsis thing and kind of abbreviate.

Track #
Track Title
1.
Introduction
Just what it says.
2.
I Love Golf
Who hasn’t played golf, or any other sport with the “self-proclaimed” pro. Bill relates it perfectly.
3.
Going to the Fair
He puts it simply. “If you’re ever feeling down about yourself, just go to a state fair and look around. I saw people who could be their own dad….” And who does have this talent for butter carving?
4.
We’ve Got a Full House
The addition of pets to your house, and great comedic differences between cats and dogs.
5.
Here’s Your Sign
Jeff Foxworthy has rednecks, Bill Engvall has signs. Yep, I agree, stupid people should wear them. And he raises some good points of warnings on products – they’re for stupid people, and if the stupid people wore signs we wouldn’t sell these products to them. Like why does a tube of Preparation H have to have a warning like “Do not take orally,” or “avoid spraying this into an open flame” on a can of shaving cream. This little track also starts with a hilarious take on Texans, especially their language like “I tell you what” being a complete sentence.
6.
Nobody Disciplines Their Kids Anymore
He’s right, in a comical way, what’s up with this whole “time-out” thing, anyway. Let’s try a knock-out. Where was that “sitting in a chair and thinking about it” when we were growing up?
7.
Things Have Changed
It used to be fun going out on Halloween, and where were those car seats when we were growing up? Nope, didn’t have them, as he puts it, “we were up there jumpin’ on the front seat.”
8.
Caught Big Time
A great segment on the trials and tribulations of kids growing up, asking about sex, and parents almost getting caught in the throws of passion.
9.
I.G. Joe
A cute take on how your children can’t pronounce things, how dinosaurs might just be extinct because of Barney, and where is “white-trash” Barbie?
9.
Baby Barf and the Turkey Hunt
I think I’ll start to work on the “baby barf” alarm clock, I just hope he doesn’t want any royalties!
9.
Tell Me What I’m Thinking
There are certain places fingers are not meant to be put.
9.
Love Magic
Bill does a great take on what keeps a marriage together. Simply put – don’t play board games together.

I like a great comedian as much as the next person, there is nothing like a great laugh, especially when you’re laughing at yourself. His jokes are basically clean, but geared towards adults or at least those who can understand the adult world. The CD is a great representation of his live show, but like just about any comedian, go see him live. Just be sure you wear some adult diapers because you might find yourself peeing in your pants. As a comedy CD, Bill Engvall’s “Here’s Your Sign” is a winner. It’s a 90% on the listenability scale, and if you see his name anywhere near your town, go to see him live – that will tip it to 100%. That’s it for this one, I’m The Dude on the Right! L8R!!