The JHU Mental Notes are a co-ed a cappella group from the Johns Hopkins University. Their name is a horrible pun. Founded in 1993 by students who were rejected from the other on-campus a cappella groups, the Mental Notes have grown to be one of the sexiest and most respected singing groups at JHU. They sing a high-energy set of music from the last three decades infused with carefully masked interpersonal tensions, college humor and sex, and decide group conflicts by verticality. Their first album was also titled verticality, and included the following tracks:
- (It's the) End of the World2
- The Pre-Med, to the tune of The Gambler
- Shape of my Heart (Sting)
- Like a Prayer
- I Touch Myself
- Ramble On
- Because the Night
- White Room2
- I Just Shot a Mime1, to the tune of For the Longest Time
- Self Esteem
- Black
- One More Minute1 (live)
The Mental Notes also have one of the finest vocal percussion legacies on campus, which they have associated with Jedi names from the Star Wars mythos--their current guru, Greg, is the "Young Anakin of Vocal Percussion," so the analogy (precluding new sequels or digging any deeper into the fanfic) has reached its peak.
All in all, hanging out with The Mental Notes results in overexposure to lots of inside jokes. Some (but not all) Mental Notes enjoy the ambience of Waffle House as much as the food. Some other songs the Mental Notes have sung:
- The Star-Spangled Banner
- Hush (Kula Shakur version)
- Space Oddity1
- Video Killed the Radio Star
- Tainted Love
- Malcolm
- Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits intro and bridge, Reefer Madness tune & lyrics)
- Breaking the Girl3
- Good Lovin'
- I Like to Move It Move It
- Closerpercussion: 1,2,3,4 -- recorded 2002, never performed
- Sensitive New Age Guys
- Mentos Theme Song, with "Viagra" lyrics
- Love Shack2
- Smooth
- She Has a Girlfriend Now
- King of Spain5
- The Joy of Cola, with "Joy of Sheep" lyrics
- 30 second song
- Walk the Walk4
- Phone Sex Girls1
- Entropy (MC Hawking)
- I'm Only Happy When it Rains
- Instant Pleasure
- Yoda
- Mr. Roboto3
- Call my Name
- Son of a Preacher Man
- Behind Blue Eyes
- Too Much2
- Sometimes (James)
- Theme from The Muppet Show, Mental Notes lyrics
- Right Now
- (You can) Call Me Al
- All Mixed Up2
- Send Me on My Way
- The Hardest Part of Breaking Up3,4 (2Gether)
- Love Fool
... and more from before I was ever a Mental Note. AFAIK, this is a complete list of the 5 years from 1996 to 2001, but I know I've forgotten some. Also, with each passing year, the setlist grows. I went to a show in 2002 and heard a setlist that was more than 50% new material.
Wacky noder blackmail material footnote... OF DOOM!
- lead/solo vocals by Qeyser
- lead/solo vocals by Jurph
- lead/solo vocals by Lyric
- vocal percussion by GS_Threeve
- lead/solo vocals by murphy