Aaron Crocco

Released in 2003, "Fake Songs" is the third studio album by American musician Liam Lynch. The album gained significant attention for its hit song "United States of Whatever," which originated from Lynch's work on "The Sifl and Olly Show." The popularity of this track, initially spread through fan-made copies and then gaining traction on Los Angeles radio station KROQ, led to a recording deal with S-Curve Records.

"Fake Songs" is characterized by its "musical caricatures," which are parodies of specific musical artists. The album also features re-recordings of earlier tracks with notable guest musicians, including Ringo Starr on drums for "Try Me" and "Cuz You Do," and a duet with Jack Black on "Rock and Roll Whore." Lynch, who also directed music videos for Jack Black's band Tenacious D, included a bonus DVD with the album, compiling various shorts and skits. Despite mixed reviews, the album was noted for its humor by some critics.

Many of the songs featured on "Fake Songs" originated from comedic tracks Liam Lynch wrote and recorded during the initial seasons of his show, "The Sifl and Olly Show." Some of these pieces, including the well-known "United States of Whatever," were even incorporated into the show itself. The track "United States of Whatever" initially circulated among fans on fan-made CD-R copies. One such copy reached Los Angeles radio station KROQ, where its repeated airplay due to listener demand significantly boosted its popularity. This unexpected success paved the way for Lynch to secure a one-album contract with S-Curve Records.

As its title suggests, "Fake Songs" prominently features parodies of various musical artists, which Lynch described as "musical caricatures." The album includes re-recorded versions of the songs "Try Me" and "Cuz You Do," featuring Ringo Starr, formerly of The Beatles, on drums. Additionally, "Rock and Roll Whore" is a collaborative duet between Lynch and Jack Black from Tenacious D. Lynch's connection to Tenacious D extends to his work directing their music video for "Tribute" and their feature film "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny." The track "Electrician's Day" was originally featured on Lynch's 2000 comedy album "History of America?" with Matt Crocco.

The album's lead single, "United States of Whatever," had a music video produced for it. Lynch was invited to perform the song on the British television program "Top of the Pops" but was unable to attend, opting instead to create a music video for the show within a single day. A second promotional single, "Still Wasted from the Party Last Night," was released in 2003 with minimal promotion and initially lacked a music video, though one was later created for Lynch's podcast, Lynchland. Instead of extensive touring, Lynch utilized the budget offered by S-Curve Records to produce television commercials for the album and to include the "Fake Movies" bonus DVD.