MST3K: Play MST for Me 3

I'm watching all of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes in order. More about that here and here.

Video: Play MST For Me 3

First released: VHS, Best Brains 2000
Availability: Best Brains VHS (out of print), Best Brains DVD (Play MSTie For Me Triple Decker)

This isn't an episode of MST3K. I actually finished those, covering the last episode the other day. But, during the run of the show, they released some videos.

This is one of those videos.

It came out in late 2000, over a year after the last new episode aired, but with over three years of reruns still to go before the show finally left the air. Or left the cable. Or whatever. You know what I mean.

Like Play MST For Me and Play MST for Me 2, this is a collection of songs from the Host Segments. Or, at least, mostly songs. A few aren't straight up musical numbers. But, there's music involved in some way.

But, before I cover them, let me explain a little more about this video.

It's really hard to find. Extremely difficult.

It's one of those VHS tapes that was released by Best Brains, and sold to MST3K Information Club members.

Now, I wasn't a member. But, I did obtain a second-hand copy of the videotape, helping me have a nearly-complete library of MST3K releases. I have all the DVDs from Shout, Rhino, and Best Brains, and I have all the VHS tapes from Rhino, and most of the VHS tapes from Best Brains.

As of this writing, I'm only missing the four Best Brains-released episodes, two of the five Shorts releases, and this tape.

That's right. I'm reviewing a videotape I don't own. But, I own the content. You see, this collection was also released on DVD, and I own that. So, I do own this collection, just not in both formats.

The first of the three Play MST for Me collections covered songs from the first three seasons, while the second covered songs from the next three seasons. This one covers songs from the last three seasons. There were no songs in Season Seven.

• The Bomb Song from Episode 804 - The Deadly Mantis. Not really a song. The bomb worshipers chant behind the action of repairing the bomb.
• AM Country In Space from Episode 804 - The Deadly Mantis. The crew of the SoL listen to AM radio while traveling the universe.
• The Best of Digger Smolken from Episode 806 - The Undead. A record from the awful Digger Smolken character from the film.
• When I Held Your Brain in My Arms from Episode 807: Terror from the Year 5000. The Observers sing.
• The 70s Song from Episode 814: Riding with Death. Not the 1970s. The 70s. And, the 50s.
• Sodium! from Episode 817: Horror of Party Beach. An early 60s style song about ... Sodium!
• When Loving Lovers Love from Episode 822: Overdrawn at the Memory Bank. The greatest, bestest, most wonderfullest song of the series.
• Where Oh Werewolf from Episode 904: Werewolf. A 60s song by a girl with a crush on a werewolf. Mike's the girl.
• Sonnet to Mrs. Hargrove from Episode 905: The Deadly Bees. Not really a song. But sort of. Crow should really go back to Kim Cattrall.
• Please Staaay! from Episode 905: The Deadly Bees. An operetta about Observer's plan to leave.
• Hobgoblins from Episode 907: Hobgoblins. A fake song by Fake Mike and the Fake Bots.
• The Canada Song from Episode 910: The Final Sacrifice. An ode to Canada. Or about Canada.
• Sir Thomas Neville Servo Quartet (Air on a Delta Night) from from Episode 913: Quest of the Delta Nights. Kevin Murphy shows off his talents.
• The Rain Song from Episode 1002: The Girl in Gold Boots. Mike sings a sad song while it rains in space and the ship burns.
• The Band That Played "California Lady" from Episode 1007: Track of the Moon Beast. Not a song, but a dead-on parody of the Behind the Music type of shows.
• To Earth from Episode 1013: Diabolik. The joys of Earth! Or maybe not so joyous.

This is the most complete collection of songs from the covered three-year period. In fact, they only omitted one musical selection during the run. In Episode 1006: Boggy Creek II: and the Legend Continues... Observer sings about a mysterious creature that turns out to be Bobo.

The collection itself didn't seem to receive the care and consideration that the first two did. Whether that was because of a greatly reduced staff -- MST3K was no longer in production, after all -- or if there was an attitude of "get it out there quick and make a buck while there's bucks to be made" I don't know.

The other releases had song titles and episodes listed on each selection. On this one, that wasn't the case. I did make an edit for my own purposes that contains those (see the screen shots).

Despite the hurried approach that seems to have been taken, it's still a pretty good collection of musical numbers.

One thing they never did, but perhaps could still do: take the songs omitted from all three collections and release a fourth collection.

They won't. At least, I don't think they will. But, if they did, I'd buy it. I'm just that kinda guy.

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