Milwaukee is home to many characters in the world of sport. Mike “Freeway” McCarter is a legendary presence at MKE sporting events. Eddy J. Lemberger has crafted memorable tunes dedicated to the Green Bay Packers. But wouldn’t it be nice if Milwaukee had its very own “Weird Al” Yankovic of baseball? The answer is…maybe. It depends what you think of Tricky Henderson, a Milwaukee parodist who cut his teeth rewriting “The End” by The Doors with lyrics tied to the 2022 Brewers collapse and set to Apocalypse Now film clips. He called it “2022 Brewer Season Recap: Apocalypse Then.” Seriously.
Then, in January of 2025, Tricky Henderson delivered a stirring tribute to Bob Uecker with “Song To Uecker,” done in the style of Bob Dylan’s “Song To Woody.” The song caught the ears of folks at Milwaukee Record, and I was authorized to interview Milwaukee’s own “Weird Al of Baseball” (as Tricky insists upon being called).
I caught up with Tricky Henderson on a March morning of unseasonable warmth. To protect his privacy (he claims to have “two or three, not exactly stalkers…really they’re lurkers”), we met over coffee at one of Milwaukee’s many George Webbs. I ordered an All-American Breakfast with black coffee. Tricky asked if the Milwaukee Record was buying. I shook my head. Henderson ordered an ice water and a coffee with cream and three sugars.
Milwaukee Record: The Brewers will be without Bob Uecker for the first year in franchise history. An impossible hole to fill. Your “Song To Uecker” tribute is really quite moving.
Tricky Henderson: Thanks. Bob Dylan is the man and Bob Uecker is the man. They have that in common, so I thought I’d adapt Dylan’s “Song To Woody” as “Song To Uecker.” I mean, if Chalamet can do Dylan, I certainly can. But yeah, the Uecker tribute was very important to me and I hope Brewers fans can listen to it, maybe cry for a sec, and then cheer on the Crew to the goddamn 2025 NL Pennant.
MR: What possessed you to rewrite “The End” by The Doors to recap the Brewer misfortunes of 2022?
TH: Sadness, mostly. Everybody wanted to blame the Josh Hader trade for the collapse and, basically, they were right. It took a lot to go wrong for the Brewers to not win the division in 2022 and it all happened. “The End” already had the Apocalypse Now connection, so, despite close friends urging me not to do it, I did it: 2022 Brewer Season Recap: “Apocalypse Then.” In 20 years, it will be considered a cult classic.
MR: Close friends urged you not to make the song?
TH: Yeah. I think they were concerned about my mental health. Now who’s laughing! Really, once I wrote “Moving In Monasterio,” a tribute to Brewers utility man Andruw Monasterio, I was the one laughing. Who else has a song about a Brewers utility guy playing replacement level baseball and getting sent to the minors? Eddy J. Lemberger? I don’t think so. Although I hear he’s a fine gentleman.
MR: Do your songs get any acknowledgement from any baseball insiders?
TH: The ESPN Baseball Tonight Podcast shouted out my “PECOTA” song, which I set to “Lola” by The Kinks, of course. Chris Towers of CBS Fantasy Baseball complimented my Levon Helms impersonation on “Night They Drove Old Yeli Down.” The song’s a parody of The Band’s classic, except mine is about Christian Yelich breaking his kneecap on his own foul ball back in 2019. But Yeli’s still a stud.
MR: I did enjoy your Big Star parody of their song “Thirteen.”
TH: Gracias. I wrote the lyrics and sang it hoping the 2023 Rays would lose, or forfeit, before they broke the 1987 Brewers record of 13 straight wins to start the season. You know what, that might be my best work. Never forget Easter Sunday. Oh, and the 1987 Brewers still own a share of the record. You’re welcome, Tom Trebelhorn.
MR: You have quite the collection of Brewers-themed parody songs. Do you have any live dates set up?
TH: Hah! That’s a good one. If someone asks, I’ll consider it. Not sure what kind of establishment would want such a thing. I’ll tell you what: when the Brewers win the NL Pennant, I will perform live and in person at the site of County Stadium’s home plate. Can I get a bite of those hashbrowns?
MR: No. But thanks for meeting Tricky. Good luck with your lurkers.
I’ll leave readers with Tricky’s ending lyrics to “Song To Uecker”:
I’m a-missin’ you tomorrow I’ll miss you today
But somewhere on a diamond some afterworld place
Ueck’s calling strikes right down Wisconsin Avenue
Saying “Get up get up get outta here,” and “So long everybody too…”
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