Pineapple Pizza: Deep Dish Edition 
I don't want pepperoni, sausage, or supreme…

Editor’s Note: A version of this essay originally appeared on Nerdvana Media. https://nerdvana.co/music/pineapple-pizza/144149/

This is an updated, largely rewritten version that includes a brand-new version of the song. This piece is dedicated to my friend and fellow musician Brad Stanfield, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Enjoy. -DB

No anchovies please (the origins of the song)
Imagine a slice of pizza, adorned with pineapple and ham, rising from a cloud. It's delightful. Delicious. Tropical. It's a glimpse of junk food nirvana. For others, it's disgusting. Revolting. Divisive. The kind of thing that some folks would never dare put on their plates. 
Pineapple pizza represents a culinary barrier that some people would never cross. So, naturally, I wrote a weird song about it. Is it comedy? Kind of. Is it novelty music? In a sense. I think of it as more of a folk/alternative rock song.
That said, “Pineapple Pizza” is a very silly song. Written in 2017, it was originally conceived as a joke song. I think I might have been listening to a lot of Barenaked Ladies and Flight of the Conchords around that time. It also has some roots in listening to the song “Pineapple” by Sparks (from their Indiscreet LP, if you were wondering). The tune certainly has a BNL flavor to it, which I kind of like.
The song is 1000% how awesome putting pineapple on pizza is. No hidden messages. Nothing subliminal. Zero social commentary. I literally enjoy Hawaiian pizza and felt like singing about it.

Some people don't like it, however. These villains would love it if Pineapple Pizza disappeared from the face of the earth.
But as pizza toppings go, pineapple can’t be beat. That’s all we’re trying to say here. Come on, folks. Give peas a chance. 

Extra olives (or how I recorded this thing)

No pineapples were harmed in the making of this recording, but one did run off with a coconut and during mixing and mastering. If you’ve seen him, please return him to your nearest pizzeria immediately.

I'm pleased to announce there are now two official versions of this song: the 2017 original and the 2025 Deep Dish version. 
Let's start with the OG version. The basic track for this performance of the song was recorded in a bedroom studio. Using nothing but a TASCAM DR-22W, a Harmony H162 acoustic guitar and my own voice, I recorded this tune in one take. Then I did another take. And a third. 17 takes later, I had a basic track I was happy with.

I managed to get in touch with Brad Stanfield (the famous voice and guitar behind Dr. Demento Show favorites “Gumball Wizard” and “The Waffle Whiffer”), and he offered to assist me with additional vocals, drums and bass for the song. After a few weeks, we had our final, mixed and mastered song. I wrote the song, played acoustic guitar, and sang it. Brad added bass, electronic drums, and awesome backing vocals. Thanks, Brad!

Later on, my internet friend and outsider musician Weird Paul Petroskey https://tedium.co/2019/04/18/weird-paul-first-vlogger-interview/  made a fun video for the song, which you can see below:

[Add link to video]

In 2019, the legendary Dr. Demento played my song on his show. That made my day (and my career). After that, I felt like I finally accomplished a long-term goal, so naturally I decided to start learning more advanced guitar techniques after that. I've been on the show three times. 

https://dmdb.org/cgi-bin/search_pl.pl?string=Pineapple+Pizza&searchtype=either&matchtype=and&wordtype=substring&expanded=type&year1=1970&year2=current&sort=newest+first&pltype=synd%5C0live%5C0special&saved=yes

Since about 2020, I've been kicking around the idea of resurrecting this song, but arranged for solo guitar and using a different tuning.
See, a few years ago, I got bored and fell in love with C# tuning. I've been kicking around different iterations of the new version of the tune for some time and I'm pleased to debut it here. Please enjoy a slice of Pineapple Pizza (Deep Dish):

[Link to new version]

Have a slice to go (the inevitable conclusion)

Originally, I ended this piece by presenting a full lyric sheet, chord chart, and offering to teach readers how to play the song. I've eliminated that here because the new version, which is now the official and definitive version, is very different from what I played 8 years ago. That makes sense; it's a completely different world now, too.

The original version of “Pineapple Pizza” is from another time. The world has changed significantly (and not for the better) since that time. My dad died. I lost my main writing job. My wife lost both of her parents. My friend Brad, who helped with the original song, was diagnosed with a medical issue. And many relationships forged in the depths of my writing career have largely fallen apart. This new version of “Pineapple Pizza” is meant to spark joy in life and remind us that even in the face of darkening gloom and encroaching entropy, we can all stand to find some happiness, laughter, and joy in the strange world around us.

I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making (and writing) about it. Now go spend some time with your family, grab a slice of pineapple pizza, and share the song if you're so inclined.


Copyright & Licensing
2017 - 2025 (add to footer)