# Is there a name for these "bait-and-switch" sort of songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704 "2008-03-25T19:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tool_of_the_Conspiracy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/21 "2008-03-26T00:42:36Z")
“Broken Record” by **The Refreshments** is funny, but I wouldn’t describe it as a novelty song. I took a walk around my neighborhood To get you off of my mind like I knew that I ought to \ You took another guy on that Caribbean cruise While I stayed home and cried into my bottle of pills ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/22 "2008-03-26T00:43:52Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] The one in Family Guy with Frank Sinatra Jr. was pretty raunchy: [/QUOTE] Awfully different from Road to Europe wasn’t too good either, though it breaks the song to acknowledge the mishap. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4dTgRSNRTHE/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/4dTgRSNRTHE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Brian: Cause you get a kick out of carnage and guts Stewie: And you get a kick out of stroking your… Brian: woahwoahwoah you can’t say that on TV Stewie: What, Ego? Brian: Nevermind… _song continues_ Obligatory link: [http://yout](http://yout) [404 Not Found | ＵＢＥ株式会社 - UBE Corporation](http://ube.com/watch?v=0VZXV7aTl24) (since it’s meant to have that “flow” I broke it) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/23 "2008-03-26T00:45:55Z")
Then there’s the old cheer: _Rah rah ree! Kick 'em in the knee! Rah rah rass! Kick 'em in the other knee!_ And this little bit of verse I heard somewhere as a kid: _Spring has sprung Fall has fell Summer is here And it’s hotter than usual._ The only “non-dirty” bait-and-switch in a non-novelty song that I know of is from “Strobe” by Adam Again: _Remember when you laughed in my ear three times I was waiting for more you said “who am I” Now you’re waiting in the shopping line Saying here’s two nickels will you give me a quarter_ ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/24 "2008-03-26T00:48:34Z")
Asshole, asshole, A soldier went to war. To piss, to piss, Two pistols by his side. Fuck you, fuck you, For curiosity. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/25 "2008-03-26T01:03:30Z")
Twenty-four posts and no mention of Miss Lucy? This is my childhood exemplar of this category, whatever it might be named: \*Miss Lucy had a steam boat The steamboat had a bell, Miss Lucy went to heaven and the Steamboat went to… Hello operator Please give me number nine And if you disconnect me I will chop off your… Behind the 'fridgerator There was a piece of glass Miss Lucy sat upon it And she cut her big fat… Ask me no more questions I’ll tell you no more lies The boys are in the bathroom Pulling down their… Flies are in the meadow The bees are in the park Miss Lucy and her boyfriend Are kissing in the… Dark is like a movie A movie’s like a show A show is like a tv set And that is all I know.\* ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/26 "2008-03-26T01:39:16Z")
At a rodeo, one of the clowns was talking about his car: The fan belt won’t fan The carburator won’t carb. And the pistons won’t – ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/27 "2008-03-26T01:59:51Z")
The Assuming song ( http:// [humor.beecy.net/songs/assuming-song/](http://humor.beecy.net/songs/assuming-song/) ) has always amused me. (Broken because it supposedly starts playing the song automatically. It didn’t for me, but I’ve got my browser set-up rather securely.) > [@](#): > > There was an old farmer who lived on a rock. > He sat in the meadow just shaking his… > > Fist at some boys who were down by the crick. > Their feet in the water their hands on their… Obviously, it continues in that vein, until the end: > [@](#): > > If you think this is dirty you can go \*\*\*\* yourself! ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/28 "2008-03-26T02:03:38Z")
Welcome to Duloc, such a perfect town Here we have some rules, let us lay them down Don’t make waves, stay in line And we’ll get along fine Duloc is a perfect place Please keep off of the grass Shine your shoes, wipe your… **face** Duloc is, Duloc is Duloc is a perfect place!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/29 "2008-03-26T02:05:29Z")
Current country song duet by George Strait & Kenny Chesney: “Talkin’ ‘bout a bunch of shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiift work Big ol’ pile of shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiift work” (Naturally, the radio stations are running it completely into the ground.) ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, “I’m So Sick of You”: “You don’t have an ounce of class You’re just one big pain in the neck” ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/30 "2008-03-26T02:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] Now they’re going to bed And my stomach is **sick** And it’s all in my head But she’s touching his **chest** [/QUOTE] Wow, I’ve heard that song half a million times by now and I never caught that. Ha! Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/31 "2008-03-26T02:59:06Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] The Killers _Mr. Brightside_ Now I’m falling asleep And she’s calling a cab While he’s having a smoke And she’s taking a drag Now they’re going to bed And my stomach is **sick** And it’s all in my head But she’s touching his **chest** Now, he takes off her dress Now, letting me go [/QUOTE] Eh, dunno. I can see where it’s supposed to fit in the rhyme scheme, but the since the music changes on the word chest, and it sort of rhymes with dress, I don’t think they really want you to hear it in the song. Not saying you’re wrong about it, just that it works better written than heard. I always liked “How’s your whole family:” Suck on a stiff cock- tail with me. Won’t ya do my as- trological charts? How’s your dic- tation machine? How’s your whole family? ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/32 "2008-03-26T03:18:11Z")
I would love to know what these are called, if anything. In our family, we think this is the very height of humor, and call them Private Eye poems, because they are how the clues are delivered in _The Private Eyes_. Tim Conway would never steer you wrong. _I said when I died, that I’d come back. If you believe in ghosts, you’re on the right track. I’m out of the grave, and roaming the moors. If you want to be safe, you better lock all the windows and screens._ And for some reason I think they are even funnier when the scan gets messed up in addition to the rhyme. _In this house, it’s hard to survive. Some will be dead, who are now alive. Mr. Uwatsum is gone, 'cause he knew too much. Bye for now, but rest assured we’ll keep in constant contact with each other._ ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/33 "2008-03-26T04:22:48Z")
No name, but yet another example. “The Walkin’ Blues” by the Jesse Powell Orchestra with Fluffy Hunter. Featured on Rhino Records’ compilation “Risque Rhythm: Nasty 50s R&B” Sample lyric: I got a man who is deaf and dumb I got a man who is deaf and dumb He couldn’t say a word til I made him… Walk right in, walk right out Walk right in, walk right out That’s what this song is all about ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/34 "2008-03-26T05:21:05Z")
“Vamos” by The Pixies: We’ll keep well bred We’ll stay well fed We’ll have our sons They will be all well hung They’ll come and play Their friends will say Your daddy’s rich Your mama’s a pretty nice lady ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/35 "2008-03-26T05:27:56Z")
Not really a good example but I’m posting it anyway: “Which Describes How You’re Feeling” by They Might Be Giants You said “I’m feeling fine,” but it didn’t really rhyme. It didn’t rhyme. Overseas. Which describes how you’re feeling all the time. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/36 "2008-03-26T05:31:22Z")
[QUOTE=BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed] Eh, dunno. I can see where it’s supposed to fit in the rhyme scheme, but the since the music changes on the word chest, and it sort of rhymes with dress, I don’t think they really want you to hear it in the song. Not saying you’re wrong about it, just that it works better written than heard. [/quote] I don’t know the song, but I would imagine if the music changes right on the word “chest” then this _heightens_ the effect of the broken rhyme scheme, rather than detracting from it. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/37 "2008-03-26T16:14:52Z")
“1000 Umbrellas” by XTC has a couple, although only one avoids a profanity: One thousand umbrellas Upturned couldn’t catch all the rain That drained out of my **head** When you said we were \*\*Over and over \*\* I cried… …So with a mop and a **bucket** I’ll just say **forget her** ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/38 "2008-03-26T16:31:11Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] I don’t know the song, but I would imagine if the music changes right on the word “chest” then this _heightens_ the effect of the broken rhyme scheme, rather than detracting from it. -FrL- [/QUOTE] Yeah, but the change makes it consistent with how it flows into the next line, making the “rhyme” between chest and dress seem like that’s like what they were going for. Dunno, I just listened again today, and it was more obvious that the “trick” could have been what they were going for, but I think there’s a reason I and another poster listened to this song for a couple years and didn’t hear it. Give it a listen and see what you think, though I guess having read this now it’s hard to know how you would have heard it otherwise. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BnwLf88t_Wc/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/BnwLf88t_Wc?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/39 "2008-03-26T17:28:05Z")
Two songs I remember: “She’s Got The Biggest Parakeets In Town” “She’s Got Freckles On Her Butt: She’s Pretty” And a line from the song “How Come My Dog Don’t Bark When You Come Around?”: “He bit my brother on the leg, bit my sister on the arm, bit my mother on the front porch”. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704/40 "2008-03-26T18:33:03Z")
Rule Britannia Three monkeys on a stick One fell do-o-o-o-own and broke his Rule Britannia Two monkeys on a stick One fell do-o-o-o-own and broke his Rule Britannia One monkey on a stick He fell do-o-o-o-own and broke his head. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-these-bait-and-switch-sort-of-songs/442704.md?page=3)