# Is there a weirder song than "Rock Lobster" by the B-52s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708 "2009-12-27T15:43:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/21 "2009-12-27T19:40:08Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > or how about the GREAT Arthur “FIRE” Brown > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8VFlCDfKo4&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8VFlCDfKo4&feature=related) from Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > During live performances and in the black and white promotional television clip, Brown performed the song wearing a burning helmet. The helmet was improvised with a leather skull cap onto which was bolted a metal dish that held lighter fluid or petrol. As the cap was not insulated, the heat from the burning fuel quickly conducted through the fixing bolt to the top of Brown’s head, causing him considerable pain. well, that’s show biz ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/22 "2009-12-27T20:00:55Z")
Reeves and Mortimer are your “go-to” men here, Try “Oh! Mr. Hairdresser” here’s a verse, just as a taster Oh, Mr Magnetic Bullrush, wave your special gloves in an arc, prepare a lovely crisp salad, and have sex with a kestrel above a caravan or try anything by “Mulligan and O’Hare” ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/23 "2009-12-27T20:17:00Z")
How about **Gruppo Sportivo** ’s _Superman_? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kq1LnUSfBNA/hqdefault.jpg "Gruppo Sportivo - Superman (Original) - HQ - HF100 - P60 Oct. 2008") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq1LnUSfBNA) Come to think of it, they could be the Dutch **B-52s** ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/24 "2009-12-27T20:40:39Z")
_[Satan Lend Me a Dollar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBZOr-5_iYM)_ by Hill of Beans? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/25 "2009-12-27T21:23:44Z")
[Camel Walk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUP5rwVNJko) by Southern Culture On The Skids ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/26 "2009-12-27T21:30:33Z")
and other family guy homages: bird’s the word shapoopi (not the song itself but the term shapoopi. random, or am i not getting an antiquated reference?) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/27 "2009-12-27T22:53:03Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > shapoopi (not the song itself but the term shapoopi. random, or am i not getting an antiquated reference?) I would guess, a reference to “Shattered”, by the Rolling Stones. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/28 "2009-12-27T23:19:28Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > and other family guy homages: > bird’s the word > shapoopi (not the song itself but the term shapoopi. random, or am i not getting an antiquated reference?) “Shipoopi” is a song in _The Music Man_. God knows why the Stones picked up on it, but that is rock music for you… and I thought the Stones sang “sha-doobie-do” in that particular song. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/29 "2009-12-28T00:50:06Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > [The Rolling Stones - Jumping Jack Flash lyrics | LyricsFreak](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rolling+stones/jumping+jack+flash_20118147.html) Tough to beat Jumpin Jack Flash. He’s basically using a blues tradition of getting over-dramatic and invoking quasi-religious imagery to basically say in each verse “whoa, I was bummed out - but I got better” I vote for \*\*Cannonball \*\*by **The Breeders** It has lyrics like: > [@](#): > > I’ll be your whatever you want - > The bong in that reggae song And that immortal chorus: > [@](#): > > Would you - coo coo - cannonball and yet - I freakin’ love it. And I love me some B-52’s - I kinda imagine Fred Schneider as some whacked-out Pee-Wee Herman-esque bizarrely non-threatening uncle telling a made-up story using what he can find on the beach during a Grand Day Out with all his little nieces and nephews - a harmless wild rumpus, which is what I always find fun about the B-52’s…very Lewis Carroll / Jabberwocky… ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/30 "2009-12-28T01:02:12Z")
i know it’s from the music man. but why they chose the phrasing “shapoopi” as the girl who’s hard to get, i’ll never know… that’s what i was wondering. was a “shapoopi” late 50’s slang? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/31 "2009-12-28T01:10:18Z")
Well, here is all I got for you: [shipoopi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipoopi) IMO it’s a nonsense rhyme, sung to take up space and meter in a song. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/32 "2009-12-28T01:28:27Z")
“How Bizarre” by OMC is a pretty weird song- especially seeing as it’s written by an NZ artist but is clearly pitched at the US radio airplay market. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/33 "2009-12-28T01:33:30Z")
No-one mentioned Kate Bush’s [The Dreaming](http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/kate-bush-lyrics/the-dreaming-lyrics.html) yet? ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/34 "2009-12-28T02:07:24Z")
_Psycho killer Qu’est-ce que c’est? Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa Better Run run run run run run run awaaaaaaaaay_ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/35 "2009-12-28T02:35:19Z")
Anything by [Voice Farm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_Farm) pretty much puts the OP song to sanity. ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/36 "2009-12-28T03:28:29Z")
“The radio is broken” by Frank Zappa (if you think the lyrics are strange you NEED to hear the “Melody”) The germs from space! The negative-virus knit-wear The blobulent suit That’s right! THE BLOBULENT SUIT It’s made of rubbert, it’s very ugly It’s got an air hose… (The guy that has it all has a SPACE WRENCH!) Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/37 "2009-12-28T03:47:44Z")
Polite reminder, everybody: please don’t quote more than four or five lines of a song in any post. If you want to showcase the entire song, link to a site with the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/38 "2009-12-28T04:22:24Z")
[QUOTE=Homo litoralis] I submit the Beatles’ “Come Together.” Seriously, old flat-top has a joo-joo eyeball, a toe-jam football, a monkey finger and a walrus gumboot all apparently run through a mojo filter? Indeed, if he held you in his armchair, you could feel his disease! [/QUOTE] > [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > It makes more sense when it was originally written in support of Timothy Leary’s bid for the governorship of California, and had the lyrics reworked after his legal troubles quashed that dream. Also, the “Hear come old flat top” line is a direct reference from Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me.” Anyway, in terms of Beatles weirdness, it doesn’t come close to [“I Am the Walrus”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsiQuXrREFE&NR=1) and (especially) [“Revoluton 9”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPtaSAlN3jY) (which isn’t so much a song as a sound collage). ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/39 "2009-12-28T04:30:48Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > _Psycho killer > Qu’est-ce que c’est? > Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa > Better > Run run run run run run run awaaaaaaaaay_ Can we just nominate the entire Talking Heads’ library? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708/40 "2009-12-28T04:31:13Z")
[Miss Kittin](http://bit.ly/4nTBlz). “You know Frank Sinatra? He’s dead.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-weirder-song-than-rock-lobster-by-the-b-52s/522708.md?page=3)