# It may be a Novelty Song, but it’s also a \*good\* song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 3, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737 "2020-09-03T18:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/82 "2020-09-08T22:05:23Z")
Brains! by Voltaire is awesome, written for a cartoon called Billy and Mandy [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vpLRJyWe814/hqdefault.jpg "Billy and Mandy - Brains Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpLRJyWe814) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/83 "2020-09-14T16:40:47Z")
A little while back, there was this craze for using audio software to take songs written in major keys and recast them in minor keys (and the other way around). One of the songs that received this treatment was Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and you know what? It was genuinely good. If the song had been commercially available, I think I would have purchased it. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/84 "2020-09-15T01:47:22Z")
This far down and this one hasn’t been mentioned?!? It got A LOT of airplay in the spring of 1974. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XtzoUu7w-YM/hqdefault.jpg "Ray Stevens - "The Streak" (Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtzoUu7w-YM) ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/85 "2020-09-15T08:20:18Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > A little while back, there was this craze for using audio software to take songs written in major keys and recast them in minor keys (and the other way around). One of the songs that received this treatment was Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and you know what? It was genuinely good. If the song had been commercially available, I think I would have purchased it. [Here it is, in a major key.](https://youtu.be/dVehv_LDWaE) I think it’s an improvement, but I never had much love for the original, or even the band in general. Sacrilege, I know. Back when the SNL sketch, “More Cowbell” was still fairly new, there was a website where you could upload a song of your choice, and then you could DL the song after it had been given the More Cowbell treatment. It adds cowbell all through the song, then at breaks, it added phrases from the sketch. “I gotta have more cowbell!” “C’MON GENE!” "I can pull it back a little if you want. . . " I did this to a couple songs, but I really, REALLY hit gold when I uploaded [AC/DC’s, “D.T.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAF5bz8mjls)(original, no-cowbell version linked for reference.) It was funny AND catchy! The More Cowbell web app is long gone, but I still have that track saved and in my everyday playlist. I wonder what would happen if I UL’ed it to youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/86 "2020-09-15T11:08:52Z")
Personal trivia… The store where they filmed the video for The Streak was between where I work and where I used to live. If I needed to pick up a couple of items on the way home from work I would go to that store. It went out of business about three years ago - give or take a couple of years. Back to the topic. I heard Answering Machine by Rupert Holmes the other day. That may be considered a novelty song and I do like the song. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/87 "2020-09-15T12:10:01Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > This far down and this one hasn’t been mentioned?!? It got A LOT of airplay in the spring of 1974. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtzoUu7w-YM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtzoUu7w-YM) First song mentioned in the OP I believe. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/88 "2020-09-15T14:35:03Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > First song mentioned in the OP I believe. Yes, as an example of what I _didnt_ mean. To me, “The Streak” works as a joke, but not so much as a song. If your opinion is that “The Streak” has musical merit aside from its novelty status, feel free to include it in the thread. But keep in mind I wasn’t simply asking for a list of your favorite novelty songs. ✌ ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/89 "2020-09-15T17:37:04Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > [Here it is, in a major key.](https://youtu.be/dVehv_LDWaE) I think it’s an improvement, but I never had much love for the original, or even the band in general. Sacrilege, I know. Good god, they’re right. It _does_ sound just like Weezer. I hate it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/90 "2020-09-15T20:03:38Z")
Kid Carpet defintely falls into that category [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JsI1t66rxzQ/hqdefault.jpg "Kid Carpet - Your Love") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsI1t66rxzQ) More recently “Houses that Used to Boozers” by Luke Wright (most of his other stuff if spoken word poetry): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3o6K5V6HA1w/maxresdefault.jpg "Houses That Used to Be Boozers") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o6K5V6HA1w) ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/91 "2020-09-15T22:35:45Z")
East Bound and Down by Jerry Reed [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8QAEmCuBnck/maxresdefault.jpg "Jerry Reed - East Bound And Down") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QAEmCuBnck) Made for the movie, but a seriously catchy tune. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/92 "2020-09-16T01:20:32Z")
Am I the first to mention Monster Mash? Catchy as hell, a legit listen for me at a much younger age. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/93 "2020-09-16T01:52:34Z")
Spiders & Snakes by Jim Stafford I think of it as a novelty song. It always lifts my mood and makes me smile. First heard it in junior high and identified with the clueless boy. His response to a girl’s interest is so clumsy and naive. Thankfully she sets him straight 🥰 > [@](#): > > And so we took a stroll > Wound up down by the swimmin’ hole > And she said, ‘Do what you want to do’ > I got silly and I found a frog > In the water by a hollow log > And I shook it at her > And I said ‘This frog’s for you’ > She said > > ‘I don’t like spiders and snakes > And that ain’t what it takes to love me > You fool, you fool > I don’t like spiders and snakes > And that ain’t what it takes to love me > I want to be loved by you’ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4vudA72hibg/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAvla5H-7H6j1zsnHDe9Cj7JcRshg "Jim Stafford Spiders and Snakes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vudA72hibg) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/94 "2020-09-16T01:59:55Z")
2nd favorite is Monster Mash. Crazy & silly send up of classic horror films. I listen to it every Halloween. Seeing Bobby Pickett perform it live is so funny. He makes some great faces. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vNuVifA7DSU/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGcgZyhnMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC4Z8Wzg-6azFEs372mxEmUma_qfA "Bobby Pickett "Monster Mash"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNuVifA7DSU) ---
**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:** [September 16, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/95 "2020-09-16T02:56:45Z")
Martin Mull is known as an actor these days, but he was a great novelty songwriter. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ifg5V9n66NM/hqdefault.jpg "Martin Mull featuring Glen Campbell - Licks Off Of Records (1980)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifg5V9n66NM) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dxxyuwX33aE/hqdefault.jpg "Martin Mull Normal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxxyuwX33aE) ---
**Author:** ![BigDfromLA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@BigDfromLA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDfromLA)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/96 "2020-09-16T08:16:36Z")
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head is a great song, written by Burt Bacharach. Would that be considered a novelty song? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/97 "2020-09-16T09:43:40Z")
Not sure if this counts as a good song or not but it’s as funny as video as I’ve ever seen: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aZla1ttZHaw/maxresdefault.jpg "Lil Dicky - Freaky Friday feat. Chris Brown (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZla1ttZHaw) ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/98 "2020-09-16T15:46:44Z")
I see that Weird Al has been mentioned a few times upthread, but I want to give particular attention to his song CNR. It’s a White Stripes pastiche, (“style parody” as he calls it), and the lyrics are very funny, but I could listen to it all day, just because it rocks so much. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xLnapb-30hA/maxresdefault.jpg ""Weird Al" Yankovic - CNR") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLnapb-30hA) ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/99 "2020-09-16T16:02:27Z")
Does everything in the Bubblegum genre count as “novelty?” Is so, [here’s my contribution.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF-oQdybwN4) ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/100 "2020-09-17T00:21:43Z")
David Bowie’s [Laughing Gnome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGcORTMsxSM), with some fun puns. ---
**Author:** ![Skunkdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Skunkdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skunkdog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737/101 "2020-09-17T13:03:32Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Istanbul (not Constantinople) I actually prefer “The Mesopotamians” from They Might Be Giants. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sO6r7Axrya8/maxresdefault.jpg "They Might Be Giants - The Mesopotamians (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO6r7Axrya8) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-may-be-a-novelty-song-but-it-s-also-a-good-song/919737.md?page=6)