# Nonsense Songs You Love **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 17, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130 "2021-03-17T21:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2021, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/81 "2021-03-21T22:41:40Z")
The first I ever heard of Cheap Trick was in about 1975 when I heard them open for KISS. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/82 "2021-03-23T07:17:07Z")
The Worzels - Wurple Diddle I Do [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aEIbDDVOqoY/maxresdefault.jpg "Combyne Arvester "The Wurple Diddle I Do Song"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEIbDDVOqoY) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/83 "2021-03-23T18:37:12Z")
The Frim Fram Sauce: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KG2IojSam_U/maxresdefault.jpg "The Frim Fram Sauce (1992 Digital Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG2IojSam_U) “I want the frim fram sauce, with the ossinfay, with shifafa on the side.” ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/84 "2021-03-23T18:44:24Z")
When It’s Night-Time in Italy It’s Wednesday Over Here: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I38dk37hgRA/hqdefault.jpg "The Everly Brothers - When It's Night-Time in Italy It's Wednesday Over Here 'Vinyl'") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I38dk37hgRA) ---
**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 23, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/85 "2021-03-23T18:44:38Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I am the Walrus Come to think of it, for more nonsense in the style of “I Am the Walrus,” there’s The Rutles’ “Piggy In the Middle.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FKezWLZqRik/hqdefault.jpg "rutles - piggy in the middle") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKezWLZqRik) And I’m sure that this song (“Traps, Ensnares” by Daniel Amos) was deliberately written in an “I Am the Walrus” vein: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/f45bs7qeimE/hqdefault.jpg "Daniel Amos - 2 - Traps, Ensnares - Motorcycle (1993)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f45bs7qeimE) So was this (“Everybody Else Is Wrong” by Utopia), though it’s not as good an example of nonsense: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nP3Ohvp0_MY/hqdefault.jpg "Utopia - Everybody Else Is Wrong") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP3Ohvp0_MY) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/86 "2021-03-23T19:56:42Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I love that one too. Ever seen it played backwards? I’m amazed how many of the phrases are inteligible backwards! > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Only the part that implies Rick Nielsen may have once been a KISS fan. When I saw them in concert, Robin threw a KISS album into the crowd. I could not tell if the crowd threw it back. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/87 "2021-03-23T20:46:44Z")
[Johnnie Reggae - this was a pretty big hit in 1971](https://youtu.be/4wShL3lIkro) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/88 "2021-03-23T22:00:48Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I’m amazed how many of the phrases are inteligible backwards! I was just as amazed by that as how many were completely incoherent backwards. I have to wonder if Weird Al has seen that version, and what he makes of it. It also says something that Weird Al made a video that’s so entertaining in both direction, forwards and backwards ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/89 "2021-03-23T22:11:24Z")
> On the Amazon, the prophylactics prowl On the Amazon, the hypodermics howl On > The Amazon, you’ll hear a scarab scowl and sting zodiacs on the wing > > All the stalactites and vicious vertebrae > Hunt the stalagmites while laryngitis slay > All that parasites that come from Paraguay in the spring > Hmm, hmm hmmm [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TV7vrHdbK9s/maxresdefault.jpg "08 - On The Amazon") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV7vrHdbK9s) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/90 "2021-04-01T13:46:34Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CfqnyEoZJI4/maxresdefault.jpg "The Lone Ranger [2014 Remaster]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfqnyEoZJI4) ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/91 "2021-04-03T07:47:02Z")
Most people know Yakety Sax as the “Benny Hill music”, but it was really used mostly in the end chase skit. The music he played was most often was a four song medley of **Doo-Bee-Doo-Bee-Doo** by Giorgio Moroder , **Für Elise** by Ludwig van Beethoven, **Mah-Nà, Mah-Nà** by Piero Umiliani and **Gimme Dat Ding**. The one on the show was done by his house band, which I can’t find. Here’s the originals. I have a big affection for them. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kxEbH3794LQ/hqdefault.jpg "GIORGIO MORODER - DOO-BEE-DOO-BEE-DOO") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxEbH3794LQ) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h6o5oo6KEjU/hqdefault.jpg "Mah Na Mah Na ORIGINAL Giorgio Moroder - YouTube.flv") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6o5oo6KEjU) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aNrmR6M1KtI/maxresdefault.jpg "Gimme Dat Ding") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNrmR6M1KtI) ---
**Author:** ![JohnnyWest](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnnywest/32/7223_2.png) [@JohnnyWest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnyWest)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/92 "2021-04-05T02:24:20Z")
Almost everything by They Might Be Giants. Their songs are instant earworms for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/93 "2021-04-05T02:50:32Z")
A favorite kind of “nonsense” song is where the lyrics comprise words and phrases strung together for no apparent reason other than they made the songwriters feel good. In this category are “Poppin’ Circumstance” (NRBQ) and the Fountains of Wayne’s “Someone’s Gonna Break Your Heart”: We don’t promise and we tell no lies Learn to paddle when the waters rise Melancholy comes Like a robin at your window Whistle in the sweet pine trees The imaginary airport breeze It flickers and flows Fans fires in the road and All we want to do is go home Someone’s gonna break your heart One cold gray morning [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-4Vg-ywDNzw/maxresdefault.jpg "Fountains of Wayne - Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4Vg-ywDNzw) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/94 "2021-04-05T18:10:08Z")
They sing cute songs, but.I think the main reason I like Istanbul (Not Constantinople) and Particle Man is because they were on Tiny Toons. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/95 "2021-04-05T19:59:47Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I was just as amazed by that as how many were completely incoherent backwards. And I’m amazed how much more ‘Dylan-esque’ the backwards version sounds. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/96 "2021-04-21T16:53:35Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FhAfXTzR2rQ/hqdefault.jpg "WKRP End Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhAfXTzR2rQ) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/97 "2021-04-22T20:06:11Z")
“Be kind to your web-footed friends…” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Jg4KhlEOezc/hqdefault.jpg "PETER & MARY - Crazy Mixed Up Song (1954)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg4KhlEOezc) ---
**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:** [April 22, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/98 "2021-04-22T20:24:07Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > One of my favourite bands is pretty much undecifer-able. > > The Cocteau Twins, Seconded, both the incomprehensibility and the favourite band parts. Another band on the same label : Dead Can Dance. Sometimes the lyrics are in obscure-to-me languages like 16th C. Catalan [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3GQuaf-_ErE/hqdefault.jpg "Dead Can Dance - Song of the Sibyl") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GQuaf-_ErE) Sometimes they’re just glossolalia , like the first part of Rakim: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-qHiaoz9su0/maxresdefault.jpg "Dead Can Dance Rakim Live Montreal 2012 HD 1080P") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qHiaoz9su0) or Saldek: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9BU6qk4Nwhc/hqdefault.jpg "Dead Can Dance - Saldek") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BU6qk4Nwhc) ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/99 "2021-04-22T20:25:00Z")
John Lennon _loved_ this song. * * * REM got mentioned upthread but nothing for “It’s the End of the World As We Know It”?? **Leonard Bernstein!!** ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130/100 "2021-04-22T20:33:50Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Sometimes they’re just glossolalia , like the first part of Rakim: I’m fascinated by glossolalia. When I was in my early teens I was a Pentecostal Christian and this was very common. I did it all the time. A lot of people think it’s faked, but it’s not that simple. It’s an altered state of consciousness. It’s not the “holy spirit” but it is this weird thing people can learn to do to themselves. And when I did it I didn’t feel like I had control of my body. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsense-songs-you-love/938130.md?page=6)