# Novelty or joke songs that are actually pretty good **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850 "2009-07-22T12:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/1 "2009-07-22T12:32:47Z")
What are some novelty, joke or unusual songs that you don’t mind including in your playlist regardless of comedy or whatever? Consider: [Baby Got Back - Gilbert and Sullivan Style](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkJdEFf_Qg4). “She’s little in the middle but she got much back” [Weird Al, Craigslist](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYB2R--DrU): “Do you want my styrofoam peanuts?” [Lou Reed, “My Name Is Mok”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSGIZp9bBK4): “I’m the biggest thing since World War Three” Anyway, that’s a few off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/2 "2009-07-22T13:14:38Z")
I always thought that some of the Beatles parody songs that Neil Innes wrote for “The Rutles” could stand on their own as fun little pop tunes. I particularly like “With a Girl Like You” and “It’s Looking Good”. Speaking of Weird Al, “The Saga Begins” is probably better than “American Pie”. At least it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/3 "2009-07-22T13:18:03Z")
If you like a little twang, you might want to give [Unknown Hinson](http://www.unknownhinson.com/) a listen. His tunes have catchy hooks that will stick in your mind, lyrics I personally find hysterical, and MAN that boy can play! _Gonna pick one…_ ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/4 "2009-07-22T13:36:47Z")
Practically anything by Spinal Tap, but especially “Big Bottom.” ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/5 "2009-07-22T14:07:38Z")
I rather like _Rubber Biscuit_ by The Chips (and later the Blues Brothers). Also like _Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini_ by Bryan Hyland. And at Christmas, two of my favorites by far are _Snoopy vs. The Red Baron_ by The Royal Guardsmen and _I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas_ by Gayla Peevey. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/6 "2009-07-22T14:11:44Z")
The Snoopy songs by The Royal Guardsmen. **Knead** , you should check out Hayseed Dixie’s “Big Bottom” cover. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/7 "2009-07-22T14:12:47Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > And at Christmas, two of my favorites by far are _Snoopy vs. The Red Baron_ by The Royal Guardsmen Don’t you mean “Snoopy’s Christmas”? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/8 "2009-07-22T14:13:02Z")
I was always fond of _The Battle of New Orleans_ by Jimmie Driftwood/Johnny Horton. Catchy and educational too! ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/9 "2009-07-22T14:13:41Z")
Almost anything by Half Man, Half Biscuit is worth a listen. ---
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/10 "2009-07-22T14:15:08Z")
Any thing by [Scatterbrain](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEr8SYqTc3s). ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/11 "2009-07-22T14:16:33Z")
King Tut by Steve Martin I love just about everything by Weird Al. He is the KING of parody! Pure genius… I love a good novelty/parody song. If it’s done right it’s thing of beauty! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/12 "2009-07-22T14:20:20Z")
Anyone into musical theatre should check out Forbidden Broadway. Gerard Alessandrin’s lyrics can hit dead on. When Stephen Sondheim first heard his West Side Story parody, he was laughing so hard he was literally banging his head on the wall. Rita, your rude gyrations are all lousy imitations. Though we both did West Side Story, yours was like chicken caccatorie. She got all the glory. So don’t let that cat in, I’m the firey Latin. I was the world’s first Anita (we know you were) Don’t mix us up, I am Chita. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/13 "2009-07-22T14:21:45Z")
[MC Hawking](http://www.mchawking.com/) The H to the A to the W King. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/14 "2009-07-22T14:22:37Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Practically anything by Spinal Tap, but especially “Big Bottom.” I keep telling people _Big Bottom_ is not of the novelty/joke _genre_. It’s a love song, and a beautiful one, at that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/15 "2009-07-22T14:23:22Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > **Knead** , you should check out Hayseed Dixie’s “Big Bottom” cover. [Bruce Willis] Way ahead of ya, pardner. [/Bruce Willis] 🙂 > [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > I keep telling people _Big Bottom_ is not of the novelty/joke _genre_. I’d buy that if the whole song weren’t one big musical joke. I mean, c’mon, _three bass guitars_? ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/16 "2009-07-22T14:41:29Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I’d buy that if the whole song weren’t one big musical joke. I mean, c’mon, _three bass guitars_? There’s no musical rule that bars the deployment of an extra two bass guitars in a love song. Anyway, I was referring to the evocative and poignant lyrics, redolent as they are with images of eternal devotion to the dual concepts of bum cakes and mud flaps. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/17 "2009-07-22T14:42:19Z")
> [@FalconFinder](#): > > I love a good novelty/parody song. If it’s done right it’s thing of beauty! I was just searching YouTube for Allan Sherman and found [this bit with him on The Dean Martin Show](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sAmWwEIpbs). ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/18 "2009-07-22T15:47:32Z")
“Everybody Loves Me, Baby” by Don Mclean. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/19 "2009-07-22T15:52:31Z")
Not a joke but Chris Daughtry’s [cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqT4VnnEU0M) of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face is unusual. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/20 "2009-07-22T15:56:50Z")
I’ve always liked the Fendermen’s version of “Mule Skinner Blues”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850.md?page=2)