# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/41 "2009-07-22T19:59:14Z")
Skullcrusher Mountain by Jonathan Coulton. The bit about the half monkey, half pony monster makes me laugh hard every time I listen to it. Heck, I’m giggling just thinking about it. “What’s with all the screaming? You like ponies, you like monkeys …” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/42 "2009-07-23T01:15:03Z")
As a matter of fact just today I was singing **I Need a Nap** (sung by Weird Al and Kate Winslet of all people) and **(Don’t Give Me That) Broccoli**, from [Dog Train](http://www.sandraboynton.com/sboynton/boyntonmusic.html), a collaboration of Sandra Boynton and various artists. Not only are they hilarious, they’re catchy and fun to sing - enough so that I included them in my kid-friendly-but-not-necessarily-kid-music tape for the car. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/43 "2009-07-23T01:19:19Z")
Surprised no one mentioned The Lonely Planet / Andy Sandburg / Justine Timberlake SNL videos: I’m On A Boat Jizz My Pants Dick in a Box Mother Lover The Team America songs are also pretty good (if you like that cheesy 80s movie soundtrack sound): Montage America! (Fuck Yeah!) It’s just the lyrics are silly. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/44 "2009-07-23T01:22:06Z")
I don’t know if it qualifies as “pretty good”, but _ **Boris The Spider** _ was always a fan favorite at Who concerts. ps: add me to the list of people who remember The Royal Guardsmen. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/45 "2009-07-23T03:37:30Z")
Just thought of [We Are The Nowtones](http://www.amazon.com/We-Are-the-Nowtones/dp/B0019VXUZ6) by Blotto. This is also the first song that I failed to find on Youtube. ---
**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 23, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/46 "2009-07-23T03:57:31Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > At the risk of continuing to be whooshed, the preponderance of bass _is_ the musical joke of the song. It gives the song (acoustically speaking) a “big bottom.” Well I never. It is indeed possible I have overstated the romantic _frisson_ liable to be generated by this song but, at the same time, it had never occurred to me to connect the multi-bass instrumentation with the title. While I don’t quite feel like an idiot for this oversight, I’m well on the way there. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/47 "2009-07-23T10:26:36Z")
A few **Tenacious D** songs cross the line from amusing novelty tunes to actual _good songs_: [Tribute](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5M04_qkRdY) [Wonderboy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHY5L47tcHk) And a surprisingly sweet tune (with not so sweet lyrics): [Fuck Her Gently](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYvkRZookFM) A little obscenity in each, so don’t listen at work, but I mostly avoided the real videos. Jack Black doesn’t have a bad voice when he’s not trying to be a joke, and they’re well-put-together tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/48 "2009-07-23T11:03:13Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I’m 49 and this is the first time I’ve run into anyone else who had heard of the > Royal Guardsmen. 🆒 We all knew the Snoopy songs when we were kids (I’m 40), I still have the LP somewhere. Of course, it still gets regular airplay around Christmas here in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/49 "2009-07-23T13:31:21Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Surprised no one mentioned The Lonely Planet / Andy Sandburg / Justine Timberlake SNL videos: > I’m On A Boat > Jizz My Pants > Dick in a Box > Mother Lover Correction: they call themselves The Lonely Island. Their recent CD **Incredibad** has some additional awesome tunes on it. “Boombox” is a personal favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/50 "2009-07-23T14:03:33Z")
I always liked “Telephone Man” by Meri Wilson. Does “Surfin’ Bird” by the Trashmen count as a novelty song? ---
**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 23, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/51 "2009-07-23T14:03:55Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > About the same age, and I actually have one of their 1960s albums buried somewhere with the rest of my LPs. As I recall, it has their Snoopy songs, as well as some of their originals. > [@Sparky812](#): > > We all knew the Snoopy songs when we were kids (I’m 40), I still have the LP somewhere. The Royal Guardsmen put out four LPs in the '60s: _Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron_, _Return of the Red Baron_, _Snoopy and His Friends_, and _Snoopy for President_. All of which were released on a pair of CDs in 2001. I happen to have a fifth LP that I’ve never found listed anywhere, Side A is their Snoopy songs, minus the Christmas one, and about a dozen of their covers; side B is The Vince Guaraldi Trio with theme music from the '60s specials. ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/52 "2009-07-23T15:18:40Z")
I’m surprised that I’m the first to post **I’m an Asshole!** by Dennis Leary. If you’ve enjoyed any of his comedy, you’ll probably love the song. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PVTVHwAdusE/hqdefault.jpg "Denis Leary "i'm an AssHole"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVTVHwAdusE) I use certain sections of the lyrics probably weekly. Especially in the summer… “I walk around in the summertime saying “Howabout this heat!”” ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/53 "2009-07-23T15:29:29Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > The Royal Guardsmen put out four LPs in the '60s: _Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron_, _Return of the Red Baron_, _Snoopy and His Friends_, and _Snoopy for President_. All of which were released on a pair of CDs in 2001. I happen to have a fifth LP that I’ve never found listed anywhere, Side A is their Snoopy songs, minus the Christmas one, and about a dozen of their covers; side B is The Vince Guaraldi Trio with theme music from the '60s specials. I’m also a huge fan of the Snoopy songs. I got curious if these guys were still alive and went to the Wikipedia article and was surprised to see that a band still performs under that name (looks like with some of the same people) and not too long ago made Snoopy vs. Osama Looks like a sample is available on the Royal Guardsmen website [http://www.theroyalguardsmen.com/SvOCD.htm](http://www.theroyalguardsmen.com/SvOCD.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/54 "2009-07-23T16:43:26Z")
> [@Arglefraster](#): > > Skullcrusher Mountain by Jonathan Coulton. The bit about the half monkey, half pony monster makes me laugh hard every time I listen to it. Heck, I’m giggling just thinking about it. > > “What’s with all the screaming? You like ponies, you like monkeys …” 😃 And he makes ‘Baby Got Back’ almost a pretty song. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/55 "2009-07-23T16:43:55Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Surprised no one mentioned The Lonely Planet / Andy Sandburg / Justine Timberlake SNL videos: > I’m On A Boat > Jizz My Pants > Dick in a Box > Mother Lover Perhaps that’s because this is supposed to be about songs that are actually pretty good. I dunno, I guess maybe they’re pretty good on some level, but for me, I got my fill of that “how crass can we be” schtick in junior high. I’d rather listen to fingernails on a chalkboard than The Lonely Island. I suppose that’s just me being an old fart. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/56 "2009-07-23T16:45:18Z")
Another one I’d forgotten about: [Don McCloskey - “King of Discount Ho’s”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j9okTi-4tg) ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@LilyoftheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheField)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/57 "2009-07-23T17:13:00Z")
I’ve always liked the Irish Rovers - “Wasn’t That a Party” and “The Unicorn Song” 🙂 And not to forget my favorite Weird Al song “One More Minute” (‘I’d rather clean all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station with my tongue then spend one more minute with you…!’ :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/58 "2009-07-23T17:23:44Z")
What, no Tom Lehrer? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/59 "2009-07-23T17:25:18Z")
_Shaddap Your Face_ by Joe Dolce ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850/60 "2009-07-23T17:31:41Z")
“Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” by Rolf Harris. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-or-joke-songs-that-are-actually-pretty-good/503850.md?page=4)