# Novelty Songs post-1984 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350 "2013-11-07T18:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/21 "2013-11-07T20:46:22Z")
The Humpty Dance ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/22 "2013-11-07T21:05:06Z")
Tenacious D has [a bunch of them](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tenacious+d&oq=tena&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0l10.84.858.0.5023.3.3.0.0.0.0.169.475.0j3.3.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.NtGB-lDRxcQ), including [Tribute (The Best Song in the World)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lK4cX5xGiQ). Edit: I just remembered The Axis of Awesome’s [Four Chords](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ). ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/23 "2013-11-07T21:08:43Z")
The Cameltoe song by Fanny Pack ---
**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:** [November 7, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/24 "2013-11-07T21:36:02Z")
Southern Culture on the Skids - [“Camel Walk”](http://youtu.be/KUP5rwVNJko), 1995 ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/25 "2013-11-07T22:10:49Z")
1992 - _Detachable Penis_,King Missile 1985 - _Oh Yeah_, Yello The various Crazy Frog songs from about 10 years ago. Everything ever recorded by Mojo Nixon. Best known are _Don Henley Must Die_,_Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with my Two-headed Love Child_ and _Elvis is Everywhere_ I know some people considered The Offspring’s _Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)_ (1998) and Sublime’s _Date Rape_ (1992) to be novelty songs. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/26 "2013-11-07T22:34:09Z")
How about _Fuck Me Ray Bradbury_ by Rachel Bloom, or _Would You Date May Avatar_ by Felicia Day and The Guild ? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/27 "2013-11-07T23:00:14Z")
Here are a couple by The Beat Farmers: [Texas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYwFaK2fL40) and [Happy Boy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEZtII8rt_Y). ---
**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:** [November 7, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/28 "2013-11-07T23:05:29Z")
There’s the Barnes and Barnes catalog. “Fish Heads” is their classic but that was from before 1984. _This Is Spinal Tap_ came out in 1984 so all their stuff is available. The Arrogant Worms are a good novelty band. They Might Be Giants has had some novelty songs. Barbie Girl - Aqua Birth Control and Beer - Gretchen Phillips Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses Cows With Guns - Dana Lyons The Curly Shuffle - Jump ‘N The Saddle (actually late 1983 but who’s going to check?) My Baby Don’t Wear No Panties - Mean Gene Kelton My Wife Thinks You’re Dead - Junior Brown Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) - The Offspring Rappin’ Rodney - Rodney Dangerfield (another 1983 song) ---
**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:** [November 7, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/29 "2013-11-07T23:20:21Z")
> [@detop](#): > > How about _Fuck Me Ray Bradbury_ by Rachel Bloom, or _Would You Date May Avatar_ by Felicia Day and The Guild ? That reminds me that Taryn Southern, Julia Price, and Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome) all have several good novelty songs. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/30 "2013-11-07T23:28:07Z")
Tom Smith : _Five Years_, _I’m On Firefly_, _Return Of The King, Uh Uh_ Mikey Mason : _She Doesn’t Like Firefly_, _Bring Back Firefly For Christmas_ Leslie Fish : _Banned From Argo_ ETA : Dagon Tabernacle Choir : _Death To The World_, _Silent Night, Blasphemous Night_, _Oh Cthulhu_ Arkham Carolers : _The Carol Of The Old Ones_ Bowser and Blue : their whole catalog ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/31 "2013-11-08T00:42:25Z")
I remember a song that cracked me up called Don’t Call Me Dude. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/M3S-r4Mzvu8/maxresdefault.jpg "Scatterbrain - Don't Call Me Dude") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3S-r4Mzvu8) ---
**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:** [November 8, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/32 "2013-11-08T01:11:42Z")
Add William Shatner to almost any song and it becomes a novelty tune! For example: [Bohemian Rhapsody](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKo4FMzt_hM) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/33 "2013-11-08T01:16:26Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > “If I Had a Million Dollars”, The Barenaked Ladies > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > It’s about time for Adam Sandler’s _The Chanukah Song_ to hit the airwaves again. > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” and “Particle Man” by They Might Be Giants. > [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](#): > > Which brings to mind [King of Spain - Moxy Fruvous](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylaLG-DdT7E) > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > And his Thanksgiving Song… Hey, and on the same day this year! > [@Kyomara](#): > > Anything by The Lonely Island (Dick in a Box, Jizz in my Pants, etc.) > > Don’t Worry Be Happy > > The Thong Song > > Parents Just Don’t Understand > > Fight for your Right to Party > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > 1984 - \*We All Stand Together (The Frog Chorus), \*Paul McCartney > 1985 - _You Spin Me Round_, Youthquake > 1991 - _I’m Too Sexy_, Right Said Fred > 1993 - _Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm_, Crash Test Dummies > 1998 - _One Week_, Barenaked Ladies > 1999 - _Thong Song_, Sisqo > 2000 - _The Bad Touch_, Bloodhound Gang > 2004 - _1985_, Bowling for Soup > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > 1991 - _Baby Got Back_, Sir Mix-A-Lot > 1997 - _Barbie Girl_, Aqua None of these are novelty songs as the term is normally used. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/34 "2013-11-08T01:27:15Z")
Did anyone mention Stacys Mom? > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > None of these are novelty songs as the term is normally used. [A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty_song). And it doesn’t have to be a parody. So those songs _might_ be novelty depending on the artists intentions. But if they’re not, then it’s true there has been very, very few novelty songs in the last 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/35 "2013-11-08T01:40:03Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > None of these are novelty songs as the term is normally used. Wiki lists _The Chanukah Song_ as a novelty song. What definition are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/36 "2013-11-08T01:52:44Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Wiki lists _The Chanukah Song_ as a novelty song. What definition are you using? I was a bit too hasty with “The Chanukah Song,” but the rest are commercial singles released by commercial bands. I mean seriously… “If I Had a Million Dollars”? “Stacy’s Mom”? “Don’t Worry Be Happy”? Why aren’t those just songs? ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/37 "2013-11-08T02:23:24Z")
How about “Too High for the Supermarket” by The Uninvited? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6S4VsI78qG0/hqdefault.jpg "Too High For the Supermarket") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S4VsI78qG0) ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/38 "2013-11-08T02:24:17Z")
I’m with you on Stacy’s Mom and $1,000,000. I consider both just to be songs. I refuse to hold an opinion regarding Don’t Worry, Be Happy. I suggested the TMBG songs above, and you have to admit they’re pretty much novelty songs even if TMBG isn’t a novelty band. Istanbul is a cover of a song off an old educational record and Particle Man is pretty nonsensical. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/39 "2013-11-08T03:06:37Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I was a bit too hasty with “The Chanukah Song,” but the rest are commercial singles released by commercial bands. By that logic, [this is not a novelty song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16PUWjdxivc) although Three Dog Night considered it one. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350/40 "2013-11-08T03:53:16Z")
If Sir Mix-A-Lot’s _Baby Got Back (I Like Big Butts)_ doesn’t qualify as a novelty song, then I’m just unclear on the entire concept. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelty-songs-post-1984/673350.md?page=3)