# "Odd" songs by seemingly "normal" artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787 "2004-07-12T22:17:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/41 "2004-07-14T16:08:37Z")
Madonna’s brief foray into C & W with _The Funny Song_ was… odd. It was almost as good as her other C & W song, _Cook and F_ck\*, which aired on the _Late Show With David Letterman_. She described it as her “instructions on how to be a good wife”. Unfortunately, she can’t cook. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/42 "2004-07-14T16:24:42Z")
Barbara Streisand’s version of Jingle Bells, which she sings about three times as fast as any rational person would sing it… ---
**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 14, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/43 "2004-07-14T16:51:34Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Barbara Streisand’s version of Jingle Bells, which she sings about three times as fast as any rational person would sing it… More like she’s a 45 and someone keeps switching between 78 & 33-1/3. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/44 "2004-07-14T16:58:58Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > The Beach Boys had a few of these, like “She’s Goin’ Bald” or “I’m Bugged At My Old Man.” Oh, that wacky Brian! The first song I thought of when I saw this thread was the Beach Boys’ “Fall Breaks and Back to Winter (W. Woodpecker Symphony),” which predicetd the Residents’ entire career. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/45 "2004-07-14T17:00:52Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > I always thought “Moribund the Burgermeister” by P. Gabriel was pretty weird, for him at least. I don’t know, Pete’s a pretty weird guy, and his entire first album was kind of a grab bag of different styles. “Solsbury Hill” was probably the most “normal” cut on it. Richard Thompson is a lot like that too. Listen to “Rumour and Sigh” – you got rock songs, folks songs, a polka thrown in to keep things interesting, all kinds of different stuff, and then he wraps the whole thing up with a bizarre number called “Psycho Street”. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/46 "2004-07-14T17:18:01Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > The Beach Boys had a few of these, like “She’s Goin’ Bald” or “I’m Bugged At My Old Man.” Oh, that wacky Brian! Didn’t Rush do a tune called “I’m Going Bald”? It’s been at least fifteen years since I’ve heard it, so don’t quote me on the title. I do remember it was not a particularly good song. I also remember seeing a picture of Geddy Lee around the same time and thinking “That dude’s got some of the biggest hair I’ve ever seen. Bald? How very odd.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/47 "2004-07-14T17:58:02Z")
“I Think I’m Going Bald” is on _Caress of Steel._ It was one of Rush’s early efforts. I thought that the “rap” section from _Roll the Bones_ was the most “out there” thing from Rush, and that’s saying a lot! (At least they haven’t done a C&W song…) ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/48 "2004-07-14T19:11:26Z")
“What’s Become of Baby?” by the Grateful Dead. They produced it on nitrous oxide and I’m pretty much in agreement with Garcis when he says: “It instantly became complete gibberish.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/49 "2004-07-14T20:24:36Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Didn’t Rush do a tune called “I’m Going Bald”? > > It’s been at least fifteen years since I’ve heard it, so don’t quote me on the title. I do remember it was not a particularly good song. I also remember seeing a picture of Geddy Lee around the same time and thinking “That dude’s got some of the biggest hair I’ve ever seen. Bald? How very odd.” I was going to use that song as one of my contributions. **Steelerphan** is right about the rap portion of the other song, though I always wished I had a way to edit it out, because I think the rest of the song is pretty good. Also **Summer Breeze** by **Type O Negative** it’s uber bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/50 "2004-07-14T20:28:03Z")
**Sheryl Crow** did a song called “Monkey Mind” for **Mitchell Froom’s** album “Dopamine”. It definitely could be listed as a departure for her style. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/51 "2004-07-14T20:56:14Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > “Big Ten Inch” Aerosmith - They’re actually kidding around in this song, about, you know, his thingy. Only, it’s not, it’s something else. You’re just supposed to think about, you know, wieners. Get it? Actually this is a cover song originally done by Bull Moose Jackson. [Bull Moose Jackson info](http://www.bullmoosejackson.com/) ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/52 "2004-07-14T22:07:11Z")
> [@edwino](#): > > Just as weird as that song is the decision by Sonic Youth to cover The Carpenter’s “Superstar” (though it is a great cover). I’m pretty sure that the Sonic Youth cover was from a [tribute album](http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1019375) which included a number of odd Carpenters covers. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/53 "2004-07-14T22:25:38Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Actually this is a cover song originally done by Bull Moose Jackson. > > [Bull Moose Jackson info](http://www.bullmoosejackson.com/) I did not know that! That is some weird and wild stuff! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/54 "2004-07-15T05:34:40Z")
> [@threeorange](#): > > I’m pretty sure that the Sonic Youth cover was from a [tribute album](http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1019375) which included a number of odd Carpenters covers. Yep, I’ll admit to owning the tribute album. “Superstar” is the best song on there, by far. Most of the songs are covered by low impact early 90s college rock bands – Cracker, Bettie Serveert, Shonen Knife, and 4 Non Blondes and friends (although Cracker has a stellar pedigree). The Cranberries cover of “Close to You” is not at all out of place for them. But Sonic Youth? One of the founding bands of indie and college music? Doing The Carpenters? Who’dathunk. ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/55 "2004-07-15T10:46:14Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Zep did an ersatz-country ditty called “Hot Dog” which had the brilliant lyric “She took my car, she took my keys, from in my old blue dungarees, and I’m never goin’ to Texas anymore.” That’s the first one that popped into my mind. I’d LOVE to know the story behind that song. I suspect it was just Zep fooling around. It never made an album, but was a b-side to “fool in the rain”, I think. Strangely, as weird as zep doing a country song is, it’s not bad. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/56 "2004-07-15T12:32:34Z")
> [@zuma](#): > > That’s the first one that popped into my mind. I’d LOVE to know the story behind that song. I suspect it was just Zep fooling around. It never made an album, but was a b-side to “fool in the rain”, I think. Strangely, as weird as zep doing a country song is, it’s not bad. “Hot Dog” was on In Through the Out Door. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/57 "2004-07-15T17:35:43Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > “Hot Dog” was on In Through the Out Door. I don’t see whats so odd about “Hot Dog”, one of the few Zepplin songs I like. They were always fooling around with rockabilly and 50’s rock and roll styles. “Don’t Let Daddy Kiss My” by Motorhead was a WTF song. I want to hear Lemmy singing about speed, roadies, and jailbait squeezing his lizard, not Lifetime channel style songs about child molestation. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/58 "2004-07-15T18:31:05Z")
That should be “Don’t Let Daddy Kiss _Me_” by Motorhead. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787/59 "2004-07-16T17:20:13Z")
> [@edwino](#): > > Yep, I’ll admit to owning the tribute album. Admit?? I say sing it loud and proud! I love that album. Grant Lee Buffalo’s “We’ve Only Just Begun” is a killer. As to the OP, I’d nominate “Walk Like An Egyptian” by The Bangles, who by day were a nice little sixties-influenced garage band with sweet jangly guitar crunch and harmonies to make you cream your pants - but by night masqueraded as a novelty act singing nonsense lyrics to a bad drumb-machine beat. I stil don’t get it. Concrete Blonde’s latest album _Mojave_ has a song called “Hey Coyote” which consists of Johnette Napolitano reading out facts and figures regarding the coyote and its impending extinction. It’s kind of interesting, but couldn’t they have just put a pamphlet in with the liner notes? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-songs-by-seemingly-normal-artists/254787.md?page=2)