# really weird songs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 6, 2000, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303 "2000-08-06T05:26:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/41 "2000-08-08T00:17:35Z")

</div>

Mr. Bungle contains Mike Patton. He is also in Fantomas (a really great noise metal band) countless side projects that he touts out (he did a one off concert with a member of Melt Bannana), and he has played with John Zorn occasionally. Zorn is also someone who makes trully strange music. It’s avant-garde jewish industrial jazz.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/42 "2000-08-08T00:49:08Z")

</div>

As opposed to traditional jewish industrial jazz?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Scribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribe)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/43 "2000-08-08T00:58:19Z")

</div>

[QUOTE]  
\*Originally posted by Dolores Claiborne \*  
\*\*The song that goes “Ooh, ee, ooh, ahh, ahh, ting, tang, walla-walla bing bang.”

[QUOTE]

That would be Witch Doctor, by David Seville.

My favorite odd novelty song…I don’t own. It’s a song called “Feet” and I believe it was sung by a British guy named Bernard McCubbins.

Sometimes foreign covers of 60s pop songs can be kind of odd sounding. The hit French version of Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini has a male backup singer that sounds like Igor from the Frankenstein films.

FWIW, I picked up this record at a thrift store that I think was made in Finland. It sounds like mid-60s pop (the girls on the cover wear cat’s eye glasses). One track sounds like they are doing the Finnish version of the Hully Gully, only the lead singers crow like roosters at the end of the song!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Scribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribe)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/44 "2000-08-08T01:02:06Z")

</div>

Some good artists who wrote songs that were intended to be funny are Spike Jones, Tom Lehrer, Yogi Yorgesson and Stan Freberg (the Wierd Al of the '50s, IMO)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/45 "2000-08-08T01:21:17Z")

</div>

My sister, seven years my senior so this was probably between five and ten years ago, once owned a cassette tape that she bought from one of those ten-thousand-albums-for-a-penny (then-one-every-week-for-the-rest-of-your-life) deals. The main track on this album was “Ghost of a Dog.” I don’t remember the lyrics, but it was about people who hit and killed a dog, and I think they buried him in their backyard – and much later they see him running around their yard.

“ghost of a dog… we ran over him years ago”

It wasn’t supposed to be humorous. It was a serious song. I’ll have to see if my sister still has it when I visit her next week.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/46 "2000-08-08T01:25:42Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Robot Arm \*  
> \*\*As opposed to traditional jewish industrial jazz? \*\*

yep. That’s more the stuff of Nekhei Nahtze(sp?) although Zorn touched on some of it. And don’t even get me started on Japanese interpretations of Jewish industrial noize-jazz.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/47 "2000-08-08T01:28:31Z")

</div>

Damn. Hit reply too soon. Anyway. Zorn’s CD Krystalnacht is trully amazing. It comes with warnings that listening to it for long stretches can cause nausea, a fact that has been demonstrated to me, it’s also strangely beautiful in my mind.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dpr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dpr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dpr)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/48 "2000-08-08T01:29:01Z")

</div>

Off the top of my head…

The Newcastle Song  
and Rack Off Normie (a kind of sequel - the same incident told from the female’s perspective by a different group)

The Laughing Gnome

I’m with Swiddles on the TMBG and BNL references. They deserve to be mentioned but their lyrics have a bit too much depth for the most part to be labelled weird. Well, for the most part anyway…

Others:

I’ll be back (by Arnie and the Terminators)  
This is the chorus (by Morris and the Minors I think)  
Orgasm (by sigue Sigue Sputnik)

The first track from Sugar Ray’s 14:59

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/49 "2000-08-08T02:39:06Z")

</div>

I know a lot of weird songs, but don’t remember very many band names.

Bowling USA - The Polish Muslims

Boys in the Hood - ? Sounds like a folk sound about the hood. Killed me when I 1st listened to the lyrics.

City Baby Attacked by Rats - ? some punk band.

Boris the Spider - The Who. There is just something not quite right about this song.

Dinner with Leatherface - ?

Plan 9 from Outer Space - ? “As long as we think, we’ll have our problems”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/50 "2000-08-08T02:43:08Z")

</div>

That’s a song? I never knew that! I just assumed the Dixie Chicks made it up because it sounds cool. (It’s part of their song “Sin Wagon”)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LadyBear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LadyBear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyBear)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/51 "2000-08-08T06:54:35Z")

</div>

I think my favorite weird song has to be ‘Jesus Is Easy’ by Martin Mull. Does anyone remember him as Colonel Mustard from the “Clue” movie? The one with Tim Curry?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/52 "2000-08-08T14:29:47Z")

</div>

Lime in the Coconut

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@ren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ren)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/53 "2000-08-08T19:03:50Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by racinchikki \*  
> My sister, seven years my senior so this was probably between five and ten years ago, once owned a cassette tape that she bought from one of those ten-thousand-albums-for-a-penny (then-one-every-week-for-the-rest-of-your-life) deals. The main track on this album was “Ghost of a Dog.” I don’t remember the lyrics, but it was about people who hit and killed a dog, and I think they buried him in their backyard – and much later they see him running around their yard.
> 
> “ghost of a dog… we ran over him years ago”

That would be the short-lived Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. Second (last?) album.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@ren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ren)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/54 "2000-08-08T19:06:33Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> Bowling USA - The Polish Muslims

That reminds me of “Take the Skinheads Bowling” and pretty much most of the Camper van Beethoven ouvre.

Also absolutely anything that Eugene Claiborne has ever done. Bonus points to anyone who actually has one of his solo works.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/55 "2000-08-08T21:54:56Z")

</div>

How could there be this many replies without a reference to Frank Zappa?  
The God of Weird Songs himself?

I think my favorite is “Why does it hurt when i pee?” or maybe the song “Bobby Brown.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/56 "2000-08-08T22:07:41Z")

</div>

Frank Zappa followed “Bobby Brown” with “Bobby Brown Goes Down”. suddenly bobby became gay…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sn-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sn-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn-man)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/57 "2000-08-08T22:28:08Z")

</div>

How about “Several species of small furry animals gathered together in a cave grooving with a pict”

Aye an’ a bit of Mackeral settler rack and ruin … ran it doon by the haim ‘ma place well I slapped me and I slapped it doon in the side and I cried, cried, cried. The fear a fallen down taken never back the raize and then Craig Marion get out wi’ ye Claymore out mi pocket a’ ran doon, doon, doon the middin stain picking the fiery horde that was fallen around ma feet. Never he cried, never shall it ye get me alive ye rotten hound of the burnie crew. Well i snatched fer the blade O my claymore cut and thrust and i fell doon before him round his feet Aye A roar he cried frae - the bottom of his heart that i would nay fall but as dead, dead as 'a can be by his feet; de ya ken ?  
…and the wind cried back

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/58 "2000-08-08T23:15:15Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by racinchikki \*  
> \*\*That’s a song? I never knew that! I just assumed the Dixie Chicks made it up because it sounds cool. (It’s part of their song “Sin Wagon”)  
> \*\*

It’s an old Communist Folk song.

Goes

Praise the lord and pass the ammunition  
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition  
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition  
For God is on our Side.

A bunch of other lyrics.  
The Young Pioneers did an updated punk version.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/59 "2000-08-09T04:11:40Z")

</div>

“Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” was a popular WWII song. A more popular song from that era is “Der Fuhrer’s Face”, as peformed by Spike Jones and the City Slickers.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Osakadave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f07891/32.png) [@Osakadave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osakadave)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303/60 "2000-08-09T08:11:59Z")

</div>

Warren Zevon’s “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” and anything by Screamin’ Jay Hawkings.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303.md?page=2)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-weird-songs/28303.md?page=4)
