# Silly songs that are (probably) not joke songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 26, 2024, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341 "2024-06-26T02:41:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/1 "2024-06-26T02:41:20Z")
There are plenty of songs that are definitely joke songs. Nearly everything by Weird Al Yankovic, Ray Stevens and Jim Stafford, for instance. But while Kung Fu Fighting is silly, I don’t think it was meant to be a joke. I know Melanie intended Brand New Key was meant to be serious, but it comes off as silly. Let’s add Midnight at the Oasis. Any more? ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/2 "2024-06-26T02:43:34Z")
Gimmee Dat Ding ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/3 "2024-06-26T02:50:48Z")
Muskrat Love. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/4 "2024-06-26T02:51:24Z")
I don’t like Spiders and Snakes. I’m sure it’s a serious sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/5 "2024-06-26T02:54:41Z")
Drop Kick me Jesus through the goalposts of Life. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/6 "2024-06-26T02:57:02Z")
Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me I Am I Said We Are Never Getting Back Together ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/7 "2024-06-26T02:58:02Z")
The oeuvre of **Ice J J Fish** continues to be hotly debated as to the artist’s degree of self-awareness. He is truly our generation’s Florence Foster Jenkins. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/8 "2024-06-26T03:40:30Z")
MacArthur Park’s metaphor about a cake left out in the rain is fairly silly. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/9 "2024-06-26T05:45:08Z")
A lot of Tom Lehrer’s songs are funny and yet serious, like “Wernher von Braun”. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/10 "2024-06-26T06:35:59Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > MacArthur Park’s metaphor about a cake left out in the rain is fairly silly. C’mon, man. He’ll _never have that recipe again_! Have some sympathy. Seriously, though, the fact that that song is so melodramatic and over the top is why I legitimately enjoy it. Jimmy Webb, the original songwriter, did a live performance with Paul Schaffer’s band on one of Letterman’s final shows that was simply great. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RUPSilcJFrQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Paul Shaffer, Jimmy Webb And Will Lee Perform "MacArthur Park" | Letterman") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUPSilcJFrQ) ---
**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:** [June 26, 2024, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/11 "2024-06-26T06:37:23Z")
Possibly **I Love L.A.** by Randy Newman. Some of Newman’s songs from that era were clearly sarcastic to begin with. There’s a line in it about “look at that bum over there, he’s down on his knees”. When Newman sings “look at that mountain” the video shows the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland. I don’t know if Newman has ever spoken on the subject, but I kinda feel like _I Love L.A._ is his paean to Los Angeles, warts and all. To Angelenos, it seems to be a party song, and they don’t notice the warts. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/12 "2024-06-26T06:48:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Possibly **I Love L.A.** by Randy Newman. Some of Newman’s songs from that era were clearly sarcastic to begin with. On the same note, “Short People” is another good example of the OP’s request; a serious song that **sounds** silly, because Newman is trying to point out how ridiculous racism and bigotry are by making up nonsensical stereotypes about a completely inoffensive group, but it just sounds like he’s really pissed off about short people for no good reason and that’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/13 "2024-06-26T07:02:12Z")
I hate that song 😠 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/14 "2024-06-26T07:57:37Z")
Inca Roads, by Frank Zappa? Like a lot of Phish songs, it’s very sophisticated musically, but the lyrics are goofy. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/15 "2024-06-26T09:44:58Z")
It’s not a metaphor. It’s a real cake that really got left out in the rain. I learned this while listening to Gilbert Gottfried interview Webb on Gil’s “Amazing Podcast.” This link should take you to the [correct episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ggacp-classic-jimmy-webb/id883308059?i=1000576459394) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/16 "2024-06-26T10:24:19Z")
[Bike](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POlaR26dD1Y) by Pink Floyd. [Twisted](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iisYw0epV_Q) covered by Joni Mitchell. Lots of Beatles songs seem silly to me. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/17 "2024-06-26T10:28:09Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > To Angelenos, it seems to be a party song, and they don’t notice the warts. That seems to happen to a lot of songs, because the hook brings you back. Just read the wiki and Newman is quoted as saying the lyrics are ‘unambiguous,’ lol. Also, TIL that Christine McVie and LIndsey Buckingham sing/shout the ‘we love it’ parts. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/18 "2024-06-26T11:06:08Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > On the same note, “Short People” is another good example of the OP’s request > [@Zyada](#): > > I hate that song 😠 Who said that? Oh, sorry, dint see you down there. 🩳 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/19 "2024-06-26T14:59:49Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Lots of Beatles songs seem silly to me. One of those guys just seemed to enjoy writing silly love songs. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341/20 "2024-06-26T15:07:17Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > One of those guys just seemed to enjoy writing silly love songs. What’s wrong with that? I need to know. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-songs-that-are-probably-not-joke-songs/1003341.md?page=2)