# Songs by Bands that Don't Exist **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2002, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868 "2002-03-18T13:57:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/21 "2002-03-19T09:18:41Z")
That would cover the entire career of Aerosmith, in my case. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/22 "2002-03-19T10:37:01Z")
The Muppets have released quite a few albums. They’re about as unreal a band that doesn’t exist that there is (there is precisely one error in that sentence 🙂 ). I guess Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band doesn’t count though. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/23 "2002-03-19T18:53:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by caveman \* > \*\*Y’all are forgetting the current big thing in technically nonexistent bands: The Gorillaz. > > Sure, they’re backed by some of the best hip-hop & techno talents the UK has to offer, but 2-D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle are just ink & paper… > > But really cool ink & paper… \*\* Along those lines, can we include my favourite Japanese small-bar band, Priss and the Replicants of **Bubblegum Crisis** fame? How would that be for “bubblegum music,” **Spoons**? While the vocals to “Konyawa Hurricane” are actually sung by Oomori Kinuko (Priss’s voice actress), Priss and the Replicants are still a fictional band. Believe it or not, though, there really is an American band now called Bubbblegum Crisis. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/24 "2002-03-19T19:23:01Z")
Derek and the Dominoes - Layla IIRC the recocorded voice of The Archies was that of the songwriter Andy Kim who best known for his song - Rock me Gently. How about Steely Dan, they were never really a group, they were mostly session men hired by Walter Becker and Donald Fagan and no two albums had even similar line ups. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/25 "2002-03-20T05:03:52Z")
Well, my “Back to the Future” soundtrack features Johnny B Goode performed by “Marty McFly and the Starlighters” Ranchoth ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/26 "2002-03-20T05:20:34Z")
Wasn’t the **Alan Parsons Project** a studio band? And how about **The Partridge Family**? I know “I Think I Love You” was pretty popular. But I’m not sure if it was attributed to The Patridge Family or just David Cassidy. Sheri ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/27 "2002-03-20T06:21:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DarkWriter \* > \*\*Wasn’t the **Alan Parsons Project** a studio band? > > And how about **The Partridge Family**? I know “I Think I Love You” was pretty popular. But I’m not sure if it was attributed to The Patridge Family or just David Cassidy. > > Sheri \*\* I don’t know about the Alan Parsons Project, but “I Think I Love You” was definitely attributed to The Partridge Family, even though it was essentially David Cassidy’s recording… From **The New Book Of Rock Lists** (Dave Marsh and James Bernard, copyright 1994 by Fireside Books), other studio bands include: The Atlanta Rhythm Section Toto Booker T. and the MGs Full Force (they had a hit with Lisa Lisa/Cult Jam a few years ago) …and Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band… ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/28 "2002-03-20T06:37:07Z")
Would Three Little Pigs by Green Jelly count? It was a pretty basic song, with a cool little video clip. It made it onto the charts, which is pretty good for a song that concludes: > [@](#): > > And the moral of the story is, ’ A band with no talent can easily amuse idiots with a stupid, puppet show." [Lyrics](http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palace/2009/Pigs.html). ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/29 "2002-03-20T07:36:32Z")
Then there’s NWH and their songs, from “Fear of a Black Hat”. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/30 "2002-03-20T12:26:43Z")
I’m not sure whether he ever managed to get into the US charts with one of his made-up bands, but Jonathon King has had a string of hits with non-existant bands, many of which made number one!: Some examples of charting songs and ‘groups’: It Only Takes A Minute - 100 Ton And A Feather Loop Di Love - Shag Johnny Reggae - Piglets Sugar Sugar - Sakkarin In The Mood - Sound 9418 The Sun Has Got It’s Hat On - Nemo Its The Same Old Song - Weathermen (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - Bubblerock Leap Up And Down (Wave Your Knickers In The Air) - St. Cecilia Chick-A-Boom - 53rd And 3rd featuring The Sound Of Shag Lick A Smurp For Christmas - Father Abraphart And The Smurps It’s Good News Week - Hedgehoppers Anonymous And under his own name: Una Paloma Blanca - Jonathan King Hooked On A Feeling - Jonathan King Just Like A Woman - Jonathan King Everyone’s Gone To The Moon - Jonathan King I’ll Slap Your Face (Entertainment USA Theme) - Jonathan King It was always fun when a new ‘strange’ record was released, to guess if Jonathon King was behind it, or if it was a ‘real’ group. And of course for the Europeans (and lampooned above) there was always Father Abraham and the Smurfs! ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/31 "2002-03-20T15:13:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kiz \* > \*\* > > From **The New Book Of Rock Lists** (Dave Marsh and James Bernard, copyright 1994 by Fireside Books), other studio bands include: > > The Atlanta Rhythm Section > Toto > Booker T. and the MGs > Full Force (they had a hit with Lisa Lisa/Cult Jam a few years ago) > > …and Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band… \*\* Toto? Atlanta Rhythm Section? I had no idea they weren’t real bands. Especially Toto, since they had some great hits and made videos. Sheri ---
**Author:** ![Kybrdbrkn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kybrdbrkn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kybrdbrkn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/32 "2002-03-20T16:46:42Z")
Would any song by The Monkees qualify? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/33 "2002-03-20T16:58:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by casdave \* > **Derek and the Dominoes - Layla** They were a real group that included Eric Clapton annd Duane Allman among it’s members. They didn’t last long because of drug problems, but they did actually tour. > [@](#): > > \*\* > IIRC the recocorded voice of The Archies was that of the songwriter Andy Kim who best known for his song - Rock me Gently.\*\* Every resource I’ve ever heard of has said that the vocals of the Archies and many other “studio bands” were provided by Ron Dante. > [@](#): > > \*\* > How about Steely Dan, they were never really a group, they were mostly session men hired by Walter Becker and Donald Fagan and no two albums had even similar line ups. \*\* Sorry, they are quite a real band. Becker and Fagan were indeed the nucleus of the band, but they had a number of musicians who were on several albums including their longtime friend Denny Diaz on guitar and the late Jeff Porcaro on drums. With the exception of David Palmer, a lead singer that only actually sang lead on a few songs, the line-ups on their first two albums are identical. Chris W ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/34 "2002-03-20T17:08:23Z")
No, no, no … Toto and the Atlanta Rhythm Section are true bands in every sense of the word. Just because a band comprises former studio players doesn’t mean that the bands aren’t “real”. That would mean the Eagles and Mr. Mister were not real bands. Now, studio players put together for a one-shot deal, as well as fake band names, are what the OP’s radio station was going after – The Chipmunks, Steam, the Archies, and **Stars on 45** (not mentioned yet). Steely Dan and the Alan Parsons Project, too, count as real bands. Both changed members often, but both had definite core players (Fagen/Becker and Eric Woolfson, respectively). ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/35 "2002-03-20T17:15:20Z")
**Riserius1** is correct about Ron Dante’s vocals on “Sugar Sugar”. Now, as one of Don Kirschner’s “house” songwriters, Andy Kim DID write songs for the Archies – most notably “Sugar Sugar” (co-written with Jeff Barry). ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/36 "2002-03-20T17:49:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pjen \* > **Jonathon King has had a string of hits with non-existant bands, many of which made number one!** The man is a god, though a [disturbed one.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1666000/1666935.stm) “There were several weeks when I had three singles in the charts at the same time under different names.” I heard that once on “Top of the Pops,” or somesuch British programme, he had to wear two or three disguises to cover up that fact. In addition to his own hits he discovered 10cc (renaming the guys from Hotlegs who gave us “Neanderthal Man.”), Genesis, and the Bay City Rollers. In true King fashion, for one song he WAS the Bay City Rollers. He also produced the _Rocky Horror_ soundtrack after having been an early investor in the stage show. And he still found time to be a pederast! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Green\_Fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mr.Green\_Fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Green_Fool)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/37 "2002-03-21T01:18:43Z")
… Ummm… The Gorillaz are real people. Just because they’ve adopted animated personas for the videos doesn’t make them UNREAL. Noodle is one of the ladies from Cibo Mato and the lead singer is from Blur. It’s a super group and very far from being “a fake band” ---
**Author:** ![bibliophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bibliophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophile)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/38 "2002-03-21T14:27:01Z")
And then there’s Stillwater from Almost Famous. I realize Nancy Wilson wrote a lot of the music for the movie, I think she may have even written “Fever Dog” [my favorite], but I’m not sure who was singing or who made up the rest of the band. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/39 "2002-03-21T16:40:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyomara \* > \*\* > I saw the witch doctor > He told me what to do > He said: > “Oo-ee, oo-ah-ah > Ting, tang, wallah wallah bing bang…” > > Performed by the Chipmunks. > > What do I win?\*\* Sorry, **kyomara** , you don’t win anything. **Leaper’s** actual question was: > [@](#): > > But hey, can anyone name the Fifties novelty song that, according to the first episode of their '80’s TV revival, was written by Dave Seville, and was their first hit? The name of the song you quote is _The Witch Doctor_. But that was not put out under the band name “Alvin and the Chipmunks”; rather it was credited to David Seville (as performer, as well as writer). The actual name of the song in **Leaper’s** challenge is “The Chipmunk Song.” Let me just preview to make sure I haven’t been beaten to the punch… Nope. I claim the prize. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868/40 "2002-03-21T17:22:43Z")
Surprisingly, I don’t believe anyone has mentioned **Alvin and the Chipmunks**. I have it on good authority that none of them are really chipmunks at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-bands-that-dont-exist/98868.md?page=3)