“La Vie Boheme” from the rock opera Rent is a group patter song. Among the things mentioned are
It’s a pretty long song and has an interlude in the middle, which if you consider it part of the song, would increase the subjects mentioned in it by quite a bit.
Enjoy,
Steven
Any number of songs from Animaniacs would work. I am thinking specifically of the nations of the world song, but there are others.
I could’ve sworn someone mentioned the Major General’s Song but I can’t find that post now. Anyway, to the alternate universe poster: I see you and raise you one parody:
I am the very model of a Singularitarian
I’m combination Transhuman, Immortalist, Extropian,
Aggressively I’m changing all my body’s biochemistry
Because my body’s heritage is obsolete genetically,
Replacing all the cells each month it’s here just temporarily
The pattern of my brain and body’s where there’s continuity,
I’ll try to improve these patterns with optimal biology,
(“But how will I do that? I need to be smarter. Ah, yes…”)
I’ll expand my mental faculties by merging with technology,
Expand his mental faculties by merging with technology,
Expand his mental faculties by merging with technology
Expand his mental faculties by merging with technology
“Identity Theft” by Nellie McKay probably counts. Past Shows | A Prairie Home Companion
Use the embedded player on that page, and skip to about 48 minutes in. If you like her, keep listening. “Mother of Pearl” doesn’t qualify for the OP, but it’s hilarious. She’s in several other spots on that show.
*** Ponder
Nobody’s mentioned the Major General’s song yet?
Does “Rio” by Duran Duran count?
Kristopherson has “The Pigrime” and “The Taker”
A couple of examples for #2:
“Miss Shapiro”, from either “Diamond Head” by Phil Manzanera, or “801 Live”
“Ca Plane pour Moi” by Plastic Bertrand
And for #3:
“Under Heavy Manners” by Robert Fripp, from the album of the same name
“Come Together” The Beatles
Bulbous Bouffant by The Vestibules
Mainstream by Thea Gilmore
“The Philosopher’s Song” as done by Monty Python.
“Sam” by the Meat Puppets is ridiculously fast. The lyrics are interesting too.
"I Want You"by Savage Garden certainly qualifies. This was their first hit, and I really liked its uptempo style, so I looked forward to hearing more from them. Boy, were my hopes destroyed when their next few hits like “Truly Madly Deeply” and “I Knew I Loved You” came out. What a pile of feces those songs were.
Musical theatre has a whole bunch of them, including “You’re The Top” from Anything Goes, “Jelicle CATS,” and my favorite “Hard-Candy Christmas” from Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Bare Naked Ladies also has the theme to the Big Bang Theory.
But the absolutely bestest example is the masterpiece of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Águas de Março, translated into English as Waters of March. The first time I heard it I was totally blow away. In Portugese or English, it is the numero uno.
Here’s one that’s both cool and sad:
Another fun Gilbert & Sullivan song that fits the bill: “As Some Day It May Happen” from The Mikado.
fits as a “list song” anyway:
In the Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Year_2525
Ponch8 must have missed this one:
Savage Garden - Affirmation
Also:
Half Man Half Biscuit - Breaking News
Another parody of ‘Major General’:
Amateur Transplants - ‘The Drugs Song’
2)
Jonathan Coulton - ‘I Feel Fantastic’
Aztec Camera & Mick Jones - ‘Good Morning Britain’
3)
Hillman Minx - ‘I’ve Had Enough’