# Your top three novelty songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 11, 2023, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014 "2023-01-11T07:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/1 "2023-01-11T07:05:28Z")
I am talking about those cute/unusual/freakin’ strange songs that tickle your fancy, the ones that don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of being a top ten hit. Please take notice of the words “Your” and “three” in the title. I want _three_ songs that are on _your_ personal list, not a link to some list on someone else’s website. 1. [Existential Blues - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nJ30dodvdc&t=3s) 2. [The Smoke Off-Shel Silverstein - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohFHsOBuLc4) 3. [Weird Al Yankovic: Genius in France - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Sqme_o5OI&t=3s) That’s my personal top three. Yours? ---
**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:** [January 11, 2023, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/2 "2023-01-11T07:15:41Z")
1. [Komar & Melamid - The Most Unwanted Music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gPuH1yeZ08&ab_channel=FraKctured) 2. [Arlo Guthrie - Alice’s Restaurant Massacree](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM&ab_channel=Stiletto) 3. [Weird Al Yankovic - The Night Santa Went Crazy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FJU4GrXztE&ab_channel=%22WeirdAl%22Yankovic-Topic) ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/3 "2023-01-11T07:19:21Z")
1. [Timothy - Buoys - YouTube video with lyrics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqDu5LBT8_Y) 2. [Chat Room - Bob Rivers - YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBflT2Jxe1s) 3. [Galaxy Song - Monty Python - YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk) It is really hard for me to narrow down to three, given my fondness for Weird Al Yankovic, Bob Rivers, and Monty Python. Even Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall have produced some amusing music (I do like both as stand-up comedians). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/4 "2023-01-11T07:21:12Z")
[Rock Lobster - B52’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhJzX0UgDM) [Nellie The Elephant - Toy Dolls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m7tPikH0UA) [Grimly Fiendish - The Damned](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIpv0fQW4YU) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/5 "2023-01-11T07:32:54Z")
F her gently. Tenacious D Santa Claus is a Fat Prick. ICP Lumber Jack song. Monty Python ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/6 "2023-01-11T07:53:46Z")
1. **The Old Philosopher** —Eddie Lawrence: This is a comedy routine, but it includes music (Beautiful Dreamer), so I think it makes the grade as a novelty song. It hit the Billboard Top 40 in 1956: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yKkazr8M-n4/hqdefault.jpg "The Old Philosopher - Eddie Lawerence") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKkazr8M-n4) 1. **Alice’s Restaurant** —Arlo Guthrie 2. **[Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICkWjdQuK7Q)**—written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/7 "2023-01-11T10:17:50Z")
[Redback on the Toilet Seat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INc3vy0tvcY) - Slim Dusty Hector the Rat - Pat Drummond > [@](#): > > _I learned about love in the back of a car_ > _I learned about luck from the fall of the cards_ > _I learned about life from the look in the eye of a rat on the chopping block_ [The Newcastle Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfkILxNkQ6Q) - Bob Hudson ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/8 "2023-01-11T14:50:18Z")
Man, it’s hard to pick only three. **[Dead Puppies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6YYcUZWhYY)** - Ogden Edsl (the lyrics video was the easiest one to find, even though they misspelled Roman Hruska’s name) **[The Captain’s Wife’s Lament](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR6_1KtAyNc)** - Paul and Storm (lyrics again) **[Fun With Pork](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oycBIgEGEhI)** - 7 Seconds of Love (video by the actual band) Ask me again tomorrow and I’ll probably give you a different list. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/9 "2023-01-11T15:07:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > the ones that don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of being a top ten hit. So, **Surfin’ Bird** , **Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah** , and **They’re Coming to take me Away** are right out? Okay then… **Manny Moe and Jack** by The Dickies **Ukulele Blues** by Martin Mull **Shaving Cream** by almost anybody. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/10 "2023-01-11T15:21:29Z")
Tom Lehrer, [The Masochism Tango](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVw3zjENiCw) Doctor Hook, [Freakin’ at the Freakers’ Ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obCFAPsSnKE) Bobby Bare, [Dropkick Me, Jesus (Through the Goalposts of Life)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsWg0bt9kp4) ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/11 "2023-01-11T15:36:33Z")
Whoops! All hits! ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/12 "2023-01-11T16:00:58Z")
While these are not exactly novelty songs, they’re meant to be silly, and it sounds like the musicians had fun recording them: The Beatles: [You Know My Name (Look up the Number)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZndVv-jl-U) Chet Atkins (his version): [Fiddlin’ Around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrMHerRQ7fw) Blind Blake: [Diddy Wah Diddy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7sB8ycdbJo) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/13 "2023-01-11T16:11:21Z")
Rhett & Link: [The BBQ Song - Rhett & Link - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ubTQfr_tyY) Rhett & Link: [Fast Food Folk Song - Rhett & Link - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uwY3sjqYX0) The Toyes: [Smoke Two Joints - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVFWtV2Wp4c) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/14 "2023-01-11T16:22:48Z")
“Transfusion” - Nervous Norvus “Beep Beep” - The Playmates and “Constipation Blues” - Screamin’ Jay Hawkins [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VAzSvhioo34/hqdefault.jpg "Constipation Blues ◦ Screamin' Jay Hawkins") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAzSvhioo34) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/15 "2023-01-11T16:29:32Z")
Melvins - I Fuck Around [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lbd4YMBY4WM/maxresdefault.jpg "I Fuck Around") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbd4YMBY4WM) Mojo Nixon - Tie my Pecker to my Leg (so very NSFW)) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/n-rLHYsQHgc/maxresdefault.jpg "Tie My Pecker to My Leg") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-rLHYsQHgc) Richard Cheese - Killing in the Name Of [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lRuigpAquO4/maxresdefault.jpg "Richard Cheese "Killing In The Name" (from 2011 "A Lounge Supreme" album)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRuigpAquO4) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/16 "2023-01-11T16:58:19Z")
Favorites! 1. [Tchaikovsky - Danny Kaye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuZvLArXU5s) 2. [Operation Desert Storm - Tom Smith](https://tomsmith.bandcamp.com/track/operation-desert-storm-10) 3. [A Song Not For Now - _Songs of the Pogo_: Walt Kelly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybs07SnLFEo) ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/17 "2023-01-11T16:59:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > the ones that don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of being a top ten hit Cowboy Convention - Ohio Express Nishimoto at bat - Hari Kari Grandmas’ Lye Soap - Johnny Standley ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/18 "2023-01-11T18:47:42Z")
Probably my top pick: 1. [Invisible Birds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKq5nv9G68c) - Will Ray (note, this is not about the Gen Z Conspiracy Theory, Birds Aren’t Real) 2. [I Just Can’t Seem To Get The Blues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_xh640jeM) - Rev Billy C Wirtz 3. [The Nose Knows](https://www.reverbnation.com/cuzzintom/song/7557695-the-nose-knows) - Cuzzin Tom ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/19 "2023-01-11T19:02:54Z")
Other than much of Jerry Reed’s stuff: [Cocktails For Two - Spike Jones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvt4b_qwC_Q&ab_channel=SpindleRecords) [I Went To Your Wedding - Spike Jones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcF_xHJLiJc&ab_channel=DavidHannah) [How Come My Dog Don’t Bark When You Come Around? - Dr. John](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfDjOEWghIo&ab_channel=Pedalar%C3%A9Preciso) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014/20 "2023-01-11T19:13:23Z")
D’oh… I forgot about Spike Jones! Hey, Chefguy, there is a SJ song that had the line, “the pistol shot adds a lot” - do you which song that is? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-novelty-songs/978014.md?page=2)