I know we're all (ahem) serious musicians here, but has anyone ever written or performed a "novelty song"?

The reason I ask is that I can't this bloomin' tune out of my head... written and recorded by my mate Kelvin (recently joined this forum as kelvinguitar)

YouTube Linky -->> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj82yGoChc4

Probably the worst rhyme in the history of songwriting (kickin = chicken), but a great fun country-style song brilliantly recorded with Kelvin singing and playing all parts. Let him know what you think of it and do leave comments on YouTube too! But I warn you, once you've heard it you won't be able to get it out of your head lol!

Any other favorite (or least favorite) novelty songs?

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He gets my vote. I think its a great song, and made me smile.
----Danny,

would Frank Zappa – "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" be considered a novelty song? if so that is it or maybe some Dr demento

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My usual musical collaborator and I were approached by a film maker who was trying to launch a new children's TV series called "Moo the Monster" We rustled up a suitably quirky, barking mad novelty song for her to use as the theme music, and arranged and recorded it in our little project studio. She loved it. Then we sat back to await the endless royaly cheques..

Sadly, the BBC declined to make the series so there were no cheques..

We also did the theme music for the same film-maker's partner's Self Defence DVD. I'm guessing he still has 1000s of them in storage boxes all round their house.

Thus ended my dabbling with Television work. But I still like a good novelty tune..

"Wassa matter you, why you looka so sad? Itsa not so bad, ah shuddupa your face.." .... classic...

Honourable mentions also have to go to "Convoy" - CW McCall.
Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas.
Camouflage - Stan Ridgeway.

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This tune is always good for a laugh......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyLI970it0I



Arjay

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Two years ago, Armadillo 'Tween was in the jump rope club at school. The kids would put on choreographed jump rope shows during halftime at the local high school and jr high school basketball games. It's more entertaining than it sounds.

They also had a "Winter Show" that consisted of Christmas/Holiday songs. Since we don't celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza or anything like that (religious reasons, not a topic for this Forum), she was worried there would not be anything she could perform to...

I approached their coach, and asked if I recorded two songs about winter/snow activities, would she use them. She said yes, we discussed how many beats per minute and how long the songs should be (we don't want them dropping dead because the song's too fast or too long), and I went home, panicked as to whether I could write two songs about being cold on demand.

The first one was half-written when I went into the studio he drummer and I built at his house (we christened it "Shotgun Studios")...it was a Stones/Faces-inspired excursion called "Mama Open The Door (And Let
Me In)" (sample lyric: "I'm shiverin'-shakin', I can't stand it and I ain't fakin', I just can't wait until the sun comes out again..."

One down, one to go. After recording the rhythm and lead guitar parts and the vocals (and the drummer recorded the drums, of course), I went into the kitchen while the drummer put on the bass line, recorded harmony vocals and mixed the song.

I sat down and wrote possibly the goofiest song I have ever written in my life. It was called "Snow Ball Fight"  (sample lyric: "Snow ball fight, no school today 'cuz it snowed last night..."). It had a '50's rockabilly feel, so I set up the rhythm guitar sound similar to a jangly slapback Buddy Holly-like thang...

As a joke, I sang the scratch vocals like Elvis, causing the drummer to crack up (and he's hard to fluster, especially when we hit "record"). He insisted that we record it with the Elvis vocals when doing the real track, which I reluctantly did, complete with several "Uh-huh's" and a reference to Priscilla making a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

The drummer added a Scotty Moore-esque guitar part and the bassline, and we were in business.

Two songs written, recorded and mixed in less than three hours..a new record for us!

I was reluctant to debut these songs because, well, one of them was pretty stupid. "Mama open the door" wasn't completely goofy, but that ridiculous Elvis tune...

To my surprise, both of them were hits and all the kids wanted to perform to our songs instead of Jingle Bells or   Rudolph, especially "Snow Ball Fight." My daughter was proud that we did this especially for her...and you haven't lived until you hear forty second and third graders singing a song you wrote while boppin' down the hall. It's also surreal to hear your own voice/guitar over the PA during a basketball intermission. 

I was happy my daughter was able to take part in something that would have excluded her otherwise.

There was a record snowfall last year and school was cancelled for six days. The  first day back to school, the principal played "Snow Ball Fight" over the PA before the announcements. I'm not sure if I'm proud or ashamed about that.

The Stones-y song is going to be put on a rock album we're recording (all rock songs), but I don't really know what to do with "Snow Ball Fight"...maybe license it to schools and TV stations to play while showing school closures? I don't know how to do that...hmm.

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AAAUUGGGGHHH! You did warn me, but I really can't get that song out of my head!!

That's very catchy, man...good job!

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Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
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I just stumbled across this via Facebook... an example of an easy approach to songwriting - just say what you see. In this case, it's a Chimpanzee riding on a Segway.

http://youtu.be/NPGUIpv-JxI



(OK, so calling it a "song" is probably a bit generous...)

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Sounds like great fun! Care to share a recording?

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I have a song that I wrote many years ago as a campfire nonsense song called : " Quick Ma Get The Hammer (there's a fly on the baby's head)".It became pretty well requested when I was doing my solo gigs on the downtown bar strip.
The Bonzo Dog Band did some brilliant nonsense songs like You've Done My Brain In, Mrs.Slatter's Parrot, We Were Wrong and of course Slush which was a beautiful song with Hammond Organ and lush strings(reminiscent of Whiter Shade Of Pale) but shortly after we hear the first beautiful strains of music they put in a repeat track of maniacal laughter that destroys the whole song.

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