Quoting:

some pre-1970 novelty songs I like....
Larry Verne: Please Mr. Custer


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Quoting:
Many songs by Tom Lehrer:
Masochism Tango
Poisoning Pidgeons in the Park
Lobachevsky
The Irish Ballad
The Hunting Song
(can you tell that I like Tom Lehrer?)

Shaving Cream-Benny Bell (used to teach all the kids in the neighborhood this song)
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah-Allen Sherman (another song I taught all the kids)
Alice's Restaurant Massacre-Arlo Guthrie
Witch Doctor-David Seville
Most things by Weird Al

There are others but I can't think of them right now. I am a big fan of Dr. Demento  ;D
Cat
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I used to listen to Dr. Demento quite a bit when I was a kid.  I'm pretty sure he's still doing it after all these years, but I don't know if he's on any stations in my area.

I was considering some of the mentions on my own list.  I guess it depends on how we define "novelty."  I also like Tom Lehrer and Smothers Brothers, not to mention Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant."  These artists couched serious social commentary in a humorous way, whereas I think of "novelty" as sillier fare, such as "Witch Doctor" by David Seville.
Arlo still lives in Stockbridge, which is on the NY border of Massachusetts, about 45 miles west of where I am.  He still draws a respectable audience.  He's coming to a popular local venue in a few weeks, The Iron Horse, in Northampton, Mass.  It's a two night engagement, with tix at $38.00 a piece (this is a place that usually charges $9.00-$16.00), and he'll sell out both shows!

Quoting:

I used to listen to Dr. Demento quite a bit when I was a kid.  I'm pretty sure he's still doing it after all these years, but I don't know if he's on any stations in my area.

I was considering some of the mentions on my own list.  I guess it depends on how we define "novelty."  I also like Tom Lehrer and Smothers Brothers, not to mention Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant."  These artists couched serious social commentary in a humorous way, whereas I think of "novelty" as sillier fare, such as "Witch Doctor" by David Seville.
Arlo still lives in Stockbridge, which is on the NY border of Massachusetts, about 45 miles west of where I am.  He still draws a respectable audience.  He's coming to a popular local venue in a few weeks, The Iron Horse, in Northampton, Mass.  It's a two night engagement, with tix at $38.00 a piece (this is a place that usually charges $9.00-$16.00), and he'll sell out both shows!

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I know excatly where Stockbridge and Northampton are. I used to live in Chicopee (way back in the Dark Ages  ;)) Arlo is great. He came to may area last year but I didn't get a chance to go see him.  :'(  Maybe some day.



Cat

Quoting:
There was this one novelty song in the early/mid 60's.  I do not remember WHO did it, but it went like this:

"They're coming to take me home hee hee haw haw..."
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Oh course. How could I forget "They are Coming to Take me Away" by Nepolean XIV   Used to be my theme song.



Cat

Quoting:


I know excatly where Stockbridge and Northampton are. I used to live in Chicopee (way back in the Dark Ages  ;)) Arlo is great. He came to may area last year but I didn't get a chance to go see him.  :'(  Maybe some day.



Cat
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Oh, you once lived here in the Happy Valley!  "Dark Ages," that just about sums up Chicopee!

MORE NOVELTY SONGS I LIKE:

The Cadets: Stranded in the Jungle
The Cellos: Rang Tang Ding Dong
(I Am the Japanese Sandman)*
Bob Peck: Sweet 16
Chuck Berry: Memphis, Tennessee
The Swallows: It Ain't the Meat It's the Motion

ANOTHER ONE I CAN'T STAND
Tom Glazer: On Top of Spaghetti

*not to be confused with "The Japanese Sandman" by Raymond B. Egan and Richard A. Whiting, a song they penned in 1920, which was made famous by Paul Whiteman and his Ambassador Orchestra.

Quoting:
Anyone ever hear "Donald wear your trousers," about a Scotsman in a kilt?
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Don't recall it but I do like "The Scotsman" by Brian Bowers.



Cat

Quoting:


Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road - Loudon Wainwright III
(perhaps because I was little and didn't know any better)


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If you like Loudon, try to find a copy "Jesse Don't Like It."  This was his response to Senator Helms' proposal to abolish the National Endowment for the Arts back in the early '90s.  The artwork for the 7" is a great illustration of Unca Jesse putting his fist through a painting.
;D

Quoting:
Anyone ever hear "Donald wear your trousers," about a Scotsman in a kilt?
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Yep, that was by Andy Stewart  :D

"Oh, let the wind blow high
Let the wind blow low
Out in the street in me kilt I'll go
Then all the lassies say HELLO  :D
Donald, where's your trousers  :o

Quoting:
Anyone ever hear "Donald wear your trousers," about a Scotsman in a kilt?
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Now that stirs up a memory or several...! I don't know who in our family bought it, but it's become something of a heirloom (I've got the thing now!) - for all its Jock hokum, Andy throws in a surprisingly competent Elvis impersonation near the end...!

Proving how daft we are, it almost hit #1 when re-issued in Christmas 1989...!

One that I'd like to throw in (though it may be lost to our US friends, but it did get released there...) is 'The Ying Tong Song' by the groundbreaking comedy trio of The Goons (Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe & Peter Sellers - all sadly no longer with us...), which comprised of a totally banal lyric, several explosions, 'Chipmunk'-type vocals and the finest 'raspberry' solo you'll ever hear - all within three minutes...! Superb!

Quoting:


One that I'd like to throw in (though it may be lost to our US friends, but it did get released there...) is 'The Ying Tong Song' by the groundbreaking comedy trio of The Goons (Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe & Peter Sellers - all sadly no longer with us...), which comprised of a totally banal lyric, several explosions, 'Chipmunk'-type vocals and the finest 'raspberry' solo you'll ever hear - all within three minutes...! Superb!
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As an aside to this my mother's maiden name is Tongue.  Both of her brothers earned the nickname Ying because of this song.  In fact for years I believed that Uncle Martyn's name was Ying because everyone called him that.

Quoting:
I also remember some other songs, no idea who by, that were sort of 'cut-and-paste' of popular songs at the time with commentary sort of telling the story.  Does anyone know what I'm talking about?  A bit I remember was with (supposedly) Harold Wilson talking about meeting Magaret Thatcher. "And what was her reaction?" "She stood there laughing" (from Delilah - Tom Jones).End Quote

They were a couple of Christmas (surprise!) novelties titled 'Renta Santa' & 'Bionic Santa', karen...the brainchild of a DJ named Chris Hill (he's still about somewheres...) they were known in the trade as 'drop-in' records, i.e., the snippets of the songs would be 'dropped-in' at various points...the idea didn't really catch on here (probably due to copyright), but they were popular in the US for many years previous...(Flying Saucer, Convention 72, Mr Jaws, etc...)

Quoting:Also vague memories of one about TV detectives - Ironside, Columbo, Kojak etc.End Quote

That was more than likely impressionist Billy Howard's 'King Of The Cops', a take-off of 'King Of The Road' in which he played all parts...I vividly remember watching him perform this on 'Crackerjack' (Crac-ker-jack!!) in the various guises...

Quoting:


They were a couple of Christmas (surprise!) novelties titled 'Renta Santa' & 'Bionic Santa', karen...the brainchild of a DJ named Chris Hill (he's still about somewheres...)

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Renta Santa is the name that rings a bell

Quoting:


That was more than likely impressionist Billy Howard's 'King Of The Cops', a take-off of 'King Of The Road' in which he played all parts...I vividly remember watching him perform this on 'Crackerjack' (Crac-ker-jack!!) in the various guises...
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"It's Friday.... it's 5 to 5 .... it must be Crackerjack!"

Actually I think I remember seeing the song performed on Top of the Pops.

Quoting:


Yep, that was by Andy Stewart  :D

"Oh, let the wind blow high
Let the wind blow low
Out in the street in me kilt I'll go
Then all the lassies say HELLO  :D
Donald, where's your trousers  :o
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How could we fail to mention THE SCOTSMAN?
The writing credit goes to Mike Cross, 1979. The version by Bryan Bowers was a favorite on the Dr. Demento Show here in the States for years and years.  It goes:

Quoting:words and music by Mike Cross

Well a Scotsman clad in kilt left a bar on evening fair
And one could tell by how we walked that he drunk more than his share
He fumbled round until he could no longer keep his feet
Then he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
He stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street

About that time two young and lovely girls just happend by
And one says to the other with a twinkle in her eye
See yon sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt

They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as could be
Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see
And there behold, for them to see, beneath his Scottish skirt
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth

They marveled for a moment, then one said we must be gone
Let's leave a present for our friend, before we move along
As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon, tied into a bow
Around the bonnie star, the Scots kilt did lift and show
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
Around the bonnie star, the Scots kilt did lift and show

Now the Scotsman woke to nature's call and stumbled towards a tree
Behind a bush, he lift his kilt and gawks at what he sees
And in a startled voice he says to what's before his eyes.
O lad I don't know where you been but I see you won first prize
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
O lad I don't know where you been but I see you won first prize End Quote