I have just written a parody based on a song from 1930! "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" by Noel Coward. Could that be the oldest song that has been parodied here? I´m just curious because I think that it would be kewl to hold that title (even if it´s just for a little while cos someone will probably see this as a challenge to write something based on a song from 1920 or something) :-)

But that´s okey too, records are ment to be broken, and titles to shift. Go ahead.

It´s a short parody, about the London blackout the other day, and as a service to those interested I´m providing a link to a sound file of the original:

Inspiration came from one of my friends having to leave the underground and walk home instead of taking the subway, etc. :-)

"Mall Rats and Englishmen comes out when the power´s down":
http://www.amiright.com/parody/misc/noelcoward0.shtml

gilbert & sullivan songs have been parodied here quite a few times and i think they're older

In addition to the G&S songs (of which I've got a few) coming from the 19th century, old songs I've parodied include:
"Mademoiselle D'Armentieres" which dates from WWI, IIRC;
Marching through Georgia, 1865
Jerusalem (which since William Blake died in 1827 presumably came from before then);  
...all trumped by:
"Ariel's Song" from The Tempest (Shakespeare) - circa 1600


Not done any Noel Coward yet, though many years ago my father was commissioned to write one to "The Stately Homes of England"... I'd like to do a "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" parody sometime, as it's a great song to work with

Phil

Ahh, I should have known it was to good to be true. :-)

Hmm... If I were to claim that the phrase "Mead, mead, mead, mead" is actually an old Vikings drinking song from around Anno 847, and rewrites it as "Spam, spam, spam, spam", would you buy it?

No, wait, Monthy Python´s already beaten me to that one too! ;-)

But since they aren´t AmIWriters...

**Hands Champion Belt over to Philbo**

*thinks to self: can one parody a Gregorian chant?*

... I wonder what the old Egyptians used to sing to their Pharaohs...

Maybe an Old Testament parody is in order ;-)

Phil

Didn´t the oracle of Delphi use to chant something to get into the right mood? Or those Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome? Or why do I think that I have heard that somewhere?

**Gets destracted by the fact that he managed to use the words "ancient" and "virgins" in the same sentence** :-)

"House of the rising sun" has been parodies many times, and that song dates back to the 1800s.