by Bill DeVille
Member since:
January 22, 2007

Musicheads are in search of the songs that make you laugh

July 29, 2008 01:15 PM UTC (Updated: July 30, 2008 09:39 AM UTC)
views: 0 | comments: 24

The Hold Steady's latest, "Stay Positive" led the discussion this week, and as Fred Durst might say, the gang was in agreeance: the band has successfully matured, made a bid for even wider appeal, and still maintained their indie cred all in one fell swoop. Also reviewed: Wolf Parade's sophomore album "At Mount Zoomer" and Dr. Dog's latest, "Fate."


For the show-and-tell segment, Bill DeVille asked, "Is there any specific song that makes you laugh out loud?" Bill's guests were Mac Wilson and The Current's Music Director Melanie Walker.

Comments: 24

Janna, VP, Ennui Jul 29, 2008, 2:18pm UTC
Yeah. "Blizzards, Buzzards, and Bastards" by Scissorfight.
Kerry Dexter Jul 29, 2008, 3:57pm UTC
several. Carrie Newcomer's Don't Push Send, Tish Hinojosa's El Baile Vegetal/The Vegetable Dance, Emily Smith's version of the traditional song May Colven, and Cathie Ryan's take on the traditional song Johnny Be Fair.
Tim M. Jul 29, 2008, 8:38pm UTC
The Suburbs, I like Cows, And they like me, I like cows, just wait and see, When they go 'moo', Hey!, move over, Oh yeah!, Uh uh uh, Well, I like cows, I like to watch 'em eat, I like cows, they don't move when they eat, And I'm a lone Cowhand, from Rio Grande, I like cows, They've got skinny feet, Unlike their friends, the shaved sheep, They've got skinny feet. I do like cows, My cousins had a dairy farm. Cows are wonderfull animals to watch eat. They have a herd mentality which is cool. Cats, dogs, pigs, birds, once you get to know them most animals are pretty interesting, and intelligent. I had a pet Coon once. He was a little crazy in domestication. Very smart though.
Jill Riley Jul 30, 2008, 12:22am UTC
I used to play these 45's over and over again when I was a kid, I still laugh at them.

"Chewy Chewy" Ohio Express
"Coconut" Nilsson
"Hair" The Cowsills
Tim M. Jul 30, 2008, 12:15pm UTC
On Top of Spagetti, I lost my poor meat ball, and covered in parmesian cheese, or Greek Feta..
Iam a knuckle head some days.. just kidding, I thought it was funny..
I'm assuming that we're talking songs that aren't novely songs like Weird Al or The Chipmunks, or parody/comedy songs like Flight of the Conchords, Steven Lynch, etc.

Yep, "Cows" by The Suburbs makes me laugh. "Hey Move Over" get's me every time.

"The Dangerous Kitchen" - Frank Zappa
Almost anything by Zappa

"A Boy Named Sue" - Johnny Cash (written by Shel Silverstein)
"Older" - They Might Be Giants
"Rock and Roll Lifestyle" - Cake
"Spanish Flea" - as sung by Homer Simpson
"Beep Beep" - The Playmates

I'm sure there are plenty of others...
Steve Seel Jul 30, 2008, 1:26pm UTC
When we came up with this question, I don't think we had any rules per se ... but Frick I don't think we were thinking of "novelty songs" specifically, no. Funny you should mention "The Dangerous Kitchen;" that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind, since that still makes me roll on the floor with laughter, years after I first heard it ("sometimes, the milk can huuurt yooou ...."). All those Zappa sprechstimme songs still get me, like "The Man from Utopia" and "The Jazz Discharge Party Hats," with those insane Steve Vai overdubbed guitar lines that match Zappa's meandering vocal lines note for note. Genius.
Great minds, Mr. Seel.. Great minds....

Oh, yeah.. "Sometimes the milk can huuurt you" makes me howl everytime. And the "Jazz Discharge Party Hats" was incredible.

I may have to download those tonight. Haven't heard them in years.

Also, "Nothing But Flowers" by Talking Heads makes me laugh. "I miss the honky tonks, Dairy Queens and 7-11's....you got it, you got it.." I love that line.
Bill DeVille Jul 31, 2008, 12:45pm UTC
Perrey & Kingsley's,"Swans Splashdown" never fails to make me chuckle...[video not sanctioned by Perrey & Kingsley!]
Tim M. Aug 1, 2008, 10:19pm UTC
Valley Girl, Edina Girl, Frank Zappa, and Moon Unit Zappa, may, 1982, Weird Al Yankovic, I think did the Edina Girl rewrite, very funny song, The 200 Motels Movie about Zappa, and Keith Moon is a funny movie for Zappa fans, Zappa plays Zappa was at first ave a few months ago too, and Joes Garage is near Loring Park. Thats about my 2 cents.

Queen , Fat Bottom Girls is funny
Cheap Trick , She's Tight, is funny
I like Big Butts, Sir Mix a Lot
I like Fricks Ideas, Elvis
Dr John , Cover of the Rolling Stone, also Shel Silverstein,
The Beastie Boys have some good ones
You Gotta Fight for your Right to Party
The Marx Brothers are some funny Jews too.
Tim M. Aug 1, 2008, 10:31pm UTC
I meant to say people of Jewish Heritage, or Culture, or something, I am a member of the Jewish Community Center, What would George Carlin, or Lenny Bruce say?
Matt Baldwin Aug 2, 2008, 3:39am UTC
I want the Current to be less concerned with politics and just play the best music available. Perfect example, M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes". We were subjected to substandard M.I.A. tracks for months, and I can only assume the gun loops and robbery references were the culprit. Last I checked the 2nd Amendment was still valid, and though maybe not the PC norm, the 1st Amendment is alive and well too. Don't worry about the nonsense, play the best!
Tim M. Aug 2, 2008, 11:41am UTC
The Ting Tings, Thats not my Name, is pretty funny, Varsity monday, 08/04/08
Bill DeVille Aug 3, 2008, 5:54pm UTC
A ye ol' standby for me is Todd Snider's minor hit, Beer Run!
Bob E. Aug 4, 2008, 11:05pm UTC
Ween may be a novelty band but have some great lines, like in Chocolate Town on Quebec "Get your punk ass back to the dog show". Your Party on their latest CD La Cucaracha is a good "tongue in cheek" tune.
Julia Schrenkler Aug 5, 2008, 10:02am UTC
Bill, "Beer Run" cracks me up, and it finally ran "Dangerous Kitchen" out of my head.

From And the stuff in the strainer has a mind of its own.... to beee double E double R you - nnnn Wonder what was in that cigarette bummed off a hippie? Hmm.

What a strange and sweet discussion this is.
Ted Bob G. Aug 6, 2008, 9:24pm UTC
I just heard a new song, "I Don't Want to Die in the Hospital" by Conor Oberst, made me laugh out loud.
"Just take me outside so I can feel the wind..." funny, but it's going to be my last request as well.

Always liked "Crawling from the Wreckage" by Rockpile.
"Crawling, crawling, crawling from the wreckage...into a brand new car!"

Got to agree with Frick on "A Boy Named Sue", Johnny's live performance makes me both laugh and get a tear in my eye for the strangeness of a father/son relationship, even more so now that I have a son.

If anybody has this one on vynyl, "Medical Mess" by the Flaming O's.
Even funnier if you knew Joseph their keyboard player and his ongoing medical ailments.
"I'm a medical mess with only six weeks left".
He actually had two belly buttons.
Probably more info than you wanted to know.
May he rest in peace, Joseph was a good hearted person with a great sense of humor!
Ted Bob G. Aug 6, 2008, 9:49pm UTC
Now that you got me going, wasn't a lot of the local 80's recordings tongue and cheek?
Credit in Heaven by the Suburbs...who the ..beep.. has credit in heaven?
Weekend Warriors by the Suicide Commandos with the Green Acres references.
Hypstrz, 6654321

I love most of the local scene because of it's funny, clever sense of humor.
Heidi E. Aug 12, 2008, 8:54pm UTC
I know they're technically a novelty act, but the entire Tenacious D catalog slays me. Especially the lyrics to Wonderboy.
Tomas de la Verne B. Aug 14, 2008, 3:48pm UTC
Moonage Daydream. This could also be a guilty pleasure.
Kristi Halverson Aug 15, 2008, 12:17pm UTC
"Hubbahubba Zootzoot" by Carumba- When i was in college "Hines and B---" were the morning DJs on WLOL and they would play it religiously at 7:35 AM.

"I like Cows" by the Suburbs

Anything by Those Darn Accordians
Joe J. Aug 20, 2008, 9:58pm UTC
Great subject!! Some of my favs are Space Junk, Mongoloid, and Come Back Jonee by Devo; Planet Claire and Is That You Mo-Dean? by The B-52s; Help Me Mary and Fuck and Run by Liz Phair - can't wait to see these 2 live at First Ave. in Oct.
Eliot Larson Oct 15, 2008, 7:02pm UTC
California Girls and Yeah, Oh Yeah by The Magnetic fields
Angela Jevnager May 9, 2011, 3:31pm UTC
Southern Culture on the Skids - Eight Piece Box

Everytime!

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