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"Weird" Songs That Were Hits
- Thread starter Bunk McNulty
- Start date
I was at a promotional event for that in LA; saw Jackie DeShannon and a reunited Standells perform, and chatted a bit with Ruthann Friedman, the woman who wrote “Windy”. Rhino always did box sets right.
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Then there were some follow-up singles, and the band disappeared after that. But at least they had the ride for about a year.
I remember "Brand New Key" being on the radio when I was an innocent and unknowing kid, and that's the genius of the lyrics - if you don't know about "ess ee ex" then the lyrics seem rather innocent, if odd. "..around the world" on her bicycle? really?
Once I had the chance to re-hear the song as an adult I was a little shocked.I think part of the shtick was that "Melanie" had a girlish innocent sounding voice but was singing these racy lyrics. Must have been a thing because Maria Mauldar's "Midnight at the Oasis" has a similar vibe. There was also similar song that's even more cringey and overtly sexual than "Brand New Key" called "Telephone Man."
Maria Muldaur also recorded a cover of much more overtly sexual song “It Ain’t the Meat, It’s the Motion” first recorded by The Swallows in 1951.
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I'm a bit shocked to see this many posts without the mention of Roger Miller. My folks had one of his albums (probably King of The Road), and I remember it being at least 50% nonsense songs. (This was 60 or so years ago, so pardon my memory if my numbers are off.) This album was easily my favorite album that my parents had.
He was easily the Jim Stafford of the 60s. Here's a couple examples:
He was easily the Jim Stafford of the 60s. Here's a couple examples:
I shouldn't remind you of all the Wombles records, then?
Bowie's Laughing Gnome?
To this day, whenever a car alarm goes off for no reason, I sing along with it with this song.
Certainly weird, and not my sort of thing usually, but I love this. It would stand out like a sore thumb in my "top ten", but it could well be there.
Good catch on that bullet reference, mambo4!
I saw that same show from the Fillmore album, probably a day or two later at the Portland Coliseum.
Flo and Eddie...the whole thing was hilarious and the music mind-blowing.
Highly doubtful that the vocal performer is Paul Shaffer. In some other, later context, I might have presumed it to be a poor imitation of Shaffer, at best. Also, when and where was this version a hit?
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Dsco Duck: First released Estelle Axton's new label Fretone (the -ax of Stax Records, done by new label Fretone after she got the ax at Stax.)
I remembered that only because I just finished a book about Stax.
Rick Dees is the guilty party in question.
The whole sordid history is all covered in the (thankfully short) article here.
(I'm guessing that as well as a duck, he did a great Tony Orlando impression, at least that's what it looks like. Geez, the 70s...)
"Disco Duck (Part 1)" - Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots
The question isn't really where and when it was hit, but Why...
I remembered that only because I just finished a book about Stax.
Rick Dees is the guilty party in question.
The whole sordid history is all covered in the (thankfully short) article here.
(I'm guessing that as well as a duck, he did a great Tony Orlando impression, at least that's what it looks like. Geez, the 70s...)
"Disco Duck (Part 1)" - Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots
The question isn't really where and when it was hit, but Why...
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On the topic of hits.
Great explanation here by Howard Kaylan about writing one.
Tangentially, Howard and Mark on management.
Great explanation here by Howard Kaylan about writing one.
Tangentially, Howard and Mark on management.
