Silly, but good

Very few songs manage to be simultaneously silly and worth listening to.

In the niche category of “silly, but good”, here are some long-time fav oddities.

Just noticed how many of them are from the 196os / 70s.

That figures.

Not much silliness in popular culture nowadays.

Here we go:

——————————————————————————————————

Nervous Norvus‘ The Fang (1956):

Sample lyrics:

Do-yappa-pappa, zoink, zoink

I know those Earth chicks are dreamin’ tonight
Of the Fang

Captain Beefheart‘s China Pig (1969):

Sample lyrics:

A man’s gotta live
A man’s gotta eat

I don’t want to kill my China pig

The Trashmen‘s Surfin’ Bird (1963):

Sample lyrics:

Ah, bap-a-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pap
Ma-ma-mow, pa-pa, ma-ma-mow, pa-pa

Pink Floyd‘s Bike (1967):

Sample lyrics:

I know a mouse, and he hasn’t got a house.
I don’t know why I call him Gerald.
He’s getting rather old, but he’s a good mouse.

You’re the kind of girl that fits in with my world.

Mungo Jerry‘s In the Summertime (1970):

Sample lyrics:

You got women, you got women on your mind
Have a drink, have a drive ^{[yep, definitely the 1970s – Ed]}
Go out and see what you can find

Colorblind James Experience‘s Move to Memphis (1987):

Sample lyrics:

Someday I’ll return to Memphis in my own private jet
I’ll remember my first visit there, that’s if I don’t forget
When I arrive in Memphis I’ll put a sign out on the door
“It’s ok to disturb me, that’s what I came here for”

Novas‘ The Crusher (1964):

Sample lyrics:

Do the hammer lock, you turkey necks
Yeah, do the hammer lock

Charles Mingus‘ Eat that Chicken (1962):

Sample lyrics:

I wanna eat it, eat that chicken

Of course, the “silly, but good” category might have been invented for one man – Ivor Cutler. I still have 2 vinyl albums by him, “Dandruff“, and “Jammy Smears“.

Out of dozens, here’s some Ivor:

Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2 Ep. 6 (aka “Scotland Gets its Brains from the Herring“) (1975):