4/30/2010 - Weird Al Yankovic

Well, this month I have been reviewing songs that may have influenced Weird Al to become the musician he is -- mainly by looking at the Dr. Demento Funny 25/50 for the years 1972-1978. I do realize that Al started submitting stuff prior to 1978, but that was a good cut off. Well, all that background now leads me to a parody of his that I have never heard before today.
I can't find what show this originally aired on, but it has appeared on at least 3 Dr. Demento shows since 1980, all in the last 13 years. But even dmdb.org credits this to coming out from a 1980 submission. It even says it was a live submission but I can't find the show. Oh well.
This is "Won't Eat Prunes Again" by Weird Al Yankovic. It is a parody of The Who (who?) "Won't Be Fooled Again", which was their closing concert song. I hadn't heard either song, so it's all new to me! Enjoy:



Lyrics
It was just the other day
When we went to Joe's Cafe
Just to order up a couple steaks to eat

But we noticed something wrong
All the Worcestershire was gone
But the waitress brought a different kind of treat

She said this sauce was the chef's new creation
Guaranteed, it's a new taste sensation
But she warned us it's made out of prunes
"Try a little if you dare"
"Nothing can compare"
So we had some and now we swear
We won't eat prunes again

That was such a dirty trick
Boy, it really made us sick
Well it looks like we've been done in by the prune

Still the memory lingers on
I been livin' in the john
'Cause I've had the runs since Monday afternoon

I'd sell my soul for some new constipation
Need a cure for this new aggravation
Diarrhea has taken its toll
Still got the runs today
Just like yesterday
Buddy, that's why I'm hear to say
We won't eat prunes again

Won't eat prunes again
No no

Yeah

Eat the new sauce
Same as the old sauce

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4/29/10 - Mary Rice Hopkins

Well, we take a break from this history lesson to celebrate my wife's birthday. I asked her about her favorite funny song and she came up with this one. It's called "Juggling Mom" by Mary Rice Hopkins. I have seen Mary Rice Hopkins live a couple of times at conferences that I have been to. She is a children's singer who tours with a traveling puppet stage manned... or womaned by Darcie Maze.

Here's Mary Rice Hopkins with "Juggling Mom". Happy birthday to my juggling wife.

Take 2: I can't embed this song at all. You can find it on Rhapsody complete or here is a segment from her site:

Juggling Mom

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4/28/10 - Lonnie Donegan

Wow, 2 more days of my month of review. And more interesting - this is my 200th song of the day. It's been a fun journey of exploration so far so I'll keep it coming :)
"Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor" was originally, "Does Your Spearmint Lose It's Flavor" when it was first written in 1924 but because of British copyright laws not allowing the mention of a copyrighted product in songs unless you were the copyright owner, Lonnie Donegan changed it to the generic, "Chewing Gum".
Lonnie Donegan has the honor to be known as the most successful British musician before the Beatles. He had 24 top 30 hits in the UK and the first Brit to have two top 10 hits in the U.S. He was known as a skiffle band, an older form of American Jazz that really had gone by the wayside by the 1950s in the US but was revived by Lonnie in the UK. Usually, Skiffle bands played assorted homemade instruments such as the kazoo, washboard, cigar box, musical saw, with a banjo and guitar thrown in for good measure. Seems to me like something you'd see in old Bugs Bunny cartoons.
Well, "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor" became Donegan's biggest hit and is still popular in Dementia circles, having been played numerous times on Dr. Demento's show as well as his CDs. So here is Lonnie Donegan with "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor". Enjoy:



The Lyrics change on every version I find.... funny :)

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4/27/10 - Sheriff John

I can't figure out how to embed today in firefox. Something's screwy.

I can't say it better than this video, so watch the video, then click on the link below to hear the song. And laugh and be happy!



Laugh and Be Happy

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4/26/2010 - The Ogden Edsl Wahalia Blues Ensemble Mondo Bizzario Band

This is getting right on the edge of the time frame that I wanted to look at. And it is, by far, the longest group name I've ever featured. Even the Roto Rooter Goodtime Christmas Band pales in comparison.
The Ogden Edsl Wahalia Blues Ensemble Mondo Bizzario Band, which will be shortened to Ogden Edsl from here on out, were a Nebraska dark comedy band which started touring the area in the early 70's. The group consisted of Bill Frenzer, Bill Carey and Otis XII. Their shows consisted of music, comedy sketches and appeared to be one of the first to enhance their shows with videos long before MTV and the VCR.
The group toured until 1983 when they retired as a group. They did one last gig together on October 27, 2001 in Omaha, Nebraska as a performance to their induction to the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame. I didn't even know such a place existed.
So, this morning, I woke up and this song was already playing in my head, wondering, why? I thought I'd share the earworm with you! Here is Ogden Edsl with "Dead Puppies." No matter what, the song is fun even if the subject matter isn't.



Please excuse the intro if you wanted just the song. I like the sketch too.

BTW, Roman Hruska was a Senator from Nebraska, so that line is in reference to him.

Lyrics

Dead puppies
Dead puppies
Dead puppies aren't much fun

They don't come when you call
They don't chase squirrels at all
Dead puppies aren't much fun

My puppy died late last fall
He's still rotting in the hall
Dead puppies aren't much fun, no no no
Mom says puppy's days are through
She's going to throw him in the stew
Dead puppies aren't much fun

Dead puppies
(Dead dead dead) dead puppies
Dead puppies aren't much fun

(Come on everybody out there, sing along ok?)

(Dead dead dead) dead puppies
(Dead dead dead) dead puppies
(Dead dead dead) dead puppies aren't much fun

(One more time for Roman Hruska)
Dead puppies
Dead puppies

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4/25/2010 - Larry Groce

Larry Groce is a host on NPR. He sang 4 records of children songs for Disney. But for one song, Larry Groce was a dementia artist. And quite the song it was.
To me, it looks like Larry Groce was a child of the 60's -- he went around as a traveling musician from school to school and ended up getting funding from the National Endowment of the Arts to do so. He did have a song called, "Winnie the Pooh for President" which Disney picked up and released (I'm surprised they didn't sue him into oblivion!)
Well, in 1975, Groce wrote this song and started performing it in 1976, where it reached #9 on the Billboard charts. I can't even fathom comedy songs today making the Billboard charts with the merging of all the stations under one or two companies and no one breaking format, ever. Anyway, here is Larry Groce's tell of a double life -- "Junk Food Junkie".



Lyrics
Well you know I love that organic cookin'
I always ask for more
They call me Mr. Natural
On down to the health food store
I only eat good sea-salt
White sugar don't touch my lips
And my friends is always beggin' me to take 'em
On macro-biotic trips
But at night I take out my strongbox
That I keep under lock and key
And I take it off to my closet
Where nobody else can see
I open that lid so slowly
Take a peek up North and South
Then I pull out a Hostess Twinkie
And I pop it in my mouth!

In the daytime I'm Mr. Natural
Just as healthy as I can be
But at night I'm a junkfood junkie
Good Lord have pity on me!

Well at lunch time you can always find me
At the Whole Earth Vitamin Bar
Just suckin' on my plain white yogurt
From a hand thrown pottery jar
And sippin' little hand-pressed cider
With a carrot stick for desert
And wipin' my face in a natural way
On the sleeve of my peasant shirt!
But when that clock strikes midnight
And I'm all by myself
I'm working that combination
In my secret hide-away shelf
I pull out some Fritos Corn Chips
Doctor Pepper and an Old Moon Pie,
Then I sit back in glorious expectation
Of a genuine junk food high!

Chorus

My friends down at the commune
They think I'm pretty neat
I don't know nothin' 'bout arts and crafts
But I give 'em all something to eat
I'm a friend to old Euell Gibbons
And I only eat home grown spice
I got a John Keats autograph Grecian urn
Filled up with my brown rice
But folks, lately I have been spotted
With a Big Mac on my breath
Stumblin' into a Colonel Sanders
With a face as white as death
I'm afraid some day they'll find me
Just stretched out on my bed
With a handful of Pringle's Potato Chips
And a Ding-Dong by my head!


Chorus

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4/24/2010 - Napoleon XIV

No list like this would be complete without one of the signature songs of dementia - "They're Coming to Take Me Away - Ha-Haa!". I have heard before about how Jerry Samuels would be entertaining friends and would turn into Napoleon XIV, a completely different, deranged personality (but not dangerous.)
There have been a couple of parody/sequels to this song. The most obvious is the B side of the original record, "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" which is the original song played completely backwards (it is the flip side.) The second one is Josephine XV's, "I'm Happy They Took You Away" and then Jerry Samuels made a sequel in 1990 called, "They're Coming To Get Me Again, Ha Haaa!".
The recording wasn't originally considered a song and had to be copyrighted as a lecture. Well, this lecture hit #3 on the Billboard US Charts and #4 on the UK charts. Not bad for a lecture.
Here's Jerry Samuels, aka Napoleon XIV, with "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" Enjoy:



Let's rewind and watch it again:

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4/23/2010 - The Thorndike Pickledish Pacifist Choir

Try saying that name 216 times real fast.

The Thorndike Pickledish Pacifist Choir consists of Robert O. Smith, a radio DJ from Seattle, Washington. He is also a voice actor. In 1966, he released this little spoken word ditty called, "Walter Wart, The Freaky Frog". Very interesting indeed.

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4/22/2010 - Rose and the Arrangement

There's always something eating a city in songs. Eggplants that eat Chicago, tomatoes that eat New York. Babies that eat Los Angeles. But nothing compares to the horror of the cockroach that ate Cincinnati.
Rose and the Arrangement was a Las Vegas band that in 1974 released "The Cockroach who Ate Cincinnati" under the alias, Possum. Little did they know that this song would become their biggest hit thanks to the play it found on the Dr. Demento show. The year it was released, it hit #22 in the funny 25. Then it went to #8 in 1975 and 1976.
So here's "The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati" by Rose and the Arrangement. Chad Ocho-Cinco approves:



Lyrics
Uh-uh, don't touch that dial!

I must offer to you a confession,
I like movies that give me a fright.
If the subject is horror, I got to see more or
I won't be contented all night.
You may call it my ghoulish obsession,
It's a subject on which I get chatty.
But the worst one it seems, haunting all of my dreams
Was the cockroach that ate Cincinnati!

I've seen ghouls and hobgoblins and witches
And some moth-eaten werewolves with fangs.
There were creatures that chattered and others that clattered,
And Japanese monsters with fangs (ah-so).
Frankenstein gives me the shakes,
And Count Dracula's driving me batty.
But they're not on a par with the worst one by far
The cockroach that ate Cincinnati (ha ha ha ha)!

Oh, he must have needed a seltzer.
It's amazing how much he got down!
For lunch, he'd just chew up a suburb or two,
And for dinner, he ate the whole town (BURP!).
Willard just sent me out laughing,
I thought Ben looked a little bit ratty (sorry, sorry about that),
But they're not half as bad as the worst scare I've had -
The Cockroach that ate Cincinnati!

Oh, my heart nearly stopped; he would never be topped -
The cockroach that ate Cincinnati! OLE!

Ole? That's dumb!

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4/21/10 - National Lampoon

A few years back, my wife and I bought a National Lampoon book of funny stuff printed in newspapers. We were rolling on the floor, especially with most of the wedding announcements. The people at National Lampoon have a great sense of humor.
Leave it to them to come up with this parody. In the 1920's, Max Ehrmann wrote a poem of encouragement that Les Crane set to music as spoken word with a prose set used as the backing chorus. National Lampoon took this song of encouragement and turned it on its ear, turning it into a song of the hopelessness of a deteriorating world and the futility of life. This is "Deteriorata" by National Lampoon.
I am seeing conflicting reports of who actually wrote the original lyrics. One place says it was Christopher Guest (of SNL and 6 fingered-man fame). Another says Tony Hendra. What they do agree on is that the spoken part is by Norman Rose (Juan Valdez's voice) and the singing is by Melissa Manchester.
Here's "Deteriorata" by National Lampoon:



Lyrics
You are a fluke of the universe. You have no right to be here.
Deteriorata. Deteriorata.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste,
And remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons, unless you are in need of sleep.
Rotate your tires.
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself,
And heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss, and when.
Consider that two wrongs never make a right, but that three do.
Wherever possible, put people on hold.
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment,
and despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.

Remember The Pueblo.
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate.
Know yourself. If you need help, call the FBI.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you -
That lemon on your left, for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore. It will stick to your face.
Gracefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan.
And let not the sands of time get in your lunch.
Hire people with hooks.
For a good time, call 606-4311. Ask for Ken.
Take heart in the bedeepening gloom
That your dog is finally getting enough cheese.
And reflect that whatever fortune may be your lot,
It could only be worse in Milwaukee.

You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back.

Therefore, make peace with your god,
Whatever you perceive him to be - hairy thunderer, or cosmic muffin.
With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal,
The world continues to deteriorate.
Give up!

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4/20/10 - Nervous Norvus

Well, today is 4/20. If you decide to celebrate the day, you may end up like Nervous Norvus in this song.
Nervous Norvus was the stage name of Jimmy Drake, a musician from Los Angeles, California. He was really a shy guy and refused to perform live, even declining an invitation from Ed Sullivan. He had about 6 months of fame for his songs, then went into becoming a music writer, writing the music to go along with songs written by other people for about $7 a song. He died in 1968 from cirrhosis of the liver.
This song, "Transfusion", was the song that Steve Clean told Barry Hansen that he must be "Demented to play that" and thus gave Dr. Demento his name.
So, one of the most popular of songs played on the Dr. Demento Show, here's Nervous Norvus with "Transfusion":

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4/19/10 - Sleepy John Estes

Sleepy John Estes was a sharecropper who started performing locally and got with the right crowd. At the age of 19, he lost sight in one of his eyes when a friend threw a rock at him playing baseball. Seemed like he had some reason to sing blues.
After World War II, people heard his music and liked it but figured he was dead because he had such an old sounding voice, even in his earliest recordings. When they found him in 1962, he was now blind in both eyes and living in poverty -- something they seemed quick to rectify by sending him on some music tours (well, at least the poverty part.) He had some successful tours, and died in 1977 preparing for a European tour. His epithet was a line from one of his songs, ".. ain't goin' to worry Poor John's mind anymore."
This song is called, "Stop That Thing". Enjoy:

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4/18/2010 - Gloria Woods

Gloria Woods is known for a few things. She was the singer of the original Woody Woodpecker song. She was the singing voice for Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable. She sang the original commercial jingle for Rice-a-Roni (The San Francisco treat...) And she worked with big band orchestra leader Kay Kayser. Pretty illustrious career.

In 1962, Gloria Woods worked with Disney on their Symposium on Popular Songs project to perform this little ditty. She did all three voices of the Sister Sisters in this ode to the Andrews Sister's "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." I tell you, this song wouldn't fly today -- especially from Disney. I'm sure they would be happy to erase this bit of history, like the slave girl minotaur in Fantasia and Song of the South. It's fun to see a world before some of the good aspects of political correctness. Here is Disney with, "Boogie Woogie Bakery Man" as sung by Gloria Woods.

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4/17/2010 - Monty Python

I remember going into the Navy. I started hearing rumblings of this comedy group, an older group, that was very quotable and pretty funny. Definitely strange. I kept hearing about this "Monty Python". So I started to look for it around. My first introduction to them was Life of Brian. Very strange indeed. Very funny though. Not knowing about the 1980 controversy of the original movie within the church, I caught the humor, the sarcasm and the biting bits directed at those who follow someone blindly. I thought it was hilarious.
This, of course, led to the Holy Grail of comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Then to the TV show. Then Meaning of Life, then running very quickly from that back to the show. It wasn't too long until I started quoting Monty Python lines with answers to pretty much any situation thrown my way. What should we have for breakfast? How about some Spam?
I ended up buying most of the Monty Python stuff I could find on VHS and DVD. Although the TV Show on DVD has always been just out of reach price wise. My favorite of the lot, though, was Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl. The group shine in front of a live audience.
So, today's song is about that cross-dressing manly man, the Lumberjack Song. He's ok.

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4/16/10 - "Classy" Freddie Blaisse

The first time I saw Freddy Blaisse, he had been retired as an active wrestler for years. He was the manager of The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. He was a shadow of the greatness he was as a wrestler -- but still entertaining and engaging. At one point in his career, he was so hated that he had to have armed police officers walk him to and from the ring. One fan hated him so much that he splashed Blaisse's back with acid, which Blaisse had to go back to the locker room, wash off, and got back out and wrestled his match.
Blaisse grew up as an immigrant child, an only child (he says because he weighed 15 pounds when he was first born and his mom didn't want to go through childbirth again.) He worked at a carnival as a young man, working as a carnival wrestler. Here is where he came up with the phrase, "Pencil Neck Geek" which became his catchphrase for his wrestling career.
"Pencil Neck Geek" became a fan favorite for those in the dementia community... which surprises me somewhat as a lot of listeners would be Blaisse's target. I guess if you can't laugh at yourself, people will still laugh at you. Here's what Blaisse said about the album he re-released the song on about it:

Dear Geek or Geekette,

It's about time you listened to this record,you grit-eatin idiot. You are looking at the greatest single achievement in the history of the human race. This record features the actual physical image of the Great one, the king of men, Fred Blassie, immortalized for all time on a hunk of cheap wax. Not to mention the most memorable, heartwarming and beloved music and prose ever captured in the recording studio.

Now you can sit there, in the privacy of your own dump, with yer beer gut hanging out and that blemish-ridden pot-of-oil you call an old lady, and the two of you can slop around for hours on end staring at my gorgeous likeness on the album jacket, while you listen to my golden pipes crooning away.

Sometimes it's tough to be as great as I am. When I was born that geek doctor was so taken with my beautiful voice that he kept on slappin' my butt just to hear a few more notes. I finally had to bite off one of his fingers.

And a word of advise for all you punk rock pinheads, new wave nitwits, and heavy metal meatballs trying to make a career out of imitating the great Fred Blassie, you've been sitting aroun' staring at that rotten MTV so long your brains have leaked out and now you think you can come aroun' here and stink up my wrestling arena. just remember,you can scream, punch, puke and pogo till your ass falls off, but you'll never be Blassie. Until next time good night, good luck and Good Riddance.

Freddie Blassie

So, here's Freddie Blassie with "Pencil Neck Geek":

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4/15/10 - Benny Bell

Benny Bell was born a Jewish kid by the name of Benjamin Samberg.He was popular in the 1940's, then made a resurgence in the 1970's when this song was introduced on the Dr. Demento show. Really, this song is just a huge, steaming, stinky pile of shaving cream.

Here's Benny Bell with "Shaving Cream":



Now go pay your taxes.

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4/14/10 - Jef Jaisun

Well, tomorrow being tax day, the feds are probably all ramped up about getting paid. Maybe we'll see some happy, bouncy FBI agents out and about today looking to solve some mysteries (ZOINKS!) or bust some hippies.
Speaking of hippies, I had the opportunity to ump last weekend with a guy who must have been a hippie at one point in his life. It was quite funny. It was Frank Zappa behind the plate.
But I digress. Jef Jaisun had his problems with the fed. Actually, that's just the song. He really had a problem with the record companies who used his song, stole his money, and never gave him credit. The history of "Friendly Neighborhood Narco Agent" is quite interesting. You should have a read at The FNNA FAQ. Nice guys apparently get trampled on, especially when their high.
Since Jef released this song, he has also become an award-winning photographer, including winning an award from The Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN for "Keeping the Blues Alive" through photography. Sadly, Jef passes away in 2006. I don't know if Warner Brothers ever did him right but I'm not surprised they did him wrong. I think someone should start a whole #boowarner movement! Oh wait...
Here's Jef Jaisun with the #1 song of 1975 on Dr. Demento's Funny 25, "Friendly Neighborhood Narco Agent":


Lyrics
Yer truckin' casually down the street
When a man comes up to ya lookin' beat
With telltale traces of hippie on his chin
You say howdy, he says "Hi,
Got anything that'll make me fly?
And if ya do I surely wish you'd let me in
On what yer dealin', brother."
In your mind you start to wonder
What to turn this fella onto
Then you get a look into his eyes
You find his beard is only make-up
And his line is purely fake-up
Then and only then you realize

(CHORUS)
He's your Friendly Neighborhood Narco Agent
Friendly neighborhood narco man
Courtesy of your local FBI
Your friendly neighborhood narco daddy
All-american finking Feddie
There to trip you up while you are high

You're sitting in the coffeehouse gloom
When the waiter comes up to you with a broom
And asks to sweep the floor around your chair
You ask him why and he says, "Routine -
"We like to keep our coffee clean."
And he begins to tidy up with care
*You light yourself a cigarette
And find out soon as you got it lit
That 40 new-found friends are by your side
Then someone hands you a note that's penciled
Telling you your flight's been cancelled
Just the same you're going for a ride, with your…

(CHORUS)

You duck into an alley way, thinking,
"Hey, maybe I can cop a J
And get back before the boss finds out I'm gone."
Remembering the golden rule
You look both ways, make sure it's cool
And when there ain't a soul for miles around
You clutch your baggie full of weed
And careful not to spill a seed
You roll a joint as big as Baltimore
And as you take that first big drag in
A helicopter drops a paddy wagon
Guess who's standing smiling by the door

It's your Friendly Neighborhood Narco Agent
Friendly neighborhood narco man
Courtesy of your local CIA
Your friendly neighborhood college drop-out
Undercover copper cop-out
Keeping law and order bright and gay
Yes, you find out that the freak your trusted
Is the fink that got you busted
And 20 years is a long time to stay on the ground

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4/13/2010 - Leonard Nimoy

What is a Leonard Nimoy? Well, he is an actor, director and Vulcan. And not a Vulcan. Depending on what book you pick up. Nimoy has always fascinated me. My first experience with him was actually on the Star Trek cartoons, then I got into the rest of Star Trek. He played Spock so well, keeping the emotions in check. I must admit, though, I liked Spock more in Star Trek IV and in the new Star Trek movie where he shows more emotion, letting his human side come out as he continues to grow. For the greatness of Star Trek III and IV, William Shatner's directing of Star Trek V almost killed the series. But this is not about William Shatner's demented music (which he has a lot of), but Leonard Nimoy's.
What was going through his mind when he decided to do this song? He had read the Hobbit by Tolkien and admired Bilbo but that still doesn't excuse this song. This is "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" by Leonard Nimoy. Strange. Illogical indeed.



Lyrics
In The Middle Of The Earth In The Land Of The Shire
lives A Brave Little Hobbit Whom We All Admire.
with His Long Wooden Pipe,
fuzzy, Woolly Toes,
he Lives In A Hobbit-Hole And Everybody Knows Him

bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
he's Only Three Feet Tall
bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
the Bravest Little Hobbit Of Them All

now Hobbits Are A Peace-Lovin' Folks You Know
they Don't Like To Hurry And They Take Things Slow
they Don't Like To Travel Away From Home
they Just Want To Eat And Be Left Alone
but One Day Bilbo Was Asked To Go
on A Big Adventure To The Caves Below,
to Help Some Dwarves Get Back Their Gold
that Was Stolen By A Dragon In The Days Of Old.

bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
he's Only Three Feet Tall
bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
the Bravest Little Hobbit Of Them All

well He Fought With The Goblins!
he Battled A Troll!!
he Riddled With Gollum!!!
a Magic Ring He Stole!!!!
he Was Chased By Wolves!!!!!
lost In The Forest!!!!!!
escaped In A Barrel From The Elf-King's Halls!!!!!!!

bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
the Bravest Little Hobbit Of Them All

now He's Back In His Hole In The Land Of The Shire,
that Brave Little Hobbit Whom We All Admire,
just A-Sittin' On A Treasure Of Silver And Gold
a-Puffin' On His Pipe In His Hobbit-Hole.

bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
he's Only Three Feet Tall
bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
the Bravest Little Hobbit Of Them All

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4-/12/10 - Allan Sherman

*r 697 dqh 43qe 5y8wk 697 yqf3 599 j7dy 58j3 9h 6974 yqhewZ

Cryptology rejoice! Today's song is by Allan Sherman and is a parody of the 1953 best song oscar, "Secret Love" called, "Secret Code". Funny song. Here he is singing it.

Sorry for the hit and run.



lyrics
Once I had a secret code,
Where A was B, and B was G.
G was K, and K was J;
And J was M, and M was P.

V was X, and X was V,
And U was I, and I was U.
87 stood for Z,
And 2 for T, and T for 2.

O was 12, and Q was 17;
I still don't know what those numbers mean.
That is how we won the war;
My secret code's no secret anymore.

SPOILER
The top line says, "If you can read this, you have too much time on your hands!"

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4/11/2010 - Alfred E. Newman

Mad Magazine has a long and glorio... good... ok... well, it's been around for a long time and has been very successful. It is regarded by many as one of the most influential magazines for the hippie generation, giving them a voice before the 60's blew up. Even today, it's irreverent parody of everything is a fun read. As parody artists, we have a lot to thank Mad Magazine for, as their legal battles have cleared the way for fair use and parody for all of us.
In 1963, Mad Magazine released some cardboard records with it's magazine. One of these included the song, "It's a Gas", a saxophone solo with Alfred E. Newman burping. The saxophonist is King Curtis, a famous saxophonist best known for his work on "Yakity Yak".
There was a re-release in the 70's of "It's a Gas" disco version but the original with it's fantastic musical quality has stood the test of time. This is Alfred E. Newman with "It's a Gas" -- enjoy!



Lyrics
IT'S A GAS!
Burp
Arrrp
Belch
Pip
etc...

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4/10/2010 - Leroy Pullin

One hit wonders are cool sometimes. Take the case of Leroy Pullins. He got into the music business at the age of 14 in a rock band in the 50's. Well, that didn't take off so he moved to Nashville and was signed to sing silly songs because his voice sounded an awful lot alike Roger Miller. So in 1966, he put out an album with the song, "I'm A Nut" which reached #18 on the country charts. The label tried a second album which flopped, so Leroy Pullins retired from music and became a fireman in his hometown. But his song, I'm a Nut, continues on, getting mistaken for Roger Miller from time to time. In fact, when I first found the song, it was credited to Roger Miller.
But Leroy Pullins will always have the legacy of singing the song, "I'm A Nut", which has been rereleased twice more, once in 1984 shortly after his death (an unintentional posthumous release) and again on a compilation in 2007. Here's "I'm A Nut" by Roger Miller Leroy Pullins:



lyrics
Beedle-dee-bah, beedle-dee-bah, beedle-dee-ree-pa-dom...

[Chorus]
I'm a nut, I'm a nut
My live don't ever get in a rut, whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop
The head on my shoulders is sorta loose
And I ain't got the sense God gave a goose
Lord, I ain't crazy, but ...I'm a nut

Is is wetter under water, if you're there when it rains?
Is it shorter to New York, than it is by a plane?
Between myself and I, I wonder who's the dumber
Is it hotter down south, than it is in the summer?

[Chorus]

I drove my Cadillac to Vegas to satisfy my lust
Wheelin', dealin', left ol' Vegas on a Greyhound bus
I shouldn't have set the woods on fire while I was there
But remember only forest fires prevent bears

[Chorus]

The poverty war will be over, when I begin to fight
If it took a dime to go 'round the world
I couldn't get out of sight
I don't mind to take the girls out
If they don't mind to go Dutch
Makes me feel like a million dollars
And I bet I ain't worth half that much

[Chorus]

Oh, crazy man! I'm a nut!
Oh, Lordy, Lordy Lordy, Lordy
I'm crazy, I'm a nut!

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4/9/10 - Harry McClintock

Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock, also known as "Radio Mac" was one of those people who started in radio, went to movies, and ended up being a pioneer of television. He was a writer who started writing songs about stories from his childhood and became popular for it. He came up with a life philosophy, "Anyone who can sing never has to go hungry." I should be starving! :)

This song is called, "Ain't We Crazy" and is about impossible situations in normal day situations. It reminds me of a line I wrote in freshman English once describing an old man we encounter in a story -- "He was an old man with an unruly beard which he kept tidy." My teacher didn't like that line, but it would fit in this song.

Here's Harry McClintock, with his 1928 recording of "Ain't We Crazy":

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4/8/10 - The Three Stooges

The current song on the FuMP is a skit by Cirque du So What called, "Stooge Fighter" about a video game using old movie characters as the characters in a Street Fighter/Mortal Combat type game. Funny stuff.

But I went a little more original today. This is actually the Three Stooges. My dad and I used to sit around on Saturdays and watch the Three Stooges, then watch some Kung Fu theater before the Laker game came on. It was a good day. After a while, my mom didn't want us to watch the Stooges anymore because my two siblings and I would start acting it out.

Today's song is the "Alphabet Song" by the Three Stooges. Enjoy:

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4/7/10 - The Roto Rooter Goodtime Christmas Band

One of the longer names for a band I've ever had on here. Probably one of the longer names for a band anywhere.
On my continued quest to see the history of dementia, I present this song by the Roto Rooter Goodtime Christmas Band. I've seen some of them in my research already since they did a cover of Pico & Sepulveda. You want to know something funny/interesting? They have a blog. Seriously. It's not very frequent, but it does have some fun facts on it. It's here: http://rrgtcb.blogspot.com/.
Well, this is the Roto Rooter Goodtime Christmas Band with, "Martian March". Enjoy:



It's funny that this songs came up today. I did release a "song" from the future on my soundclick (http://www.soundclick.com/medemia) that is strange.

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4/6/10 - Phil Harris

Phil Harris was a pretty famous singer before he ever started working on Disney cartoons. He is probably most famous for playing the role of Baloo in the Jungle Book but he was a successful radio host, orchestra host and recording artist before ever becoming Baloo (for both the Jungle Book and for the 90's cartoon, Tailspin.) He has quite a few comedy recordings that you can find on youtube. This one is the hapless tale of a man who finds a box on the beach but can't get rid of it ever, so he gives some very sound advice at the end.

This is "The Thing" by Phil Harris. Make sure you watch out for the (THUD THUD THUD) wherever you go!



Lyrics
While I was walking down the beach one bright and sunny day
I saw a great big wooden box a-floatin� in the bay
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise
Ooh, I discovered a boom-boom-boom, right before my eyes
Oh, I discovered a boom-boom-boom, right before my eyes

I picked it up and ran to town as happy as a king
I took it to a guy I knew who�d buy most any thing
But this is what he hollered at me as I walked in his shop
Oh, get outta here with that boom-boom-boom, before I call a cop
Oh, get outta here with that boom-boom-boom before I call a cop

I turned around and got right out, a-runnin� for my life
And than I took it home with me to give it to my wife
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door
Oh, get outta here with that boom-boom-boom, and don�t come back no more
Oh, get outta here with that boom-boom-boom, and don�t come back no more

I wandered all around the town until I chanced to meet
A hobo who was looking for a hand-out on the street
He said he�d take most any old thing, he was a desperate man
But when I showed him the boom-boom-boom, he turned around and ran
Oh, when I showed him the boom-boom-boom, he turned around and ran

I wandered on for many years, a victim of my fate
Until one day I came upon St. Peter at the gate
And when I tried to take it inside, he told me where to go
Get outta here with that boom-boom-boom and take it down below
Oh, get outta here with that boom-boom-boom and take it down below

The moral of this story is if you�re out on the beach
And you should see a great big box and it�s within your reach
Don�t ever stop and open it up, that�s my advice to you
�Cause you�ll never get rid of the boom-boom-boom, no matter what you do
Oh, you�ll never get rid of the boom-boom-boom, no matter what you do

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4/5/10 - Larry Vincent

On starting research on Larry Vincent, I found a lot of stuff on him. Then I looked at the dmdb.com and noticed the fact that Larry Vincent is not Larry "Seymour" Vincent, host of horror movies before Elvira took his place. So now I don't have a lot on him although Seymour was a fascinating guy :)
Larry Vincent and His Lookout Boys released "The Freckle Song" in 1946. From history, I know that this was the middle of the decency movement in movies and comic books so many were trying to find ways around it, and in some creative ways. This song is full of innuendo but nothing vulgar if you read the lyrics. I listened the first time and wondered about how he saw her but then I read it and the lyrics clear that up :)

So here's Larry Vincent and His Lookout Boys with "The Freckle Song"



Lyrics
I've got a girl that I'm just simply wild about
Folks say I'm a lucky boy
Everywhere we go people rave about
This little bundle of joy
She's got freckles on her but she is nice
And when she's in my arms it's paradise
She smells like a rose from her head down to her toes
She's got freckles on her but she is nice

She's got freckles on her but she is nice
And when she's in my arms it's paradise
All the sailors give her a chase
'Cause they love her navel base
She's got freckles on her but she is nice

She's got freckles on her but she is nice
And when she's in my arms it's paradise
She's like my Nellie from her head down to her elbow
She's got freckles on her but she is nice

She's got freckles on her but she is nice
And when she's in my arms it's paradise
With old men she likes to neck
She necks the wrecks and gets a check
She's got freckles on her but she is nice

She's got freckles on her but she is nice
And when she's in my arms it's paradise
She was born in Hackensack
She made a fortune on her career
She's got freckles on her but she is nice

She's got freckles on her but she is nice
And when she's in my arms it's paradise
She drinks until she gets plastered
She gets drunker than my brother

She's got freckles on her but she is nice

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4/4/10 - Groucho Marx

Happy Easter!

Well, in the continuous exploration of trying to find the foundation of dementia music, today I present Groucho Marx with his signature song, Lydia the Tattooed Lady. A friend of mine had a daughter whom they named Lydia, so when she was born, I couldn't help but call her, Lydia the Tattooed Baby. Her mom wasn't too amused, although they did say that was her bedtime song.

As a special bonus, I am also going to put Paul & Storm's "The Easter Song." Go have some chocolate covered popes and some chocolate covered apostles too.

So here's Lydia The Tattooed Lady:



lyrics
My life was wrapped around the circus.
Her name was Lydia.
I met her at the world's fair in 1900,
marked down from 1940.
Courtesy of YouTube, watch Groucho Marx singing 'Lydia the Tattooed Lady

Ah, Lydia.
She was the most glorious creature
Under the su-un.
Guiess. DuBarry. Garbo.
Rolled into one.

Oooooooh
Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady.
She has eyes that folks adore so,
And a torso even more so.

Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the Queen of Tattoo.
On her back is the Battle of Waterloo.
Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too.
And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue,
You can learn a lot from Lydia.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

When her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world,
If you step up and tell her where.
For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paris,
Or Washington crossing the Delaware.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Oh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Oh Lydia the Tattooed Lady
When her muscles start relaxin',
Up the hill comes Andrew Jackson

Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
oh Lydia the queen of them all!
For two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz,
With a view of Niagara that nobody has.
And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz.
You can learn a lot from Lydia.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Come along and see Buff'lo Bill with his lasso.
Just a little classic by Mendel Picasso.
Here is Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon.
Here's Godiva but with her pajamas on.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Here is Grover Whalen unveilin' the Trilon.
Over on the West Coast we have Treaure Island.
Here's Najinsky a-doin' the rhumba.
Here's her social security numba.

{whistles}La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Oh Lydia, oh Lydia that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the champ of them all.
She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet.
The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat.
And now the old boy's in command of the fleet,
For he went and married Lydia.

I said Lydia
{He said Lydia}
They said Lydia
{We said Lydia}
La La!


The Easter Song by Paul and Storm

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4/3/2010 - Spike Jones

Continuing on in my quest for dementia history, I today present to you Spike Jones. Spike Jones was a popular big band leader of the 40's and early 50's who played comedy songs. He was hired by Warner Brothers a couple of times to do music for Bugs Bunny cartoons, including the song, "Hiel, In the Fuhrer's Face."
In the mid 40's, he tried to make two different sides to his style. His orchestra, "The City Slickers" was his comedy orchestra, while "The Other Orchestra" was his serious stuff. When going out to clubs and playing on tour, though, the demand was for the City Slickers to play and The Other Orchestra was not successful at all.
So, my kids got a bunny last week. Just one. Only one. Unlike Spike Jones' child persona who bought 2. And got more than his money bargained for. This song is called, "Ya Wanna Buy a Bunny?" I like his child voice a lot. He does it very well, in other songs such as "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth." Max DeGroot was right -- Spike Jones is still funny after all these years.
Here's Spike Jones with "Ya Wanna Buy a Bunny?" Enjoy:



Lyrics
Recitative:

My 'rithmatic is gettin' bad.
I don't know what to do.
I bought a little bunny,
Then I bought another bunny.
Don't one and one make two?

Chorus:

Now when I'm lookin' at the funnies
I get as mad as mad as I can be
'Cause now there are so many bunnies --
Oh me, Oh my, YA WANNA BUY A BUNNY?

And when I'm eating bread and honey
Those silly little bunnies pester me
'Cause all the bunnies beg for honey --
Oh gee, Oh gosh, YA WANNA BUY A BUNNY?

When we're playing hide and seek
At my heels they sneak, sneak, sneak,
When I hide they peek, peek, peek,
I get so mad I could shriek: EEEEK!

If you want a fuzzy bunny
That's got a wigg'ly nose and cotton tail
I wish that you would buy a bunny
'Cause I got lots of bunnies for sale.

Recitative:

An' when I get up early in the morning to go out to the chicken house
to feed my little tiny baby chickens, all those crazy little bunnies
just follow around after me, just hop-hop-hop-hop-hop-hop-hoppin' like the dickens.
Here, chicky, chicky, chicky, chicky! Get away from me, bunny. Ya bother me.
Get outa here, ya crazy little bunnies!

And when I sneak my little tiny puppy dog, Rover, upstairs with me to bed,
the bed is full of them silly little bunnies, from the foot up to the head.
Get out of my bed, you bad little bunnies! Go on, now, bunnies! Get outa here!
Go on, now!

Chorus:

Bunnies, bunnies, bunnies, bunnies, everywhere.
There's bunnies on the table and there's bunnies on the chair.
Bunnies on the sofa and there's bunnies on the floor,
And there's some new ones coming through the door: more?!

Please come on and buy a bunny.
I'd even like to sell you two or three.
But if you don't have any money,
I'll give you a bunny.
'Cause there's just...

Spoken:

....too darn many bunnies for me! There's bunnies all over the place.
Bunnies under my feet, bunnies on my bed. Every place that I go,
those silly little bunnies.... (fade out)

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4/2/10 - Felix Figueroa

After yesterday's opening, I thought it would be good to make April my, "Learn more songs from the past which influenced dementia music" month. So to start this off, after "Dancin' Fool", is the first #1 song of Dr. Demento's Nifty 50 (later to become the Funny 25.) It is "Pico and Sepulveda" by Felix Figueroa.
Doing a little research on this song. "Felix Figueroa" was a pseudonym for Freddy Martin and his orchestra, who didn't want to record it under his real name. It became a favorite on Dr. Demento's show to the point it started to dominate the charts each month. To open the way for other songs and artists, Dr. Demento agreed to play "Pico and Sepuveda" once a month on the first Sunday of the month and that all request for the song would be disregarded because of the song's special prominence now.
This video is from the movie, "Forbidden Zone", a strange 1982 movies about... it's a movie by Randy Elfman. So here's "Pico and Sepulveda" by Felix Figueroa:



Lyrics
Pico And Sepulveda

Doheny....
Cahuenga....
La Brea....
Tar Pits!

La Jolla....
Sequoia....
La Brea....
Tar Pits!

You can keep Alvarado,
Santa Monica,
even Beverly Drive.

Vine may be fine,
but for mine I want to feel
alive and settle down in my

La Brea....
Tar Pits....

Where nobody's dreams come true.

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4/1/2010 - Frank Zappa

Part of the reason I started doing the "Song of the Day" thing was to educate myself about some of the history of Dementia music as I really haven't been on the scene except for the last year or so. Sure, I listened to Weird Al Yankovic since the early '80s. I knew of some comedy songs here and there but really didn't know modern dementia music at all, as well as some of Yankovic's early influences. Well, I'm glad I'm finding out about it now.
I do remember hearing this song as a child. I should check to see if it was on Mickey Mouse Disco or something. In honor of April Fools day, here is Frank Zappa singing, "Dancin' Fool" live on Saturday Night Live. Enjoy:



Lyrics
Don't know much about dancin'
That's why I got this song
One of my legs is shorter than the other
'N' both my feet's too long
'Course now right along with 'em
I got no natural rhythm
But I go dancin' every night
Hopin' one day I might get it right
I'm a dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
I hear that beat; I jump outta my seat,
But I can't compete, 'cause I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool

The disco folks all dressed up
Like they's fit to kill
I walk on in 'n' see 'em there
Gonna give them all a thrill
When they see me comin'
They all steps aside
They has a fit while I commit
My social suicide, I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
The beat goes on
And I'm so wrong
The beat goes on
And I'm so wrong
The beat goes on 'n' I'm so wrong
The beat goes on 'n' I'm so wrong
The beat goes on 'n' I'm so wrong
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
Yowsa, yowsa, yowsa
I got it all together now
With my very own disco clothes, hey!
My shirt's half open, t'show you my chains
'N' the spoon for up my nose
I am really somethin'
That's what you'd prob'ly say
So smoke your little smoke
Drink your little drink
While I dance the night away, I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool, (etc., etc.)

I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
FOOL-uh!

Hey darlin'...can I buy ya a drink?
Lookin' for Mister Goodbar? Here he is...
Wait a minute...I've got it...You're an Italian!
Hah?
Yer Jewish?
Love your nails...you must be a Libra...
Your place or mine?

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