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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