Shortest song ever

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 03:59 AM

Those are two separate songs.

Sincerly,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 03:56 AM

From collections of Rugby "down-down" song.

Short Hymn

Hymn, Hymn,
Fuck Hymn

---

Down Down Song

This is your down, down song.
It isn't very long.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: cnd
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 05:24 PM

Shortest songs I've got on hand:

Fiddle Tune - Flatt and Scruggs - At Carnegie Hall! - 45 sec
Short and Sweet - Hylo Brown - Hylo Brown Sings the Blues - 52 sec
Lonely Road - Klaudt Indian Family - Gospel Warhoops - 1 min 5 sec
Shortening Bread - Flatt and Scruggs - Live TV - 1 min 10 sec
Dooley - Andy Griffith - The Andy Griffith Show - 1 min 16 sec
You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming - Flatt and Scruggs - At Carnegie Hall! - 1 min 17 sec
Old Time Religion - Carl Story - Bluegrass, Gospel, And Mountain Music: 1942-1959 - 1 min 19 sec
Coal Creek March - Pete Seeger - Banjo Tunes and Songs - 1 min 25 sec
The Tie That Binds - Jim Greer - Stars of the WWVA Jamboree - 1 min 27 sec
Cripple Creek - Stringbean - Live TV - 1 min 29 sec


I have another 36 songs between 1:30 at 2:00, but I don't have time to post all of them. Plus, after 1:45 or so, they're really not that short anymore.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Vic Smith
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 05:06 PM

Shortest Traditional Song? How about "Davie & Jeannie" from the great Gavin Greig Collection. It says a hell of a lot in a few lines:-

Tell me, what was on yer mind, Bonnie Jeannie?
Tell me what was on yer mind when ye changed yer bed for mine?
Were ye tired o'layin; yer lain, Bonnie Jeannie?

It was all for love of you, Bonnie Davie,
It was all for love of you, but I see my folly noo,
For ye've gaed me cause tae rue, Bonnie Davie.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Paul Reade
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 03:41 PM

Anyone remember Dave Calderhead aka "The Singing Toby Jug"? He used to do "The world's shortest folk songs" as part of his act in the 60s, including a lot of those mentioned above.

You could also check out Stanley Accrington's version of "Matty Groves" - the whole song condensed into one verse!

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 11:33 AM

♫ Out in the west Texas town of Laredo,
I fell in love, got shot & then died.♫

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 11:17 AM

I didn't wake up this morning?

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 10:43 AM

On The Bosom Of Young Abigail, as sung by The Corries, is 31 seconds long, and a large chunk of that comprises the unnecessarily "lengthy" instrumental introduction!

On the bosom of young Abigail
Is written the price of her tale
And upon her behind
For the use of the blind
Is the same information in Braille

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 10:32 AM

Tobacco pipes, tobacco pipes, tobacco pipes and porter,
You may find a better song but you willnae find a shorter.

(I know that from a cassette by Tam Reid).

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 09:09 AM

Blast from the past:
"I'll sing of Spiro Agnew and the things that he has done..........."
Jim Carroll

Subject: Lyr Add: 26 Second Song (Shel Silverstein)
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 07:44 AM

Speaking of Shel he also has a song called "26 Second Song":

26 Second Song
(Shel Silverstein)

All the DJs keep complaining, "tunes are much too long!"
So I've gone and wrote myself a 26 second song.

It's a real song; indie rock band My Morning Jacket has covered it.

Jason

---

Link added by Joe Offer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxGX9OeQCCo

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Ed T
Date: 21 Aug 14 - 11:25 AM

Could Paul McCartney's LET 'EM IN song possibly be the biggest hit, earning the biggest bucks, with the fewest, (not repeated), words (lyrics, excluding the names, but, then, they are part of the song)? Is this a stretch?

Basicall,, it would be:

""Someone's knocking at the door
Somebody's ringing the bell
Do me a favor and open the door
And let 'em in

Full lyrics:
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Do me a favor,
Open the door and let 'em in(repeat)
(The names:
Sister Suzie, brother John,
Martin Luther, Phil And Don,
Brother Michael, Auntie Gin,
Open the door,let 'em in.
Sister Suzi, brother John, 
Martin Luther, Phil and Don,
Uncle Ernie,Auntie Gin
open the door, let em in

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Julian
Date: 21 Aug 14 - 04:03 AM

I've bought a new bucket,dear Lisa

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Aug 14 - 04:01 AM

My true love came in, and she fell through the flair, AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH !

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 21 Aug 14 - 03:51 AM

I have always liked this one:

I had a dog and his name was Rover,
When he died, he died all over.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Gutcher
Date: 20 Aug 14 - 11:51 AM

Discussion on wireless at height of Clinton affair as to why there were no songs about it---conclusion-- difficulty over young lady"s name.
When my head hit the pillow that night the following came to me:--

Bill Clinton is a nottar loon and aa bet he wishes he wisnae,
On Setturday nichts he got his licks fae a lassie cried Lewinskay.





To get your licks in Scotland, to folk of my generation, was to have the palms of your hand whacked by the leather tawse wielded by the teacher. When I sang this, from the laughter of the young people in the audience, I take it that to get your licks has a more modern meaning to them.

Nottar loon---notorious chap.
Cried---------called.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 20 Aug 14 - 07:53 AM

Any song that starts with a negatable question can be swiftly conclude with "No", for example "Were you ever in Quebec, stowing timber on the deck?"

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: scouse
Date: 20 Aug 14 - 07:10 AM

And don't forget Cyril... I went down to Sammy's Bar...It was closed!!!

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Achy Pete
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 07:27 PM

I guess it depends on how you define "song." If you want something with a verse and chorus there's always " Her Majesty," by The Beatles, which is 23 seconds long.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 02:16 PM

How about the shortest book ever 'The diplomatic Skills of David Cameron'
There is a folk song on You Tube by a sister of The Clancy Brothers Irish trad called 'she didn't dance' Can't remember her name but the surname is Clancy it's under a minute long

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 01:51 PM

Shortest song ?

Quite a few contenders from 1980s punk and thrash metal bands...

For example: Napalm Death - "You Suffer"

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Mysha
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 12:22 PM

Hi Black,

Don't the lyrics of "Why" consist of "Hey" and "Why"? That would sort of make it two words against the one word in Lament For A Lost Election, which Mike mentions above.

Bye
                                                                Mysha

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 12:20 PM

What about those recent pop songs that repeat one line 64 times. For example:

Give me the people and free my soul, I wanna get lost in rock and roll mumble mumble mumble mum

There are others, which I am forced to listen to while shopping, but I can't recall them now. How absurd that pop stars actually make money on stuff like that.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 12:00 PM

The shortest, famous song I know of was written and prtformed bt Cliff Eberhardt, it goes like this....

"Heartbeat of America, today's Chevrolet."

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: mayomick
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 06:33 AM

the shortest and longest song ever written : Michael Finnegan

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: bubblyrat
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 06:23 AM

Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha! Wipeout !

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 04:25 AM

Richard, thank you for adding to the Van Gogh lines. In the 1960's there used to be a singer in London who would stand up, sing the first two lines, and then sit down again. I never realised that there was more to the song. So, once again, my thanks.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 03:38 AM

Not really in contention but a short parody is

As I was a walking one morning in May
I spied a young couple a making of hay
One was a soldier and a bold grenadier
And the other was a choirboy and I thought "Hey that's queer!"

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 03:34 AM

From what I remember of it the song with the least number of individual words must be "Why?" By Yoko Ono.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Mysha
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 02:44 AM

I don't know about that, Bill:


Well, I didn't wake up this morning,
It was in the afternoon.
I didn't wake up this morning,
It was in the afternoon.
Was awake at 12.30,
But I felt that was too soon.

Now. my girl friend didn't leave me,
She is with her mum and dad.
My girl friend didn't leave me,
She is with her mum and dad.
They needed help redecorating
And my baby's good with that.

Oh, my dog was not run over,
And he didn't pass away
My dog was not run over,
And he didn't pass away
He's over at the neighbours
Who liked to spoil him for a day

Hey, yesterday I had a party
Lasted till the morning light
Yesterday I had a party
Lasted till the morning light
Now I'm taking things easy
Everything just feels so right

Say, I don't have any worries
All around I get good news
I don't have any worries
All around I get good news
Things couldn't be much better
So why -
am I singing the blues?

                                  Mysha


Not quite as short as the other ones.

(That one has been hanging around in my mind for quite a while. Thanks for giving me an opportunity for working it out.)

Bye
                                                                Mysha

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 09:31 PM

short blues song..

♫ Well, I didn't wake up this morning...♫

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 09:26 PM

Don Firth posts all the good ones that I know.

There is the Ballad of the Vasa:

On Friday night she set sail,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea!

Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 09:14 PM

I can never think of El Paso without thinking of the Steve Martin version, with monkeys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqrr-N4ue0c

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 08:53 PM

I think Marty Robbins runs to about seven minutes , but this has all the facts :-

One night in the wild west town of El Paso
I met a girl and I got shot and died

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Don Firth
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 06:56 PM

Variation of "Fine Flowers in the Valley" (The Cruel Mother," Child #20):

She leaned her back against a thorn,
"OUCH!!"

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: MartinRyan
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 06:33 PM

"There were two brothers, two noble warriors
They fell in love with a lady gay
But obviously, she wasn't interested - so they went home again!"

Anyway - I reckon the real measure of song economy is the inverse ratio of the short version to the length the damn thing would have reached otherwise!

Regards

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:35 PM

The Van Gogh one is considerably longer than quoted above.

My name it is Van Gogh,
Lend an ear, lend an ear.
My name it is Van Gogh,
Lend an ear.
My name it is Van Gogh,
And all I did was cough,
And me right ear it fell off,
In me beer, in me beer.

Plus at least one more verse.

There are some others of the same kind as quoted by Mr Red, for example:
Oh dae ye see yon high hills, a' cover't wi' snaw?
Na!

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 01:20 PM

I am reminded of the "shortest short story" - very sad:

For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: frogprince
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 12:42 PM

Something like sixty years ago, I heard Carl Sandburg sing (on television) what he described as "the shortest blues song".

Papa loved Mama,
Mama loved Men,
Mama's in the graaave yaaard,
Papa's in the pen.

I still think Garth Brooks should be convicted of blasphemy for using that as the chorus of a longer song.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 11:46 AM

I am sure the 'Lend an ear' is one of Les Barkers short rhymes .

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 10:42 AM

In kind of real songs, Shel Silverstein did a train song of 1 verse, where "she got there on time and she did not crash" -

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 07:16 AM

By the way, John Denver "recorded" a "song" on his debut album called The Ballad of Richard Nixon, which is 10 second long silence. If I remember correctly, the credit was given to Tom Paxton as well.

Tom's ballad of Spiro Agnew contains 11 words.

Subject: Lyr Add: Lament for a Lost Election (Tom Paxton)
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 07:11 AM

Lament for a Lost Election
(Tom Paxton)

Shit!

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:40 AM

Get it. It is Van Gogh. Never was any good at foreign languages!

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:33 AM

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/vincent-van-gogh

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:29 AM

I am surprised no one one has written a song one second long which is silence and then copyrighted it.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:23 AM

On my screen I can see that I originally mis-spelt the name as Van Gough". I corrected this to "Van Goth" and that is what I can see on my second message.

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:20 AM

Are you sure, Mike? Am I missing something? (or does your machine auto"correct"?)

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 04:11 AM

Woops! Should say that it should be "Van Goth" before MGM spots this mistake and gets onto his Hobbyhorse!

Subject: RE: Shortest song ever
From: BobL
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 03:56 AM

"Unforgettable -
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
."