Who Writes Parodies?

Subject: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 02:35 PM

Cause I have either a great title or great line for one of House of Rising Sun...

'Goin back to New Orleans, t'Admiral vs the mayor'

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: NH Dave
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 02:57 PM

Sorcha, I think sometimes we don't write parodies, they come to us as if we had read them someplace else, and we wonder why others can't visualize the old tune with the new lyrics.

When I was writing a column for several computer user group's newsletters, I could rip off lines like, "We hied off on our new endeavor in what he called the Millennium Falcon, mainly because it was made by Ford and took forever to get anywheres." Obviously this was back when Star Wars' names or locations were instantly recognized.

Dave

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 03:01 PM

I just can't ever get a whole song...lines and snippets is all.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 03:18 PM

There was a house in New Orleans
They called the Rising Sun
But since that damned Katrina came
My drinkin' there is done.

I used to vote Republican
I'm 'shamed by what I am
'Cos since those several levees broke
George Bush don't give a 'dam'.



Just for starters..
Nigel

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 03:43 PM

GOOD!
Goin back to New Orleans, t' Admiral vs t'mayor
Will see our city clean...


(it's getting there...)

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 05:38 PM

Someone 'Over There' please point this at Malcolm Austen , who is at present 'Over There' With Craig Morgan Robson , especially as the Admiral is a catter and Chairman of Maidenhead Folk Club where Malcolm occasionally performs HIS parodies !

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 06:42 PM

We do!

And, Sorcha, you're right. We often come up with only a single great line or verse and those we consider stillborn. But, sometimes we get the whole thing with very little trouble. Don't know why sometimes the magic is there and sometimes it isn't. Same thing applies to writing any song.

Two rules for writing parodies. First, the original song must be well known by the audience. Second, the more of the original words you can retain, the better will be the result.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 07:09 PM

... and sometimes the damn thing gets a life of its own and heads off in an unexpected direction...

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:03 PM

2nd verse above may be better delayed in the song and rendered:

Mothers, tell your children,
I'm 'shamed of what I am
Don't let them vote (Tell them don't vote) Republican
'Cos Bush won't give a dam.

I'm thinking of my city,
Where hundreds(/thousands?) have been killed
My head tells me "move inland"
My heart just says "Rebuild!"


There'll be a house in New Orleans
They'll call The Rising Sun
Though now it seems, it's just our dreams,
Re-building has begun.
Though now it seems, it's just our dreams,
Re-building has begun. (Guitar solo & fade)


Nigel (still thinking)

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:09 PM

And, incidentally, I agree with Bev & Jerry, the original needs to be well known to the audience. But it's a lot easier if it's very well known to the parodist, else it's not likely to work.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.", I've yet to decide whether this also applies to parody, but I feel it's true that you can't do justice to a song in parody unless the origanal can be called easily to mind while working.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:14 PM

"Walkin' through the City of New Orleans
Winds are risin', think it looks like rain..."

to be continued, mebbe.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:43 PM

Oh mothers, tell your children,
Not to do what I have done
Not to build below sea-level
'Cos pumping bilge ain't fun

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 09:46 PM

I distinguish between, on the one hand, a song that uses an existing song as a starting point, and then takes off in its own direction, and on the other hand, a song which sticks closely to the original text, but plays with the words so that it is about something else. I think I'd restrict the term parody to the latter.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 11:02 PM

So mothers tell your chidren,
Not to do what I'm gon do...
Go back to New Orleans
To drown just once again...


(I'll sort these and put them in some order later....K?)

Goin back to New Orleans,
Just to see again...
Is it still a ball and chain?

Goin back to New Orleans,
To hear the gubmint say..
You cain't come back to New Orleans,
Because the Ad'mral say...

(just brainstorming here. If you say it right, again rhymes with chain)

Keep em coming..summat might come from this after all....

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 11:09 PM

Right on, McGrath.


Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: JennyO
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 07:08 AM

John had a line for another version of "City of New Orleans", and he was going to write a whole song around it, but didn't get a round tuit. Others have written some good ones though.

"I'm the drain they call the city of New Orleans......."

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 12:30 PM

JennyO: "The drain they call the City of New Orleans"!
Was that a blatant PLUG

Or are you planning on Basin' a whole song on it?

Nigel

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Schantieman
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 10:20 AM

Hope we don't SINK any lower or I'll go round the bend...

Steve

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 10:27 AM

Sorcha, see PM.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: JennyO
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 10:52 AM

Some parody writers don't WASTE any time TAPping into their POOL of creativity, to write songs which PLUMB the depths of bad taste.

I think I hear an old familiar sound - the FLUSH of a distant toilet!

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 11:01 AM

LOL...and keep yer nasty puns outta MY fred!

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 11:12 AM

Many years ago, in the late 1970s/early '80s, family took a state park vacation. Mama came up from Houston to join us for several days of our week. We cooked on a campfire, hubby was up in the dark every morning going out in the lake fishing. One morning, I awoke to hear a discussion among my kids and my mom about finding more words to her new song. The tune was Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer", and her lines were:
"Beautiful catfish, come unto me.
Fry in the skillet and my breakfast be."
They never were satisfied with any additions. Happy memories... Tw

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Grab
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 12:45 PM

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Hoo Sun Rice
It's not the smartest place to eat
But their takeaway chicken's real nice...

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST,Chief Chaos
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 03:47 PM

I write them and then don't know what to do with them.
Always afraid I'm going to offend someone.

"Good God! America, what kept ya?
Don't you see now what Katrina's done?
I'm the swamp the cajuns used to call New Orleans.
I'll see five hundred drown before FEMAs done."

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Genie
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 04:01 PM

Good one, Chief. (But maybe you'd better make that "600" -- or more.)

I still like the one that goes "The Night George Bush Let Dixie Drown" -- but that's another song.

Back to The Rising Sun:


There was a louse in New Orleans,
They called him Michael Brown,
Allowed the ruin of many a poor soul -
Just watched while hundreds drowned.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 05:53 PM

All these are brilliant. I am in awe. Keep at it.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 06:33 PM

Good, good!!!

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: JennyO
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 10:22 PM

Last year when a few hurricanes came roaring in, I adapted a line or two from John Warner's Anderson's Coast

the original first two lines were:

Now Bass Strait roars like some great millrace
And where are you, my Annie?

I thought it should be:

Now (insert name of favourite hurricane) roars like some great millrace
And where are you, Miami?

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Sep 05 - 12:28 AM

There was a house in New Orleans
They called the Rising Sun
It's been the home of many a poor boy
And we got none

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 22 Sep 05 - 12:30 AM

Shouldn't that last line read:
"And now we ain't got none."

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Sep 05 - 12:49 AM

Yah...left out the 'ain't'...

So, is the next one, Goodbye Galveston...(Galveston, oh Galveston--John Denver)

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST,Chief Chaos
Date: 22 Sep 05 - 12:29 PM

Updated:

"Good God! America, what kept ya?
Don't you see now what Katrina's done?
I'm the swamp the cajuns used to call New Orleans.
I'll see five hundred drown before FEMAs done."
             ^
          one thousand

Until later -

Go Coast Guard! 22,000 rescues performed (three times the yearly average)

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: pdq
Date: 22 Sep 05 - 01:43 PM

Minor point , but "Galveston" was sung by Glenn Campbell, not John Denver.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Sep 05 - 02:12 PM

Yes, just remembered that....doh. No brain cells left.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST,wildrover
Date: 24 Sep 05 - 08:22 AM

Hi all,

let's take this on a different tack. This is why I chose the Mudcat identity wildrover. I have written or spontaneously busked many a parody of the song Wild Rover. This gives me the opportunity to parody two songs at once, for example, Wild Rover/a boy named Sue:

Well my daddy left home when I was three. He's a mean ole cuss and just like me he's bin a wild wild rover for a number o' years. Well I don't blame him 'cos he ran and hid, and I swore to myself when I was a kid, I'd make a lot of dough and then blow it on Bourbon and beer. But now I've returned with gold in store and I'm never gonna play the wild rover no more 'cos rovin' get's kind o' teejus after a while. You'll have to excuse me but this here tale, it ain't too long but it's hell to tell. You see I had to fill in with this line to make it rhyme.

You see I went to an ale house I used to frequent, and I told the landlady my money was spent. Well in fact I said:
'I AIN'T GOT A SOU! COME ON! GIMME A BREW!"
That's what I told her.

I asked her for credit and she told me nay. She looked like a horse and so I fed her some hey, and she told me I could stick my credit where the sun don't shine!

So I took from my pocket some ten dollar bills, and man them bills musta give her a thrill, 'cos she looked at me like I'd give her a Texas goldmine.

She said "I've got licquors and beers of the best, and if you come upstairs I'm gonna show you the rest". Well I knew a rest was the last thing on her mind.

I'm goin' home to my mom to confess what I've done. She'll call me ma and I'll call her son...now wait a minute. There's somethin' wrong with that last line.

and if she takes me back once more, and embraces me like she did before...
Well...
If I ever think about rovin'...
(pause)
Hell! You bet I'm goin' rovin'. I can't stand that ole.

(bleep)

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Sep 05 - 07:07 PM

ROFL

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Bo Vandenberg
Date: 24 Sep 05 - 08:44 PM

Wasnt that a mighty storm?

Some of the mightiest songs are the folk songs that echo back with similar tragedies and their losses.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Flash Company
Date: 25 Sep 05 - 07:58 AM

Just reading this on my first day back from holiday, will probably contribute later.
I think 'The drain they call the City Of New Orleans' was inspired!
Brilliant .

FC

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: JennyO
Date: 25 Sep 05 - 10:27 AM

Heh heh - glad you like it FC - that was a product of the same mind that created "Anderson's Coast" of course. I should nag him to build a song around that line!

Jenny

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 25 Sep 05 - 01:44 PM

Mudcatter Mark Cohen writes some very good parodies. The man has a knack for them, as well as for serious songs.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 04:33 AM

Here's one of my latest big hits!

Tiddlywinks    [Mr Happy Sept 2005]

(based on 'Solitaire- Neil Sedaka)

There was a man who had a jinx
He passed his time in playing tiddlywinks
He was alone, all on his own
He couldn쳌ft flick them in his eggcup

And tiddlywinks쳌f the only game he knew
He played each day from dawn 쳌etil half past two
Its then he쳌fd make himself a pot of tea
Then start again at three
He쳌fd sip his tea and eat a piece of cake
Play tiddlywinks to keep himself awake
Then constantly reminded of his jinx
He쳌fd then have forty winks

When he awoke, he쳌fd have a smoke,
A piece of toast with melted cheese on,
Another tea, still solitary
Then carry on; no rhyme or reason

And tiddlywinks쳌f the only game he knew
He played each day from dawn 쳌etil half past two
Its then he쳌fd make himself a pot of tea
Then start again at three
He쳌fd sip his tea and eat a piece of cake
Play tiddlywinks to keep himself awake
Then constantly reminded of his jinx
He쳌fd then have forty winks

And tiddlywinks쳌f the only game he knew
He played each day from dawn 쳌etil half past two
Its then he쳌fd make himself a pot of tea
Then play perpetually

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Flash Company
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 11:01 AM

In the month of August, Katrina took a trip,
In from the Bahamas to the mighty Mississip,
Smashed down the leevees and the hurricane screens,
And brought death and destruction to the town of New Orleans.

Well the mayor said 'Run, Katrina is a-coming,
And how we can escape her I don't rightly know'
Katrina struck and left us all a swimmin'
Up the Mississippi from the Gulf of Maxico.

Apologies to Johnny Horton!
Chorus doesn't quite go together as I would have liked.
May think of some more, but if anyone else wants to have a go, feel free.
FC

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 09:48 PM

Punslingers write parodies. A lot.
I speak from experience. (Also a lot.)
There's a knack to seeing the unexpected connection that will crack up and audience and/or get a point across. And you can do it with or without music.
BTW, I love "Drain they call the City of New Orleans...."!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Flash Company
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 09:57 AM

Found myself whistling a tune this morning and thought 'Hey, thats one we missed!'

In the old, drenched quarter of New Orleans.

I'll get me coat.....

FC

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 11:32 AM

Flash Bompany, how about this:-

Well they told our Pres that Katrina was a-comin',
But he jest stood by, and watched our city go,
He had took the cash, for the war he was a-runnin',
Now the levees are a floatin' down the Gulf to Mexico.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 06:31 PM

Pretty black stuff - the Harold Shipman song;
Hey ho, hey ho, it's off to work I go,
With my stethoscope and my bag of dope. hey ho, Hey ho, hey ho.
Written before he died and before the full enormity of his crimes came out into the public domain

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: GUEST,J
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 07:05 PM

Who writes parodies....
lazy people
disrespectful people
uncreative people

bob dylan didn't write his songs so that parody "writers" could redo them.

parodies are worse than rap music

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 02:52 AM

Uh, begging your pardon, Guest J, but many of Dylan's best-known songs are reworkings of traditional songs--using the same technique of those who write parodies, except that his songs were not intended to be humorous. For example, here's Dylan's "With God on Our Side":

"My name it is nothing, my age it means less
This country I come from is called the Midwest
I was taught and brought up there the laws to abide
And that land I live in has God on its side"

It uses the same tune as Brendan Behan's "The Patriot Game":

"My name is O'Hanlon, I've just turned sixteen.
My home is in Monaghan, that's where I was weaned
I learned all my life cruel England's to blame,
So now I am part of the patriot game."

Or how about "Bob Dylan's Dream":

"While riding on a train going west
I fell asleep for to take my rest
I dreamed a dream that made me sad
Concerning myself, and the first few friends I had"

This song has the same tune as "Lady Franklin's Lament":

"We were homeward bound one night on the deep
Swinging in my hammock I fell asleep
I dreamed a dream and I thought it true
Concerning Franklin and his gallant crew"

Would that make Dylan "lazy, disrespectful, and uncreative"? I don't think so.

There was another guy who also was pretty well known as a singer and songwriter. Many of his songs borrowed the tune and the structure of older, traditional songs, but I don't know too many people who would call him lazy, disrespectful, or uncreative, either. His name was Woody Guthrie.

Aloha,
Mark

PS, thanks for the kind words, chanteyranger.

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 03:19 AM

Oops, that should have been Dominic Behan, not Brendan.

And as long as I'm staying up late correcting myself, I should have said, "...the same technique as those who write parodies."

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Who Writes Parodies?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 03:21 AM

Little minds deride creativity, especially if it is not theirs.