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24 Feb 13 - 10:24 AM (#3483248) Subject: Comedy in music From: Will Fly Doing one of my regular trawls through the musical world and surfing around the ether, coffee by my side, I've been enjoying some wonderfully funny pieces of music. Most of them are many, many years old. But I wondered - where are the modern equivalents? Where are the anarchists? Is it my jaded and outmoded memory, or were there many more of them in my youth - Tom Lehrer, the Bonzo-Dog Doo-Dah Band, Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band? Where are the Leslie Saroneys, the Rufe Davis's (both singers of "The Old Sow") of today, for example? The Spike Jones's? The Barron-Knights - formed around 1960 - are still doing stage shows today, but I'll bet very few here, including me, have heard of them over the last few years. Remember Dr. Crock & The Crackpots? Sid Millward & The Nitwits? In Sussex, until a few years ago, we had the Harry Strutters Orchestra, and some appearances by Bob Kerr. I've heard the Bonzos still get together occasionally. I suppose the comedy song, at its height, flourished within the music-hall tradition and in children's entertainment. One of the reasons to be grateful for folk clubs, singarounds, etc., is that comedy in song is alive and flourishing. I was at Elsie's (the Queen's Head) in Kent last night, to see the Twagger Band in action, and we had a number of songs from the company that brought roars of laughter to the room. But outside that genre of musical entertainment...? Any offers? |
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24 Feb 13 - 02:21 PM (#3483314) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Steve Parkes You should also look up Gerard Hoffnung, Will. I won't say more for fear of spoiling the surprise! |
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24 Feb 13 - 02:46 PM (#3483326) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Bert There's a few on my website, Here British Workman's Grave Country Vicar Cuckoo's Nest Espresso Machine Plastic Flower Seeds Seven Dear Old Ladies Silicone Cindy Size Doesn't Matter Thrashing Machine When your Pickle Glows at night |
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24 Feb 13 - 03:00 PM (#3483329) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: pdq The Austin Lounge Lizards "Employee of the Month" is great fun. Almost all good songs and that is not easy with humorous material. The send-up of Leonard Cohen is priceless. Great playing too. |
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24 Feb 13 - 03:10 PM (#3483331) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: TheSnail The New Rope String Band |
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24 Feb 13 - 05:51 PM (#3483371) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,Gerry There are people out there writing and singing funny stuff. Martin Pearson. Tim Minchin. Roy Zimmerman. Katie Goodman, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdn3O6aaMNc (NSFW). |
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24 Feb 13 - 07:14 PM (#3483385) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Leadfingers Will - Check out London Philharmonc Skiffle Orchestra - More Visual Lunacy than just comic songs , but some excellent musicians ! |
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24 Feb 13 - 10:12 PM (#3483424) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: andrew e Check out Dudley Moore playing piano on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l3hq4G1iHs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GazlqD4mLvw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n7BCUVJkhU |
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25 Feb 13 - 04:35 AM (#3483466) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,Eddie1 (sans cookie) For more info on the Bonzos have a look at this: 3 Bonzos and a Piano I had Legs Larry Smith on my radio programme about a year ago and the rest on telephone. Unfortunately, due to a technical problem, although we, and the rest of the world, could hear them, I couldn't talk to them on air so they interviewed themselves - pure Bonzo chaos! I saw them in Windsor and they were brilliant! Eddie |
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25 Feb 13 - 09:03 AM (#3483521) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Sandra in Sydney videos of Australia's Martin Pearson in action. something topical (tho written many years ago!) The Pope Song |
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25 Feb 13 - 10:49 AM (#3483547) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Mr Red if you want comical music I heartily recommend a ceilidh (that turns out to be a Playford dance) with Belshazzar's Feast. They made po-faced ceilidhnauts, who wouldn't be seen dead at Playford, laugh. Strong medicine - I submit. But then their concerts are punctuated with humour, most of it schpiel. |
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25 Feb 13 - 12:34 PM (#3483584) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Long Firm Freddie I'm partial to Flight of the Conchords, John Shuttleworth and The Lancashire Hotpots. The Bill Posters Will Be Banned (feat. many ex Bonzos and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band) play at the Bull's Head in Barnes on the first Thursday of every month. LFF |
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25 Feb 13 - 01:18 PM (#3483595) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies Fortunately, a huge array of this. PDQ Bach is not to be missed. One of my alltime favorites of his: first movement of Beethoven's 5th broadcast as a baseball game. Called "New Horizons In Music Appreciation". Skewers sports announcers, among many other targets. The whole album, "PDQ Bach On The Air" is an absolute delight. The more you know about music, especially classical music, the better-but a lot of it works without any knowledge of classical music. In another field, lots of Steve Goodman's output: "Door #3,", "Dying Cub Fan's Lament", "Vegematic", "Banana Republics". etc, etc.. Sometimes comedy and pathos in the same song. |
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25 Feb 13 - 01:23 PM (#3483596) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: deepdoc1 Brobdingnagian Bards Austin Lounge Lizards Ditto Steve Goodman & John Prine Gibson & Camp had their moments |
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25 Feb 13 - 02:02 PM (#3483605) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ebbie Among many others, Shel Silverstein: Oh, if you read in the papers that she's been seen A gettin' in an' out of some millionaire's long, custom made limousine She may fool you with her smiles, but I can see That's just a poor hopeless hapless helpless pathetic way of gettin' over me So you were down at Joe's on the night she broke her zipper And some lame brain drank champagne out of her slipper? And she danced on the piano and she screamed hurray, I'm free? That's just her poor hopeless hapless helpless pathetic way of gettin' over me Oh she'll do anything she can just to make me jealous Of course forgettin' me is gonna take her lots of years So I call her now and then just out of pity. When she laughs at me That's just her way of bravely holding back her tears What's that you say? She got married? Oh the poor little fool! To some handsome movie star with a mansion and a swimming pool? And she's looking good and she's got a kid or two or three? That's just her poor hopeless hapless helpless pathetic way of gettin' over me (Pathetic way of tryin' to get over me but she ain't never gonna make it honey. I mean those guys, those guys you see her with now, they're relatives, maybe business associates. I mean I know this woman and she's sittin' home bitin' her fingernails. Let me tell you she's just readin' magazines. She may look like she's enjoyin' herself. That's the way she looks when she's really gettin' bad. I know this woman. She'll be back.) |
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25 Feb 13 - 02:13 PM (#3483607) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: pdq Both Mike Cross and Steve Goodman did serious songs and great comedic songs in reasonable proportion and made both work. |
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25 Feb 13 - 02:30 PM (#3483609) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,John Foxen Someone who carries on the madness of the Bonzos and Spike Jones is the Amazing Mr Smith, with his condom bagpipes and harps. He is also a very fine guitarist. Quick plug - he will be appearing at HaverFolk on Wednesday June 26. And for more laughs we have Dennis Homes, formerly with Synanthesia now a fine comic song writer, on Wednesday July 31. |
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25 Feb 13 - 03:44 PM (#3483628) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies In any list of this sort, we need to be sure to include the classic song written by our own McGrath of Harlow: "The Bovril's With the Gravy But The Marmite's With The Jam". Especially when sung by the author himself--as he's done at Sidmouth, for instance. Totally unforgettable. |
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25 Feb 13 - 04:06 PM (#3483635) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies And should be not only on any such list but way up towards the top. |
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25 Feb 13 - 04:19 PM (#3483639) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Seamus Kennedy My favorite: Victor Borge. |
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25 Feb 13 - 05:14 PM (#3483663) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Bert That's a great song Ron. I would sing it but Bovril and Marmite are not too well known in Colorado. |
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25 Feb 13 - 07:21 PM (#3483690) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: deepdoc1 Add Mike Cross, the inimitable Kendall, double up on Art Thieme, and most of the Cowboy singers have some hilarious songs. |
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25 Feb 13 - 08:41 PM (#3483716) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Big Al Whittle The correct way to laugh at English folksong is in 16/18 rhythm in the Phyrgian mode. Ho! Ho! Ha! Ho! Ho! Ho!....and so on in descending triplets. As far as I'm concerned if you can't manage that, you're not really understanding the spirit of the tradition. If you can't be bothered to laugh 'in the tradition'. You're obviously one of the untermenschen. Probably a northerner - you would be more comfortable watching Bernard Manning on dvd, or squeezing ladies bums to choose Lib/Dem parliamentary candidates. |
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25 Feb 13 - 09:13 PM (#3483724) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Joe_F Flanders & Swann |
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25 Feb 13 - 11:17 PM (#3483741) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,Gerry The original question was, "where are the modern equivalents?" I don't know that Flanders & Swann, Victor Borge, Steve Goodman, Shel Silverstein, Gibson & Camp, PDQ Bach, and Dudley Moore, hilarious as they all were, fall within the intent of the original post. |
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26 Feb 13 - 04:12 AM (#3483803) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Will Fly Spot on Gerry. They're all excellent entertainers - and I have records by many of them - but they are of yesteryear. I really was curious to see if any modern musicians, outside the folk world, were bringing comedy into their act. And thanks to those in the thread who offered some names - I've been investigating them and liking what I've seen and heard. |
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26 Feb 13 - 04:36 AM (#3483815) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,Guest mike Will if you are into the Bonzo-Dog Doo-Dah Band then check out Biggles wartime band Biggles Wartime Band have been around a long time and are undoubtedly the leading exponents of jugband music in the UK. Comedy is the order of the day with lots of corny gags, musical and otherwise mike m |
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26 Feb 13 - 05:10 AM (#3483826) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Will Fly Cheers, Guest mike - just checked out their YT clips - great fun! No 2013 gigs listed as yet on their website, but I'll keep looking... |
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26 Feb 13 - 06:25 AM (#3483842) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Rob Naylor Flossie Malavialle and Keith Donnelly do the odd "funny": Riddle Song |
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26 Feb 13 - 06:42 AM (#3483849) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Rob Naylor And on the other side of the Pond, there's Taryn Southern: The Wrong Hole Though she does appear to have something of an anal fixation as the other songs of hers I've encountered include fixations on farting and pooing. An acquired taste (or not)! |
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26 Feb 13 - 07:02 AM (#3483855) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: bubblyrat One of the funniest acts I ever saw in a folk club were three Portsmouth "locals " Pat Nelson , Jon Isherwood and Diz Disley playing as a trio ; amazing and side-splitting . I don't know if they recorded anything , though ( although Joni Sherwood / Jo Nisherwood did , ie The Cucumber Song !). |
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26 Feb 13 - 11:21 AM (#3483915) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Nigel Parsons Les Barker Jeremy Taylor Both still appearing at folk clubs. |
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26 Feb 13 - 11:56 AM (#3483924) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Will Fly Ah well, as I said in my initial post - comedy is alive and well in folk clubs. Not quite as prevalent as it was in areas outside folk. |
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26 Feb 13 - 12:06 PM (#3483926) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: deepdoc1 Tom Rush, Four Bitchin' Babes, Christine Lavin, Arlo Guthrie, Red Clay Ramblers ... these should get me back on track with current artists who frequently use humor. More regionally located (but with available albums) to Southern Chesapeake, Them Eastport Oyster Boys are great, too. For political satire, The Capitol Steps are good. Garrison Keillor also uses a lot of humorous songs, but I'm not sure if he goes with the spirit of this thread. Definitely going to look up some of the above. |
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26 Feb 13 - 12:37 PM (#3483936) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,David W Trout Fishing in America is hilarious. |
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26 Feb 13 - 12:38 PM (#3483937) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Rob Naylor Dan and Dan do (or does) the odd comedy song: Daily Mail Song And Mitch Benn of course: Rasta Queen Mother Stairway to'Eaven |
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26 Feb 13 - 12:43 PM (#3483939) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Rob Naylor And Axis of Awesome: Axis of Awesome Though they do seem a bit derivative of Rob Paravonian's "Pachelbel Rant" in this one. |
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26 Feb 13 - 02:07 PM (#3483966) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Bernard Two that spring to mind are Hayseed Dixie (bluegrass versions of heavy metal...!) and 'Weird Al' Yankovic (clever parodies of pop songs). |
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26 Feb 13 - 02:37 PM (#3483975) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: alanabit I find this Australian gentleman amusing: Kevin Bloody Wilson |
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26 Feb 13 - 03:44 PM (#3483993) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies Bert-- I think you should sing Kevin's song about marmite and bovril--even in Colorado. You could preface it by giving him credit for writing it and saying something about what these 2 substances are--maybe even mentioning that one was even mistaken--by a person from this side of the Pond (not me, I hasten to add)-- for chocolate--with interesting results. I'm a Colonial, and knew very little about them, but I still found Kevin's performance of his own song one of the most hilarious experiences I've ever had. You might want to do what he did in Sidmouth and put in a Dylan imitation as part of the song. |
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26 Feb 13 - 05:58 PM (#3484030) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Bert Maybe you're right Ron, I'll give it a try and see how it goes down. I'll have to get a jar of each to show on stage. Other groups are Modern Man |
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26 Feb 13 - 08:10 PM (#3484064) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Tattie Bogle Colum Sands - could easily make his living just telling his funny stories, but he has some cracking songs too. |
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26 Feb 13 - 10:00 PM (#3484099) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: ChanteyLass Also in the US: Lou and Peter Berryman and Small Potatoes. |
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26 Feb 13 - 10:54 PM (#3484115) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies Depends on how exclusively up to date you want to be. But PDQ Bach for instance (no spring chicken, that's for sure) is still very much active--I get lists of his appearances since I'm on his e-mail list. Dry Branch Fire Squad is still around (I hope, at any rate), and Ron Thomason, the leader has a great-- appropriately enough, dry--sense of humor (e.g. "We believe in aggressive ignorance in bluegrass music"). |
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26 Feb 13 - 11:24 PM (#3484123) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Bert I said groups but only gave you one. Somehow the other link disappeared; here 'tiz again Hot Soup And here's the guy that Skiff posted on the jokes thread Senior moments:brain farts |
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27 Feb 13 - 03:17 PM (#3484423) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies Weird Al is indeed amazing. He's made a great career--a pretty good living, I think,-- exclusively out of parodies, on an impressively high level. Who would have thought there was enough of a market to do that? My alltime favorite of his: "White and Nerdy". Even better as a video. |
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28 Feb 13 - 02:29 PM (#3484778) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,Guest TF Alanabit Kevin "Bloody" Wilson is the equivalent of Bernard Manning singing. Remember all, there are people around here who regard comedy in folk music as the devil's work. |
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28 Feb 13 - 08:48 PM (#3484892) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Tattie Bogle Vin Garbutt - does a lot of talking between songs but usually has people falling about laughing. |
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28 Feb 13 - 08:53 PM (#3484896) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Ron Davies "comedy in folk music as the devil's work" ? C'mon. There are few things better in life than the combination of humor and music. Anybody who can't see that must have had his sense of humor shot off in the war. Assuming you are in fact serious--which I actually doubt, somehow. |
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01 Mar 13 - 04:12 AM (#3484975) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Acorn4 You do run across the dreaded political correctness sometimes. Not sure if Jake Thackray would have got away with some of his lyrics in this day and age? |
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01 Mar 13 - 04:31 AM (#3484984) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Bert And dont forget Cheryl Wheeler |
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01 Mar 13 - 06:25 PM (#3485224) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Seamus Kennedy I'll check my collection of recordings and see if I can find any more performers who do music and comedy. |
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01 Mar 13 - 07:06 PM (#3485230) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Rob Naylor I think Will was really after *modern* proponents of the art. Most of the names mentioned here seem to be of people from the 60s and 70s who still happen to be performing. |
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01 Mar 13 - 07:23 PM (#3485234) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: vindelis Fred Wedlock, I believe sang some songs written by Miles Wootton. Jake Thackery is another character altogether. Fred and Jake have both 'gone along' now. |
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01 Mar 13 - 09:09 PM (#3485261) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Thomas Stern Notes from the Underground Fugs Holy Modal Rounders Capital Steps |
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02 Mar 13 - 12:35 PM (#3485501) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,John Foxen In such august company I hesitate to mention a duo called Foxen My Bottom Is Wide |
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02 Mar 13 - 04:34 PM (#3485589) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: framus Seeing Colum Sands' name reminds me that Crawford Howard has two albums behind him, The Diagonal Steam Trap, and The Slopin' Beauty. Some bits perhaps a bit parochial to N Ireland, but a lot of his humour is pretty Universal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dZLH9dEr3oI |
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02 Mar 13 - 08:04 PM (#3485651) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Tattie Bogle There are a number of others who spring to mind, who have their comedic interludes in between other more serious material: Eric Bogle, who could take you from tears of laughter to abject misery between 2 songs: John Tams, who invariably has his audiences in stitches at several moments in any performance: then the recently departed Michael Marra, whose observations of life in Dundee could be totally hilarious. On the other hand there are people like Les Barker, probably best known for his funny poems and songs, but who has written some very hard- hitting really serious stuff too |
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03 Mar 13 - 02:52 PM (#3485917) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Dickmac Tattie Bogle - you and I must move in the same circles as I recognise and agree with your list, as well as the earlier posting for The New Rope String Band. Saw them at Celtic Connections in January and going to see them next Sunday at the Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine (Scotland). One additional name who will be known to many in the west of Scotland is Graham Gass who has penned many very clever funny songs , including "He Works For Cunard" - try saying it quickly!! |
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03 Mar 13 - 05:00 PM (#3485971) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Kenny B (inactive) Is thiis the song Graham sings "Uncle Wullie" |
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07 Mar 13 - 11:17 AM (#3487554) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Dickmac Don't remember ever hearing Graham singing Uncle Wille. The particular song i was referring to concerned a a man who had made good and returns to his home town where his old school pals wonder how he can afford the smart car etc. His explanation is that "he works for Cunard"- but in the song it comes our as "he works fuckin' hard". which is typical of the smart play on words used by Graham |
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23 Aug 13 - 12:01 PM (#3552126) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST,Andrew If you are looking for some new comedy folk music then you might liek to have a listen to my band - Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band www.hatstandmedicineband.com On our first album 'Music for Parlours and Promenades' try 'Penny Farthing' and on our recent one 'The Art of Good-Time Music' try 'Vicky From the Chippy' and 'Tongue Twister'. They're both free to listen to at: http://drbutlershatstandmedicineband.bandcamp.com/ Ta A |
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23 Aug 13 - 02:53 PM (#3552171) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: Artful Codger Garfunkel & Oates (Riki Lindhorne & Kate Micucci) Uncle Bonsai/Electric Bonsai Band/Mel Cooleys (Andrew Ratshin &o.) A number of comics do musical parodies and write original songs, but, understandably, you'll find them more on the comedy stages than at music venues. Martin Mull did a lot of funny songs before moving more into acting. Check out his bottleneck ukulele on YouTube. |
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23 Aug 13 - 03:18 PM (#3552181) Subject: RE: Comedy in music From: GUEST Kirsty MacColl who died back in 2000, had some humorous songs about some very contemporary subjects on her album Tropical Brainstorm. "Here Comes That Man Again" (about an online erotic webcam encounter...."what is that you have in your hand...is that a mouse I see?") "Celestine" (about a woman with split personality) ...and one tune about becoming obsessed with a fan and stalking him (nice little turnabout) ...she follows him to a record store where she notices he buys some other female artist's CD ..then she follows him home and watches through the window as he plays the CD and dances about the room, which sends her into a jealous rage. Funny stuff, very clever lyrics and salsa-inspired melodies. Mucho listenable. |