I like writing parodies: not really to poke fun at the original but to enable me to write a song without having to write a tune - which I don't have the talent to do.   I do have a little talent, I like to think, to write the words.   I think a parody can both compliment and complement the original music AND make some sort of useful contribution to whatever genre you're into.

Most (all?) of my songs I've put in the Mudcat book or published on threads are parodies. I think it's important NOT just to borrow the tune but to try and stick closely in places to the original words or close parodies of them, particularly if you're trying to be funny.

Some will disagree, I know.