What 'serious' song do you giggle through?

Subject: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: marion
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 02:11 PM

For me it's Long Black Veil... I can't sing the line "I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife" with a straight face.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Night Owl
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 02:30 PM

"West Virginia"...the chorus has a line "I can almost smell the honey suckle vine". Years ago, while rehearsing the song, our lead singer messed up and sang " "honey fuckle sign"...we couldn't resist playing around with it. Made it difficult to perform the song again without giggling in anticipation of the line coming up.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 02:38 PM

When I sing "Green, Green Grass of Home," I have problems with "Down the road I look and there runs Mary..." because our former bass player (herself named Mary and possessed of a voice reminiscent of Odetta's) drowned out my "Hair of gold and lips like cherries" with "Rotten breath and armpits hairy." Of course, a lot of people can't take that song seriously, anyway. --seed

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Rita64
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 08:14 PM

Oh, I know what you mean seed - I can't seem to forget those substitute words. As a teen I would organise music for Mass every Sunday. Due to a perpetual feeling of embarrassment (caused by puberty I suppose) which intensified during solemn moments I could not help giggling when during the poignant "Lamb of God" - remember...

Lamb, lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us

... our guitarist Kieran would sing instead ...

Lamb, lamb of God
Tastes better with mint sauce...

of course, only I could hear him - how difficult is it to sing and laugh at the same time INTO A MICROPHONE IN FRONT OF THE CONGREGATION. Kieran would also play death metal guitar riffs during our version of Glory Be.

~FYM~

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Jeri
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 10:40 PM

"All the Little Chickens in the Garden" isn't an extremely serious song, but it got a whole lot less serious when a friend embellished the chorus by singing "chickens" as "chickENS," much like the chicken noise "buckAAAAWW." We had to stop singing for a while to regain composure - I actually laughed so hard I got a cramp in my face. He hasn't done it since, (I think his life was threatened) but I keep expecting him to.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:08 PM

Very little is sacred 'round my part of the barn.

Amazing grapes

how sweet and round

that soon will raisens be

A texture fine, on which to dine

a wrinkled ecstasy.

Don

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Rita64
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:31 PM

Good one Don.

I always smirk during the national anthem "Advance Australia Fair". For most of my infancy I believed the opening line of the song to be "Australia's sunburnt sausages, for we are young and free" ...

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: campfire
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 12:14 AM

I liked "Amazing Grapes"...will have to add that verse ;)

I have a hard time with "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" ever since someone suggested that
...the moon just "went" behind a cloud...
- rather like the dog just "went" behind the tree. Can't help but picture it now, every time.

campfire

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 12:27 AM

A great thread: I won't take a chance of killing it by posting again.

--seed (oops)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Matthew B.
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 01:18 AM

Fair Youngmaid, I have to agree with you. In fact, I find many of the national anthems a bit hard to hear with a straight face. Have you ever heard the French National Anthem? Its melody is the greatest, but some of its lyrics are, shall we say, a bit bloody.

But before I get all the French people hating me (not necessary since my ex-wife and her relatives are all French and they hate me already just fine), I also do love many of the national anthems of some other countries, including Israel's ("The Hope") and my own "Star Spangled Banner" (although I think "America the Beautiful" would have made an even better anthem).

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: DWDitty
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 05:24 AM

I Am..I Said - the whole song. Just can't get by Neil chatting with inanimate objects.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Graham Pirt
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 06:55 AM

In the song "Derwentwater's Farewell" I transposed a couple of stanzas about horses and wives and ended up singing, "Farewell, farewell my ain dear wife, Ill ill thou counselled'st me, I wish I'd been sleeping in my bed, Last time I mounted thee"!

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Big Mick
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 10:37 AM

The song "You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore". It came out by Striesand and Diamond at the time when I had very young children. I have to be a little gross to explain. There is a line "Used to be so natural, to talk about forever. But used-to-be's don't count anymore, they just lay on the floor till we sweep them away". There was a joke among the diaper changing Dad's about the wee ones pants being full of "used to be's...........used to be carrots, used to be pea's...." Every time I hear the lyric I giggle. You ever seen a man my size giggle??? The sight would make you laugh.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: annamill
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 10:51 AM

"There's a ship lying waiting in the harbour; and tomorrow for Old England she sails..."

I don't remember the name of this song, but everytime I hear it, I think to myself "What a dumb woman" and I have to laugh. If some guy tried to give me that line I'd die laughing. Just go away!!

annap

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 11:06 AM

Every time I hear the great ballad "The Flying Cloud", I hear it the way a fine balladsinger sang it when he got flustered 'cause a nutsy patron of a folk club chose that moment, in a totally quiet room, to get up, gather her things noisily, and stomp out of the club---Somebody Else's Troubles in Chicago.

I won't say who it was, but the line: "We'll hoist the pirate flag aloft" came out "We'll hoist the pilot frog aloft". I always smile to myself when I hear that song---just like I always smile when the good people of Minnesota say, "You Betcha"

Art

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 01:38 PM

This isn't a song, but I was part of a friend's wedding, and they spent weeks trying to decide whether they were going to go with the old Anglican service, which has "I plight thee my troth" or the new, which goes "I give you my pledge". Comes the climactic moment, and my friend blurts out: "I give thee my plight." Crackup of whole church.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 02:23 PM

well, when I sing 'Towser Jenkins'...about someone's dog being poisoned, the audience always giggles! I don't think it is my delivery! (it doesn't seem to be in the DB...I'll have to post it..)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Jenny
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 02:29 PM

My six-year old niece starts the Lord's Prayer: Our Father who art in heaven Hello, and be thy name ...

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 06:08 PM

Mick, not a pretty picture, but it could be worse: please, please don't titter. --seed

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 06:17 PM

In the fine song "Lizzy Lindsay" I'LL NEVER get used to LORD RONALD McDONALD showing up there. The audience ALWAYS laughs. Cindy Mangsen sang it "the Lord of McDonald"---and that seemed to solve the problem.

Art

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: SeanM
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 06:37 PM

Another 'not a song', but I can never hear the Lord's prayer without snickering... before any devout types kill me, the reason... I work at a renaissance festival, and Elizabethans being devout, churchgoing folks, one of the things that we are made to memorize is the Lord's Prayer in full Elizabethan dialect... it ends up coming out like

The Lard is Moy Shipyard
I shale nat waant
Huy Maaket moy Dain tay loy

And it just disintegrates from there.

M

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From:
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 08:15 PM

The song I find ridiculous is that one -- think Dean Martin sang it -- about "when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore". It sounds more like the beginning of a Lewis Carroll poem - "Oh the moon was like a pizza pie" etc. A decidely male sentiment indeed -- "You know honeybee, just looking at the moon has made me hungry. Why don't we nix this boring walk on the beach and swing by Franco's?"

Is an all-dressed pizza moon or a plain cheese and tomato moon best for pursuing affairs of the heart?

Personally I think the moon looks more like a big potato chip (crisp to those of you in the UK) but I suppose Big Pringle's Potato Chip didn't scan.

I think "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" must rank up there with serious but idiotic songs.

Then there are country-and-western songs, and some of those songs recorded by all-girl bands in the early sixties. "Johnny Get Angry".

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From:
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 10:42 PM

Actually Art, I think the Ronald or Ranald MacDonald in question was a historical personage of some note. Pity the burger chain has done him up like a clown.

I don't think a chief or chieftain of a clan is properly a Lord, unless he got the extra title by some other means. He probably would have been simply The MacDonald.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Rita64
Date: 04 Jul 99 - 12:06 AM

Speaking of national anthems, has anyone seen the New Zealand rugby union and rugby league teams do the Haka (unsure of spelling) before an international match? The facial expressions of the opposing team are highly amusing, especially when the Kiwis wiggle their tongues and pop their eyeballs at them.

Fair Youngmaid (who would like to see Big Mick titter)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 04 Jul 99 - 12:53 AM

I tried scanning a Pringles chip once: It didn't survive my the lid of my scanner on it. --seed

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Eric o' the North
Date: 04 Jul 99 - 10:47 PM

There are many but this one comes to mind. Years ago I performed in a duo. One time I was singing John Denver's Country Roads. After the line..."West Virginia, mountain mama" my partner inserted "Mama willing..." Could barely finish the chorus & bridge. I still smirk a bit when that line goes by. Sorry, it's a little sick, guess ya had to be there. Fun thread! Thanx.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 05 Jul 99 - 09:49 AM

The worst thing about that Pizza Pie song is that it just makes me think of Pavement Pizzas. One of those hitting your eye would really take the romance out of the amore. Yeurgghh

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Pete Peterson
Date: 05 Jul 99 - 07:27 PM

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said "is there any man whose heart is so hardened that he can read of the death of Little Nell without laughing?" I have some Pagan friends who sing (to the last line of the Star Spangled Banner) Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again. Now I can't hear THAT phrase without laughing. And for some reason Meeting in the Air cracks me up. Don't know why.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Rich Kelly
Date: 06 Jul 99 - 08:43 AM

Hi,

During "The Fields of Athenry", the narrator sings "...now you must raise our child with dignity". A friend of mine misheard the lyric in a pub one night and thought the line was "...now you must raise our child with Rice Krispies."

Also, during "The Town I Loved so Well", the narrator refers to the music in the sweet DERRY AIR. One singer sang the line too fast one evening, if you know what I mean!

Still brings a chuckle out of me.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Cuilionn
Date: 06 Jul 99 - 12:39 PM

Bless ye a' for a richt guid rollickin' stairt tae ma mairnin'! I've been paintin' ma parents' hoose this summer, wairkin' oot in th' sun, comin' in tae feshed tae e'en ficht aff th' teenagers for th' computer sae I can peruse Mudcat, an' this mairnin' I woke up airly, slippit doon th' stairs, an' signit on.

I, tae, cannae get thro' "Lizzie Lindsay" wi'oot snickerin'...I haird a friend sing it "Jamie MacDonald" insteid, but I dinnae ken how I feel aboot muckin' aboot wi' potentially historical (albeit hysterical) names. Aiblins I'll ponder on it while I'm climbin' th' scaffoldin' th' day. (Dinnae fesh yersels, that's painter's scaffoldin', nae th' ither kind!!!)

--Cuilionn, hummin' an' snickerin' wi' paintbrush in hand

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Allan C.
Date: 06 Jul 99 - 01:47 PM

I have a hard time singing, "Come tripping down the stairs, pretty Peggy-O". And ever since a friend of mine sang "Banks of the Ohio" with his imitation of a Buck Owens accent, I can't keep a straight face. He pronounced it, "Buyinks" with a rather explosive "B".

Another friend used to sing, "Lilly of the West", ("Flora"). And just after he sang the line, "I stepped up to my rival, my dagger in my hand." he would let out with the evilest of laughs. I still hear it every time.

BSeed mentioned, "The Green, Green Grass of Home". After I heard someone recite the lines in an imitation of Bob Dylan, the song was never the same.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Jul 99 - 01:42 PM

THere are two traditional ones that get to me. In Red River Valley, there's the classic..."Can I leave her behind, unprotected..."

and in Jam on Gerry's Rocks,

"...they granted her her final wish, to be laid by Young Munroe." ...my pet example of necrophilia in folksong.

Oh yes, there's also the square dance call: Go 'round that couple and takle a peek...

A friend once inadvertantly changed that to "...take a leak"

Never been able to call that one since.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 12:23 AM

When I was a kid, my sister and I heard "Still in Love with You," which has the line, "Today I passed you on the street, "And my heart fell at your feet,..."

My sister said, "Spluttt!" and there went THAT song.

kc

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Night Owl
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 12:36 AM

KC...Yup...you're right....just ended that song here too!!

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Jeri
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 08:46 AM

In our session it has become "traditional" to sing South Australia, with the verse:

"There ain't but one thing grieves my mind, It's to leave Miss Nancy Blair's behind."

Once, Carolan's "Planxty George Brabazon" (click here for a midi) went on a bit too long, and the singers started in (in serious 3-part harmony) with: "This is the song that never ends, it never ends, it never, never ends..."

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: MMario
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 08:46 AM

Sean - that's not the Lord's Prayer, it's one of the Psalms..... but I know the feeling...because I've recieved elbows in the ribs during the service and been told "you're in faire speak!"

MMario

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Rich Kelly
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 09:32 AM

Hi,

Tis a pity the song Cerrickfergus, is ruint for me, because it really is a grand and beautiful song. I introduced a college buddy to Irish music by playing this song for him. The next few times we got together he snickered at how ribald folk music was. I didn't quite understand what he meant in particular.

Anyway, this went on for awhile until he said he had thought the lyric was "I wish I was in Kerry Fergus..."

He was disappointed when I showed him the written title.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 09:51 AM

Dick, years ago I had to learn "Foreman Young Munro" for a show (don't ask!). I've never heard anyone sing it, before or since, for some reason ... anyhow, I practiced and practiced and practiced on my own without any trouble, until the dress rehearsal - then as I reached the start of the line, I and everyone else suddenly spotted the double entendre, with disastrous results.

In the end I sang "with " instead of "by", but it was touch and go!

Steve

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From:
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 08:48 PM

Will ye come to McDonald's, Lizzy Lindsay?
Will ye come to McDdonald's with me?
Will ye come to McDonald's, Lizzy Lindsay?
I've a Big Mac and fries just for thee.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: ddw in windsor
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 11:51 PM

Allan C... Glad to see somebody else has trouble with Lily of the West, but mine is a little different. A musical partner years ago -- in a performance -- mis-sang a line

I courted lovely Flora, some pleasure there to find,

But she turned INto another man, which sore did stress my mind.

He always swore it wasn't intentional, but I've always doubted it.

And I've always had a hard time getting through that line without muffing it myself.

cheers,

ddw

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 12:06 AM

Back in a religious vein -- my sister and I used to sit in church and just count the minutes to the Lord's Prayer and then crack up at the "nasty" part -- you know, that part that goes, "Lead us snot into temptation..."

Hey, when you're 8 years old ... And, of course, my mother wanted us to sit at the front of the church, presumably so the preacher's words would "take" better, so we'd be up there giggling so hard we were crying, with her poking us and giving us The Fierce Maternal Glare, which made us laugh twice as hard and try twice as hard NOT to...

I don't think the Lord probably minded, but my mother certainly did.

KC

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Nogs
Date: 12 Jul 99 - 04:25 PM

how about the hymn that goes:

Behold the seat of God descending (the clouds part, cue giant buttocks)

Also in 'Rose of Allendale': One maiden form (Maidenform) withstood the storm (singer does a cross-your-heart manuever, rest of the verse is lost in laughter)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Tony Burns
Date: 12 Jul 99 - 04:42 PM

Wow, no one has mentioned the Mary Ellen Carter yet.

Let's see, how does the story go? Think of Mary Ellen Carter as a very large hooker. Some sailors take her up on her solicitations one stormy night and after much drinking they all go out into the alley. Poor Mary has trouble keeping her balance in her advanced state of inebriation and falls down a lot. The equally drunken sailors spend their time trying to get her up and having their way with her.

With a little imagination and keeping an eye open for double entendres you may find you have trouble singing this song with a straight face.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Jul 99 - 05:36 PM

...Anbd then there's always the magnifcent part of Handel's Creation where we're informed, vociferously, that...

"We like sheep..."

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: CarlZen
Date: 12 Jul 99 - 08:12 PM

A good friend of mine has a nasty nack for finding just the right word to replace to totally change the song. For example;

Blue Ridge Mounatin Blues

When I was young and in my prime I used to do it all the time. Now that I am old and gray I onkly do it once a day

But his all-timer came about three in the morning jamming at a festival. A friend was with us, determined to stay up all night because they were to be on stage early next morning. He mentioned he'd be singing "I Wonder Where You Are Tonight". Charlie (with the nasty nack) says, "let's sing it" and when the title line comes up he sings "I'll wear your underwear tonight."

Rocky gets on stage the next morning and all those who helped him "rehearse" his song in the wee hours were in the front row to cheer him on.

Sure enough, he gets to the chorus and sings

"And though your love is even colder, I'll wear your underwear tonight."

If the audience caught it, they were very polite (unlike those in the front row, who were probably like the 8 year olds during the "snot" in the Lord's prayer, without the mother's stern look.)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Jeri
Date: 12 Jul 99 - 09:39 PM

Sounds like a Rocky I know. (The guy who did the chicken noise as I described way up at the top of the thread.)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Pelrad
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 12:36 AM

Entire audiences used to titter throughout "Andrew Rose" when Stan Hugill sang it. It's a song full of the terrible ways a British sailor was tormented to death before punishment laws were changed in the British Navy. But the way Stan mugged it up, it was hard to keep a grim outlook. Now I can't hear the serious versions without that voice in the back of my head singing, "The captain trained his dogs to bite him...(Ingalsations they were, or something like that)...While for mercy Rose did cry. On the deck,his flesh in mouthfuls torn out by the dogs did lie," coupled with a bunch of people making fierce dog sounds in the background...You can't help but feel like some sick individual to be snickering at the lyrics to this song!

I was never sure if part of the reason people laughed was because the words were so awful. I just know Stan encouraged the laughter, and I've never seen a serious version of this song go over well with an audience.

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 12:48 AM

Anybody remember Utah's "Goin' Away"? Great song. I used to do a TV show here in Toronto and one time was singing it, and got to the line "..fast freight flies" and sang "french fries fly"! I have no idea why, but to this day I can't sing the line straight..I just break up and mumble. Then I saw the lyrics in a book and Utah sings it "..fast mail flies". Doesn't do any good. I still screw it up every time. Haven't sung it for a bit, so maybe I'll try it again some time.
rick

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: CarlZen
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 01:00 AM

Jeri - The Rocky I spoke of is a member of the old-timey band Piney Creek Weasels, and they do a whole chicken routine, complete with rubber chickens. Knowing Rocky it could've been him.

When I sing the verse in "Don't That Road Look Rough and Rocky" (no relation) when it goes "Can't you hear those nigth birds callin'?", Charlie, Rocky, or some other like one of them can usually be counted on to chime in with a soprano "CAW, CAW". (Haw, Haw)

Subject: RE: What 'serious' song do you giggle through?
From: Dan'l (inactive)
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 01:31 AM

Well...I guess it would be Molly Malone. She rolled her wheelbarrow,

Thru streets wide and narrow,

Singing...Cocks are just muscles,

So leave mine alone.

It never made any sense at all, but always got a laugh