Hello, party-goers, and welcome back to the Listening Party rumpus room where the door is always open and the music is always playing.
This week Dave and Mary took a turn down the path marked “Novelty Songs” so we can listen to some songs that Dave has deemed novelty songs. He attempts to explain his criteria, but we’re still not convinced. But, while you can question their novelty, you cannot question their quality!
So pull up a comfy chair and settle down for some novel songs!
- The Soft Boys – “(I Want to Be an) Anglepoise Lamp” – Radar Records single b/w “Fatman’s Son”, 1978 – 13:32
- Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – “Little Demon” – Okeh Records single b-side to “I Put a Spell on You”, 1956 – 30:59
- The Small Faces – “I Feel Much Better” – Immediate single b-side to “Tin Soldier”, 1967 – 40:42
- The Hombres – “Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) – Verve records single b/w “Go, Girl, Go”, 1967 – 52:09
- 10cc – “Donna” – UK Records single b/w “Hot Sun Rock”, 1972 – 1:07:47
- The Hollywood Jills – “He Makes Me Mad” – Tune-Kel Records b-side to “A Good Thing, Baby”, 1968 – 1:35:22
- Matching Mole – “Signed Curtain” – Matching Mole, 1972 – 1:42:23
- Simon & Garfunkel – “Punky’s Dilemma” – Bookends, 1967 – 1:50:22
- 1910 Fruitgum Co. – “The Song Song” – 1,2,3 Red Light, 1968 – 2:08:42
- Peter Sarstedt – “No More Lollipops” – Peter Sarstedt, 1969 – 2:24:14
- Blossom Dearie (ft. Bob Dorough) – “Answering Machine” – Simply, 1982 – 2:30:54
- Randy Newman – “Pants” – Born Again, 1979 – 2:38:59
- Kraftwerk – “Pocket Calculator” – Computer World, 1981 – 2:50:17
And spinning on the Victrola to enlighten and amaze:
- The Waves – “Hey War Pig!” – Armageddon Records single b-side to “The Nightmare”, 1981 – 27:20
- Red Ingle & the Natural Seven – “Cigareets, Whuskey, and Wild, Wild Women” – Capitol single b/w “Serutan Yob”, 1946 – 1:04:09
- Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon – “I’m Beside Myself” – Marmalade Records single b/w “Animal Song”, 1969 – 1:14:56
- Ohio Express – “Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)” – Buddah Records b/w “Make Love Not War”, 1969 – 1:20:36
- Festival – “Today” – RCA Victor Records single b/w “Warm Me”, 1972 – 1:26:06
- Tom & Jerry – “I’m Lonesome” – Ember Records single b-side to “Lookin’ at You”, 1958 – 2:03:33
Thanks for listenin’.
If you feel you must, here is Rupert Holmes singing his own version of the song “Answering Machine”.
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Another great one. I don’t know if I’m convinced of the novelty of some songs but they were all pretty good. I appreciated the 10cc lesson. Had no idea about all these early songs. Have they ever been collected together or released on compilations? I’m having a hard time finding the songs aside from expensive copies of the 45s.
I admit I had my first clutch-the-pearls how-very-dare-you moment when you disparaged Rupert Holmes like that. I love his version of “Answering Machine”. I wasn’t too much into the Blossom Dearie version. The cutesy vocals and the extra verse were too over the top but it was fun. I love the subtle bleakness of the original and the lady singing backup kills it at the end when she harmonizes. (I just looked her up, she’s Chrissy Faith who is mostly know for singing on Sesame Street and with The Muppets.)
Holmes is probably the best example of someone who wrote almost exclusively novelty songs but wrote them well enough to justify the means. That and this episode made me think of bands like The Frogs and Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 that always walked that line between total silliness and serious songwriting. It’s a real fun spot but probably the most misunderstood dynamic. ‘Novelty’ tends to come off as a slight. Everything’s always gotta be so genuine… but I digress. Looking forward to side 2!
I always enjoy the novelty song episodes. I have no problem with calling them that since, as well as being weird and wacky, your picks are usually novel, as in new, to me. I did see some performers doing a cover of “Cigareets, Whuskey, and Wild, Wild Women” on a comedy show when I was young but I can’t remember which one. A YouTube search turned up Peter Sellers doing it on The Muppet Show (1978) so maybe that was it.
I think 1978 was also the year I accidentally heard a 10cc concert. I was seeing a play at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre and the band was playing the Queen Elizabeth Theatre which, as you know, is in the same building. The sound bled through the walls much like at a multiplex when you’re watching a quiet art house movie while a violent action movie is playing next door. Someone posted the playlist for that concert on the internet so I could narrow the date down to October 24. The first play of the season was Hamlet so that might have been the one playing. It would’ve been appropriate if “I’m Not In Love” played during the “get thee to a nunnery scene” as it is open to interpretation whether Hamlet is really mad at Ophelia or just raging at her for show. Just keep telling yourself that big boys don’t cry, Hamlet.
BTW, the opening act for the 10cc concert was the Reggie Knighton Band. He has some novelty rock song titles such as “Rock ‘N’ Roll Alien,” “Clone In Love” and “UFO.” I gave them a listen and I’d say the sound is Beatlesque.
Thanks once again for another great show, folks. For once, I knew a lot of these songs already, but Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon were a particular revelation for me.
It was interesting to hear your take on Randy Newman’s song, Pants. As I think you know by now, I sure do love me some Randy Newman, but – hoo boy – that song…
I think Randy lost his way with the entire Born Again album, which is chock full of one-dimensional numbers that aim low with some fairly on-the-nose gags rather than investing in character and place as he’d done so well before (and would do again).
His humour is always edgy, but the bitterness and scorn in this record are so all-pervading that I find it a tough listen. Your interpretation of what’s happening in Pants was also much nicer than mine. I hear the singer as a creep who gets turned on by the thought of taking off his pants, and the last section as a lascivious invitation to the listener. Of course, that might say more about me…
Oh, that guy who Don Arden is alleged to have held out a window by his ankles? Robert Stigwood!
And in case you haven’t seen it, here’s a really good documentary about Ronnie Lane:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6mpuMwLnak&t=81s
Have a cookie!