I think my sister hates me

[Jarlaxle]

She visited from home (Oakland) recently. With her was her son/my nephew, age 11. One of her friends from college (living in Maine) came down to see her, said friend bringing her fiance. The visitors wanted to get dinner at Wright's Farm, so we did...due to the logistics of having eight people and nobody with a van, we wound up taking two cars. Liz and I were with my mother and my nephew, in my car. As I usually do, I played music through my phone while driving. This is why my sister is ready to strangle me.

For the third consecutive visit, I have my nephew singing country music. (I was good...for the sake of my nephew, I even skipped some of the more questionable songs on my playlist.)

[rubato]

She does not like country music? Heathen.

Just warm her up on Pinckard and Bowden and then go on to pure classics like "When You're Screwin' Other Women (Think of Me) "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKjzolqJwgY

So romantic.

yrs,
rubato

[Jarlaxle]

Just turn up the Leonard Cohen, Ozzie.

[rubato]

Just turn up the Leonard Cohen, Ozzie.

What is your fucking problem? I like country music. And I gave prime examples of same, sparky.

It is the Mag Genl who likes Leonard Cohen.

Now come on you emotionally retarded squirrel: "when you're screwing other women, think of me" is funny and draws from that deep well of country music genius.


yrs,
rubato

[Jarlaxle]

Stop it, Ozzie. Just fuck off.

[rubato]

Stop it, Ozzie. Just fuck off.

I got you, didn't I?

When your baby is hot but your fingers are not, Propane!



yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

Jeezsus you are a negative sack of shit aren't you? cheer up.

Well, when you're down on your luck and you ain't got a buck
In London you're a goner
Even London Bridge has fallen down and moved to Arizona
Now I know why

And I'll substantiate the rumor that the English sense of humor
Is drier than than the Texas sand
You can put up your Dukes, and you can bet your boots
But I'm leavin' just as fast as I can

I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo and Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever seen

Well, it's cold over here, and I swear
I wish they'd turn the heat on
And where in the world is that English girl
I promised I would meet on the third floor

And of the whole damn lot, the only friend I've got
Is a smoke and a cheap guitar
My mind keeps roamin', my heart keeps longin'
To be home in a Texas bar

I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo and Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever seen

Well, I decided that I'd get my cowboy hat
And go down to Marble Arch Station
'Cause when a Texan fancies, he'll take his chances
Chances will be taken, that's for sure

And them Limey eyes, they were eyein' the prize
Some people call manly footwear
And they said you're from down South and when you open your mouth
You always seem to put your foot there

I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo and Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever seen
... "

[Bicycle Bill]

Just turn up the Leonard Cohen, Ozzie.

What is your fucking problem? I like country music. And I gave prime examples of same, sparky.

It is the Mag Genl who likes Leonard Cohen.

Now come on you emotionally retarded squirrel: "when you're screwing other women, think of me" is funny and draws from that deep well of country music genius.


yrs,
rubato

It still doesn't begin to compare to the classic break-up song,
"(Get Your Tongue Out Of My Mouth Because) I'm Kissing You Good-bye".



-"BB"-

[Bicycle Bill]

Stop it, Ozzie. Just fuck off.

I got you, didn't I?

When your baby is hot but your fingers are not, Propane!

yrs,
rubato

I hate to stand up for Rube here, but he is actually quoting a Pinkard and Bowden song, "Propane" — a parody done to the melody of Eric Clapton's "Cocaine".  In fact, I've got one of their cassette tapes that has that song on it and have sung it a couple times at karaoke night, usually to an enthusiastic reception.



-"BB"-

[Lord Jim]

[liberty]

Do other styles of music other than country produce funny songs? It seems the only funny songs I have heard were Country.

[Bicycle Bill]

Do other styles of music other than country produce funny songs? It seems the only funny songs I have heard were Country.

See "Weird Al" Yankovic, who over the past thirty years or so has done many things with rock music such as "Yoda" to the Kinks' "Lola"; "Eat It" and "Fat" to Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and "Bad" respectively; "Amish Paradise" to Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise"; "My Bologna" to The Knack's "My Sharona"; and "Bohemian Polka" to Queen's famous "Bohemian Rhapsody", just to name a few.

-"BB"-

[Econoline]

But those are all parodies of existing rock songs. I can't offhand think of any rock songs that were written as intentionally funny from the get-go. (I'm sure there must be a few, but probably not many, and none come to mind right away.) There are many more country songs written with tongue firmly in cheek, or with a sly silent wink at the audience.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Maybe... on the other side of the water:

[Lord Jim]

I'm not going to argue that any of these were all that funny, but I'm sure they were intended to be:



(Yes, I know that Stevens was more CW then rock, but that one was clearly intended as a rock number)

[Bicycle Bill]

But those are all parodies of existing rock songs. I can't offhand think of any rock songs that were written as intentionally funny from the get-go. (I'm sure there must be a few, but probably not many, and none come to mind right away.) There are many more country songs written with tongue firmly in cheek, or with a sly silent wink at the audience.

I think that's because too many rock acts want to think of themselves as "artists", "edgy", or "innovators", pushing the envelope and expanding the scope of the medium, trying to become the next huge influence.  Although there are some who wrote and performed light, "fun", bouncy, and — dare I say it? — humorous stuff as well; trouble was, people dismissed the entire genre as "bubble-gum".

And then there's the fact that one man's humor is another man's pathos.  A song that I might consider to be "funny" — such as Loudon Wainwright's "Dead Skunk in the Middle" — might, to someone else, be considered an example of the songwriter's genius in taking such a mundane everyday situation and making a statement out of it.

-"BB"-

[rubato]

And there is always the immortal Ray Wylie Hubbard; "snake farm"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89VR_lZehw4

[Joe Guy]

Most of the rock bands and solo artists I've listened to have funny songs. They just aren't corny like country songs and with some of them the humor goes right over your cornball head...

Here's some by popular artists that I thought of without using google. A couple of them are more obscure than the others but any true music fan from yesteryear should know them. I'm sure there are hundreds more...

(do you know the artist?)

Werewolves of London
Short People
I Shall be Free No. 10 (extra points for this one)
Illegal Smile (kinda countryish)
Something Happened to me Yesterday (this one too)
D'yer Mak'er
Gimme Three Steps

[datsunaholic]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtffv9bpB-U

[Lord Jim]

Short People

Illegal Smile (kinda countryish)

Well, if you're going to include Randy Newman and John Prine, then there are other comedy songs like Dear Abby and Please Don't Bury me (Prine) and Naked Man and Political Science (Newman)...

And if you're going to include Prine and Newman, you should probably also include Steve Goodman and A Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request and Door Number Three...