I watched Phil Nichol perform gay eskimo down in South Africa maybe 15 years ago. Just the funniest live comedy routine I have ever seen! He finished his bit by playing gay eskimo wearing only his guitar. Hilarious! FotC worthy #1 though 👍
Thank you Dominic! I'd never seen Newport State of Mind, hilarious! I'd forgotten Bantam Cock and the final line had me in tears of laughter. "Hole in the Ground" was the first record I ever bought, age 9 - I went halves with my mum:)
A fellow Lancashire comic singer/songwriter/friend of Jake Thackray's was Bernard Bolan, who moved to Australia and combined being a lawyer with singer/songwriter. He had a #1 hit in Oz with Rose Bay Ferry, but my favourite is Toorak Tram about Melbourne rush hour which contains the immortal verse:
"It seems to me, it's always me, whose fate it is to meet,
Someone whose behind requires three quarters of the seat,
With muscles clenched, I hover there, determined not to fall,
My time will come, I'll twitch my bum, and knock him through the wall!"
I think an under appreciated comedic song is on Roy Orbison's posthumously released "Mystery Girl". The song is called 'The Comedians'. The premise of the song is a guy takes his girl to the local carnival and she ends up running off with the Ferris wheel operator, leaving the guy stuck at the top of the wheel all night. It work beautifully because Orbison sang it straight, without any hint that it was a joke.
Another good one would be Weird Al Yankovic's "Skipper Dan" about an actor who can only find a job at a Disneyland type park as one of the jungle boat operators.
My wife and I are currently enjoying Kisses on a Postcard. (Your musical version) I have the audiobook too. We play an episode at bedtime just before we go to sleep. We love it so far.
She Loves You by Ted Chippington pulled on the heartstrings of the DJ Steve Wright. He played it often on his show in the 80's. He raved about it.
Two more popped into my head this morning..
Who Killed Bambi by the Sex Pistols and A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash👍
You missed out Tom Lehrer!!! The Elements is a classic and Poisoning Pigeons in the Park is my favourite....loads to choose from. Love Jake Thackray - saw him many years ago at the Beck Theatre in Hayes not long before he died - like many funny people, he was kind of melancholy.
Surely you have to know Remi Munasifi? Does brilliant parodies for Reason as well as on other topics he enjoys (mostly Magic the Gathering). He's also a libertarian - one for you:
Glaring omission - ‘National Shite Day’ by Half Man Half Biscuit.
Thank you - shall check
I watched Phil Nichol perform gay eskimo down in South Africa maybe 15 years ago. Just the funniest live comedy routine I have ever seen! He finished his bit by playing gay eskimo wearing only his guitar. Hilarious! FotC worthy #1 though 👍
It was amazing to see that song live for sure
No Tom lehrer? The best ever.
I know but he never quite did it for me to the same level …
Thank you Dominic! I'd never seen Newport State of Mind, hilarious! I'd forgotten Bantam Cock and the final line had me in tears of laughter. "Hole in the Ground" was the first record I ever bought, age 9 - I went halves with my mum:)
A fellow Lancashire comic singer/songwriter/friend of Jake Thackray's was Bernard Bolan, who moved to Australia and combined being a lawyer with singer/songwriter. He had a #1 hit in Oz with Rose Bay Ferry, but my favourite is Toorak Tram about Melbourne rush hour which contains the immortal verse:
"It seems to me, it's always me, whose fate it is to meet,
Someone whose behind requires three quarters of the seat,
With muscles clenched, I hover there, determined not to fall,
My time will come, I'll twitch my bum, and knock him through the wall!"
Even better when sung!
Thanks Steve. What a lovely lyric
I think an under appreciated comedic song is on Roy Orbison's posthumously released "Mystery Girl". The song is called 'The Comedians'. The premise of the song is a guy takes his girl to the local carnival and she ends up running off with the Ferris wheel operator, leaving the guy stuck at the top of the wheel all night. It work beautifully because Orbison sang it straight, without any hint that it was a joke.
Another good one would be Weird Al Yankovic's "Skipper Dan" about an actor who can only find a job at a Disneyland type park as one of the jungle boat operators.
I've added to the list. Thanks WJH
I reckon that your 17 million fuck offs was a classic of it's time
Why thank you sir
Its a thing of mine, I love quirky songs.
My wife and I are currently enjoying Kisses on a Postcard. (Your musical version) I have the audiobook too. We play an episode at bedtime just before we go to sleep. We love it so far.
She Loves You by Ted Chippington pulled on the heartstrings of the DJ Steve Wright. He played it often on his show in the 80's. He raved about it.
Two more popped into my head this morning..
Who Killed Bambi by the Sex Pistols and A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash👍
Lovely!
And for christmas Dominic the donkey, the Italian christmas donkey..
Oh and Marshmallow world by Dean Martin
You are a mine of musical comedy knowledge. I'm going to put all of these into a playlist
Just, thank you!
Oh and how could I have forgotten A Different Bob by The Colourblind James Experience
Oh God not even close Dom..
The end by the Associates?
Stalk of Wheat by They Might be Giants?
Loop di love by Shag?
United States of Whatever by Liam Lynch?
The Streak Ray Stevens?
Always look on the bright side of life Monty Python?
Stuart by The Dead Milkmen? (He's a crazed trailer park maniac)
Mrs Thatcher by Alexi Sayle?
Pretty fly for a white guy by Offspring?
Blue Soap by the Associates?
And 3 songs by the great Ted Chippington..
1. Pull up
2. She loves you
3. The wanderer
Au Contraire by They might be giants?
Some Crazy Bastard Wants to Hit Me by They Might Be Giants? (The whole Spine album is good to be fair)
The Belle of Snodland by Judge Dread
Willie Whitelaws Willie by Atilla the Stockbroker
Life is Shit by The Dead Milkmen
No Dom, there are much better out there in my humble opinion
Thanks for those. I didn't know some of them - will go check now.
You missed out Tom Lehrer!!! The Elements is a classic and Poisoning Pigeons in the Park is my favourite....loads to choose from. Love Jake Thackray - saw him many years ago at the Beck Theatre in Hayes not long before he died - like many funny people, he was kind of melancholy.
I'm so jealous that you got to see him. Yes, he was very melancholy. Depressed, alcoholic, didn't believe in himself etc
Tom Lehrer. So many people I admire love him. But he never really did it for me ...
O-o-o-o-h-h-h... heresy. Rob Wilton?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxbf5p5_qb0
I love it!
Surely you have to know Remi Munasifi? Does brilliant parodies for Reason as well as on other topics he enjoys (mostly Magic the Gathering). He's also a libertarian - one for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG7zLhEWanc
Ted Chippington - She Loves You / MightyRoberto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrEZZwRzMIw.
Ted Chippington - Pull Up / Robert Robot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DahbmuF3Xw
Alexei Sayle - Get Me Mrs Thatcher / tonedrunk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYctssK8HXQ
Ted Chippington The Wanderer 1987 / TheBudgie29
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8OfTH3MlSY
I'm not sure if you found them but here's a youtube link just in case.
One that still brings a smile is "Hate Speech" by Dominic Frisby.