Mind if I go ahead of you? Here's one that you should recognize because... YOU posted it a Christmas or two (or three or four) ago. Its one of those "novelty" songs that were so popular back in the 50's and 60's. You guys remember when the news guys used to sound like that? Click HERE! and guess the year it came out. It is SO dated that you guys should get real close. And to think this was considered pretty humorous at the time.
I guess there a lot of different sub-categories for "novelty" songs. There are the goofy, original songs, like "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" and "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"; the parody songs, like "Walking in Women's Underwear"; and the "anthology" songs, like "Santa and the Flying Saucer." Any of them could be an acquired taste, I suppose. Cued by Sudo's post, I tried to find a link to "Batman and His Grandmother," which I remember fondly from my youth. Sadly, I could only find m3u files. (It would take someone of Sudo's calibre to transform for us -- hint.)
It turns out Dickie Goodman did ALL of them: "Santa and the Flying Saucer," "Santa and the Satellite," Batman and His Grandmother," "Mr. Jaws," et al. (Oh, and bulwinkl's revised guess is still three years to late.)
Ohhhh!! Aren't you something?? I don't imagine you'd tell where you got that song would you? I've got some interesting ones as well, though they don't really belong on the Nostalgia thread.
Hiway29.... If I remember correctly, I was of the same opinion as you back then. I don't think I ever really thought those kinds of novelty songs were funny either. However, they soared to the top of the charts so SOMEBODY had to think they were funny.
Ditto to Hiway and Sudo's impression of "novelty" songs. I never heard one that I'd describe as anything but "LAME".
I always thought that most of 'em were the product of one local d-jay or another. We had one in the Seattle area, I think he called him "Robert O. Smith" IIRC. He did a song called "Walter Wart the Freaky Frog", and a few others. I had the same opinion of his songs as I did of anyone else's. Strained, silly, and just not funny.
But then Robert O. started hosting a local Late-night horror movie show. On T.V. he billed himself as "Dr. Zinger" - again IIRC, and he was hilarious. We would actually stay home on Friday nights just to catch his show.
As for the rest of the genre "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" and such like, - long grooooooaann...
We're sounding like a bunch of Scrooges here I know.
Re:"As for the rest of the genre "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" and such like, - long grooooooaann..."
I never have been able to understand that song's popularity. It doesn't even make sense. What? The reindeer were hit-and-run artists??? And that led Grandpa and the grandson into becoming Santa believers? I would think that those rednecks would be setting bear traps for Santa next Christmas.. he killed grandma!!
We have a music station we play in the office that started playing Christmas music.... the week BEFORE Thanksgiving! I can understand because it is the most listened to music station in Memphis offices and places of business. You know the type.. soft rock. lots of The Carpenters and Chipmunk Love kind of stuff. No one's going to get offended by listening to it like they would if alternative rock or heavyMutha' rap were coming out the speakers. So businesses love it when Christmas music is coming out of the speakers to get the shoppers in a buying mood.
But they play the same songs every day. Little Michael Jackson's 'I saw Mommy Kissing Santa' is a daily favorite as is hearing Bing Crosby's White Christmas maybe three of four times in an eight hour period. I guess I'm going to have to post the songs here that you would never hear on our easy listening soft rock station, huh?
Did anybody else ever slow down the "Chipmunks" recordings to hear how the guys sounded in real life?
There used to be some record players that had a "16 1/2" setting on the speed of the turntable. If you put the record on at that speed you could hear the actual sound of the singers. It was a little odd, as I recall, in that they had to enunciate very clearly and actually sung quite slowly. Musta been a bit of a chore to get it right...
I just got a minute but I wanted to tell you I liked that clip as well. I have a novelty song I'll post when I get home... if my internet connection is back up. I was going to do it yesterday but my internet connection was screwey. I think ya'll might like it.
Oh.. maybe after listening you WON'T be so delighted. This one is just perfect for those who have had their fill with hearing Alvin and the chipmonks played over and over on the radio. Click HERE!
Okay, call me lame, but I liked those "novelty" songs when I was a kid. But, I laugh at Dr Demento humor, too.
I LOVE the Chipmunks Christmas album. My late grandmother used to have us kids play it over and over and over again at her house. It was a big deal when we got to be old enough to be trusted to turn the album over on our own.
Better than any Christmas gift was the first time I heard Mama Nina say those words, "Belle, please go turn the Chipmunks record over."
I have some good (by my taste ) clips but don't know how to post them.
p.s. Sudo, I liked that man singing, but still don't have any idea what movie that is from. :)
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Sudo
Rick,
Mind if I go ahead of you? Here's one that you should recognize because... YOU posted it a Christmas or two (or three or four) ago. Its one of those "novelty" songs that were so popular back in the 50's and 60's. You guys remember when the news guys used to sound like that? Click HERE! and guess the year it came out. It is SO dated that you guys should get real close. And to think this was considered pretty humorous at the time.
sudo
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bulwinkl
1961 is the year I guess
edited to revise it to 1959
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ChattyKathy
I don't have any clues but I wanted to say hi......
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hiway29
I thought those 'novelty' recordings were pretty stupid when I was a kid. Time has not changed my opinion.
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GeorgeStGeorge
I guess there a lot of different sub-categories for "novelty" songs. There are the goofy, original songs, like "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" and "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"; the parody songs, like "Walking in Women's Underwear"; and the "anthology" songs, like "Santa and the Flying Saucer." Any of them could be an acquired taste, I suppose. Cued by Sudo's post, I tried to find a link to "Batman and His Grandmother," which I remember fondly from my youth. Sadly, I could only find m3u files. (It would take someone of Sudo's calibre to transform for us -- hint.)
It turns out Dickie Goodman did ALL of them: "Santa and the Flying Saucer," "Santa and the Satellite," Batman and His Grandmother," "Mr. Jaws," et al. (Oh, and bulwinkl's revised guess is still three years to late.)
George
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hiway29
I kind of liked novelty songs that were actually songs.
Those Dickie Goodman things never struck me as being as clever as they liked to think they were. Even to my 8 year old tastes.
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bulwinkl
george Batman and his grandmother
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Sudo
Bulwinkl,
Ohhhh!! Aren't you something?? I don't imagine you'd tell where you got that song would you? I've got some interesting ones as well, though they don't really belong on the Nostalgia thread.
Hiway29.... If I remember correctly, I was of the same opinion as you back then. I don't think I ever really thought those kinds of novelty songs were funny either. However, they soared to the top of the charts so SOMEBODY had to think they were funny.
sudo
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bulwinkl
I can't remember actually I just googled it and found it
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George Aar
Yeah,
Ditto to Hiway and Sudo's impression of "novelty" songs. I never heard one that I'd describe as anything but "LAME".
I always thought that most of 'em were the product of one local d-jay or another. We had one in the Seattle area, I think he called him "Robert O. Smith" IIRC. He did a song called "Walter Wart the Freaky Frog", and a few others. I had the same opinion of his songs as I did of anyone else's. Strained, silly, and just not funny.
But then Robert O. started hosting a local Late-night horror movie show. On T.V. he billed himself as "Dr. Zinger" - again IIRC, and he was hilarious. We would actually stay home on Friday nights just to catch his show.
As for the rest of the genre "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" and such like, - long grooooooaann...
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Sudo
Geo,
We're sounding like a bunch of Scrooges here I know.
Re:"As for the rest of the genre "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" and such like, - long grooooooaann..."
I never have been able to understand that song's popularity. It doesn't even make sense. What? The reindeer were hit-and-run artists??? And that led Grandpa and the grandson into becoming Santa believers? I would think that those rednecks would be setting bear traps for Santa next Christmas.. he killed grandma!!
We have a music station we play in the office that started playing Christmas music.... the week BEFORE Thanksgiving! I can understand because it is the most listened to music station in Memphis offices and places of business. You know the type.. soft rock. lots of The Carpenters and Chipmunk Love kind of stuff. No one's going to get offended by listening to it like they would if alternative rock or heavyMutha' rap were coming out the speakers. So businesses love it when Christmas music is coming out of the speakers to get the shoppers in a buying mood.
But they play the same songs every day. Little Michael Jackson's 'I saw Mommy Kissing Santa' is a daily favorite as is hearing Bing Crosby's White Christmas maybe three of four times in an eight hour period. I guess I'm going to have to post the songs here that you would never hear on our easy listening soft rock station, huh?
sudo
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GeorgeStGeorge
Thanks, Bulwinkl!
Obviously, I'm in the minority here, but I STILL like "Batman and His Grandmother."
Hey, it's the season to be jolly!
George
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ChattyKathy
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hiway29
The other nice thing about that clip is that it's from the ONLY good Chipmunk show, the 1961 version.
Forget the 80's cartoons, and especaially the new computer animated thing. The original 'Alvin Show', was the real deal.
This Christmas novelty song was one I DID like, and still do.
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George Aar
Did anybody else ever slow down the "Chipmunks" recordings to hear how the guys sounded in real life?
There used to be some record players that had a "16 1/2" setting on the speed of the turntable. If you put the record on at that speed you could hear the actual sound of the singers. It was a little odd, as I recall, in that they had to enunciate very clearly and actually sung quite slowly. Musta been a bit of a chore to get it right...
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ChattyKathy
I agree hiwayman! :)
And Geo did the slow downed version say Paul is dead?
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GeorgeStGeorge
I thought David Seville recorded all the tracks. No small feat, back then.
George
And if you play it BACKWARD, it says, "Theodore is dead"!
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ChattyKathy
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Sudo
Kathy,
I just got a minute but I wanted to tell you I liked that clip as well. I have a novelty song I'll post when I get home... if my internet connection is back up. I was going to do it yesterday but my internet connection was screwey. I think ya'll might like it.
sudo
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ChattyKathy
Looking forward to it. :)
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Sudo
Kathy,
Re:"Looking forward to it."
Oh.. maybe after listening you WON'T be so delighted. This one is just perfect for those who have had their fill with hearing Alvin and the chipmonks played over and over on the radio. Click HERE!
sudo
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ChattyKathy
:o :unsure: poor little guys :)
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Ca_dreaming
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Belle
Okay, call me lame, but I liked those "novelty" songs when I was a kid. But, I laugh at Dr Demento humor, too.
I LOVE the Chipmunks Christmas album. My late grandmother used to have us kids play it over and over and over again at her house. It was a big deal when we got to be old enough to be trusted to turn the album over on our own.
Better than any Christmas gift was the first time I heard Mama Nina say those words, "Belle, please go turn the Chipmunks record over."
I have some good (by my taste
) clips but don't know how to post them.
p.s. Sudo, I liked that man singing, but still don't have any idea what movie that is from. :)
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