Ship of Fools: Humorous songs

Thread: Humorous songs Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

I'm auditioning for a "vaudeville" show. Need humorous songs. Double entendre is fine.

I have "Sweet Violets (tho it seems a bit tame as tease songs go), preacher and the bear, song of the sewer, does your chewing gum lose it's flavor.

What are some other playful or humorous songs?

Posted by venbede (# 16669) on :

Noel Coward?

Don't put your daughter on the stage Mrs Worthington.

O dear, mum's got the pains again, (That is the end of the news)

I've been to a marvellous party.

Posted by Enoch (# 14322) on :

Anything by Tom Lehrer.

Posted by Paddy O'Furniture (# 12953) on :

"Polka Dot Undies"?

Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :

I don't know much about vaudeville but this fits in well with music-hall

Ivor Biggun - Southern Breeze (a song about farting)

too rude?

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Flanders and Swann? You need men for them.

'Ilkley Moor Bah T'at' can be very good. There are all kinds of arrangements, some suitable for only for Rugby clubs!

Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :

Emmanuel Kant was a real pissant who was very rarely stable; Heidegger Heidegger was a boozy beggar who could think you under the table...

Posted by South Coast Kevin (# 16130) on :

Ha ha, 'yes' to Flanders and Swann and the Monty Python song about philosophers!

Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :

They were a kind of early version of Brabbins and Fyffe were they? [Biased]

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :

I had thought of recommending the Wolfe Tones' 'Some Say the Devil is Dead', but, on re-listening to it; reading the words and giving it considerable thought I think it probably definitely unsuitable.

Perhaps for a remote pub in the West of Ireland at 3.00 am one morning when the place is officially closed and everyone drunk out of their minds with nary a care in the world.

For polite company, sadly, nay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfTRMttapDc

Posted by Rosina (# 15589) on :

Are you female Belle Ringer - if so I find The prima donna's song by Victor Herbert - Art is calling to me.

Second hand rose

I want to sing in opera - (see the youtube with Patrician Routledge- priceless)

go down well with audiences ,however the one that always goes down the best is Blanche from Captain Beaky (do you remember him?) by Jeremy Lloyd

Unfortunately I can only find one you-tube clip of it and it is not good and the tune is completely wrong - but I can scan it for you if you send an email address.

When I offer to sing for my friends meaning "would you like to hear my Vissi d'arte from Tosca" they always say "sing us the one about the baby owl - Blanche" [Roll Eyes]

Good luck

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

I was going to suggest the Victor Herbert, too, Rosina. Hilarious when properly camped up. [Big Grin]

Posted by Rosina (# 15589) on :

yes it's fun and you can always change names to include your own local diva you would "oust" etc [Smile]

Posted by Rosina (# 15589) on :

I just remembered this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_6I50oXAVM

never sung it myself [Razz]

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

You might need permission but Mrs Beamish by Richard Stilgoe and Peter Skellern is a possibility.

Some others on this YouTube page are possibilities.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Rosina:
yes it's fun and you can always change names to include your own local diva you would "oust" etc

Like "Shirley"? [Biased]

Posted by tessaB (# 8533) on :

I don't know if you would need to clean it up a bit and whether it would work for just one voice but fascinating Aida Cheap flights just reduces me to giggles every time I hear it.

Posted by nickel (# 8363) on :

This would be good. In the notes it said it was sung by Groucho Marx in a 1939 movie:

youtube Muppets sing Lydia the Tattooed Lady

Richard Thompson has several songs that would be great for a vaudeville audience, but I don't know how to go about getting permission -- and don't know how you'd handle the music. Anyhow,you might consider: youtube- Richard Thompson - Dragging the River, or
youtube - Richard Thompson - My Daddy is a Mummy.

"Break a leg", and have fun [Big Grin]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Or plunder the 19th C music hall repertoire, which should be safely out of copyright.

I'm One of the Ruins That Cromwell Knocked Abaht a Bit?

Posted by georgiaboy (# 11294) on :

Depending on your audience, a sure hit might be William Bolcom's 'Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise,' which he wrote for his wife Joan Morris, in the persona of a club-woman. I haven't seen the music, but I presume it's published.
Bolcom & Morris's recording is IIRC on Youtube, which I can't access at the moment. (AARGH!)

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by georgiaboy:
Depending on your audience, a sure hit might be William Bolcom's 'Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise,' which he wrote for his wife Joan Morris, in the persona of a club-woman. I haven't seen the music, but I presume it's published.

Here are the lyrics. And here it is on You Tube.

Moo

Posted by kankucho (# 14318) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Flanders and Swann? You need men for them.

Why?

Unless you really feel the need to get all basso profundo in the glorious mud, their songs are completely unisexual, shirley?

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :

I must admit I can't really imagine Flanders & Swann songs being sung by a woman, but for the most part there's probably no reason why they shouldn't.

BR, how are you with patter songs? The Periodic Table set to the Major-General's song from Pirates of Penzance is pretty good. Or if you have a few voices, how about the Highway Code or the weather forecast to Anglican chant?

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

Y'all are amazing! Now I'm remembering -- where did I see it? -- a fun song about senior moments.

The show is in a community theater in a different town, so references to one church denomination or a person in my town (such as "Shirley") wouldn't make sense, but "I just don't look good naked anymore" -- love it! Easy to change a few words so it's sung by a woman instead of a man.

I asked about copyright, does all material have to be old or original, they said the show is exempt from copyright because it is a non-profit theater and the show is limited run and only in their own theater and no one is paid. Are they right? What do I know; I asked, not gonna hire my own expert.

It's a yearly show, assuming they accept me at audition any excess material can be used another year. So, more ideas most welcome!

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :

quote:
Originally posted by nickel:
This would be good. In the notes it said it was sung by Groucho Marx in a 1939 movie:

youtube Muppets sing Lydia the Tattooed Lady

If you're going for Groucho, I'd suggest "I'm against it" from Horse Feathers, but that might reflect my preference for that film - At the Circus was poor apart from the song. It might be asking a lot for anyone (let alone a woman) to adopt a song like this. When there's a well-known and idiosyncratic version of the song, you're caught between the options of mimickry and reinvention, neither of which will be easy.

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

Senior moments song

Video is terrible but the song is fun.

Posted by Timothy the Obscure (# 292) on :

quote:
Originally posted by piglet:
I must admit I can't really imagine Flanders & Swann songs being sung by a woman, but for the most part there's probably no reason why they shouldn't.

I think it would be quite a different, and appealing, thing to hear "Madeira, M'Dear" sung by a woman.

Posted by Horseman Bree (# 5290) on :

If you can lip-synch, this YouTube of Patsy Cline's "She's Got You" should be do-able.

Posted by Carex (# 9643) on :

Here is a link to the Searchable Mudcat Folksong Archives. You can enter any word or phrase and find songs containing it - for example: beer, gasoline, moose, or Alberta. Makes it easier to find songs for a particular topic. It also works for song authors and singers.

I'm sure you could manage a good vamp on

quote:
I've got those
Nobody loves me, nobody feeds me,
overflowing catbox blues.

Other possibilities:

I'm Gonna Tell
Sour Cream
The Folkie
The Last Saskatchewan Pirate

and lots more...

Posted by Steve_R (# 61) on :

Plenty of unny songs on Fred Welock's "Frolicks" album including "The Vicar and the Frog" and from other writers, Vatican Rag, Salvation Army Lassie, and Handier Household Help.

Alternatively you could also try the folk song version of Gerard Hoffnung's speach to the Oxford Union "Paddy and the Rope".

http://www.songsforteaching.com/paddysicknote.

Also available as "The Sick Note" from the Dubliners.

Posted by Think² (# 1984) on :

Elvis rip-off ? Or spoof revival ?

[ 22. April 2012, 21:17: Message edited by: Think² ]

Posted by Nicolemrw (# 28) on :

The Green-eyed Dragon with the Thirteen Tails. There's a youtube of someone singing it here:

Here

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