Novelty Songs and Comedy Songs: Funny Hits, Weird Records, Parodies, and Viral Music

Novelty songs and comedy songs have always had their own strange little corner of popular music. Some are parody records. Some are funny story songs. Some are character songs. Some are viral videos. Some are holiday songs. Some are dance crazes. Some are so odd that nobody can quite explain how they became hits, which is part of the fun.

A novelty song usually depends on a joke, gimmick, character, sound effect, news event, trend, dance, catchphrase, or pop-culture moment. That means many novelty songs have a short shelf life. A song like Pac-Man Fever made perfect sense during the early-1980s arcade boom. A century from now, historians may have to explain why adults once shouted “Who let the dogs out?” in public and nobody called a meeting.

Some novelty songs last because they become part of holiday tradition, children’s music, sports culture, movie soundtracks, or family sing-alongs. Others survive because they are simply too weird to leave behind. From Monster Mash and The Purple People Eater to “Weird Al” Yankovic, Baby Shark, Gangnam Style, The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?), and White & Nerdy, novelty music keeps finding new ways to make people laugh, cringe, dance, quote, or surrender.

This page mixes old comedy records, novelty hits, parody songs, YouTube-era viral songs, kid-friendly oddities, comedy rap, musical jokes, and novelty-adjacent pop hits. Some are clever. Some are gloriously dumb. Some are both, which is the magic zone.

Best Novelty Songs and Comedy Songs

1. White & Nerdy – “Weird Al” Yankovic

White & Nerdy is one of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s sharpest and most successful modern parodies. Built from Chamillionaire’s Ridin’, it turns nerd culture into a full comedy identity without losing the musical polish. If novelty songs have a dean, Weird Al has tenure.

2. Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

Monster Mash is one of the great seasonal novelty songs. It began as a monster-movie joke and became a Halloween standard. The Boris Karloff-style vocal, fake laboratory setting, and dance-craze structure helped it stay alive long after most novelty records turned back into dust.

3. Baby Shark Dance – Pinkfong

Baby Shark Dance is the YouTube-era novelty monster. It is simple, repetitive, colorful, and almost impossible to forget once heard. Parents may have opinions, but the song’s global reach made it one of the biggest children’s novelty songs ever.

4. Gangnam Style – Psy

Gangnam Style proved that a novelty-flavored dance song could become a global internet event. Psy mixed satire, dance-pop, comedy visuals, and a giant hook into one of the defining viral music moments of the 2010s.

5. Eat It – “Weird Al” Yankovic

Eat It gave Weird Al his first major mainstream breakthrough by turning Michael Jackson’s Beat It into a food joke. It worked because the parody was funny, the video was memorable, and the target song was already enormous.

6. The Streak – Ray Stevens

The Streak captured a very specific 1970s fad: streaking. Ray Stevens turned the craze into a spoken-sung comedy record, complete with mock news coverage and escalating panic. It is a perfect example of a novelty song tied to a short-lived cultural moment.

7. Disco Duck – Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots

Disco Duck is exactly what the title promises. It is a disco novelty song with a duck voice, which means it is either brilliant or evidence that the 1970s had no adult supervision. Either way, people bought it.

8. They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! – Napoleon XIV

They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! is one of the strangest novelty hits of the 1960s. Its spoken delivery, marching rhythm, and escalating absurdity made it unforgettable. It is more weird than warm, so it works best as a historical novelty record rather than a casual singalong.

9. Amish Paradise – “Weird Al” Yankovic

Amish Paradise parodies Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise by placing the drama inside an exaggerated Amish setting. It became one of Weird Al’s best-known 1990s parodies and remains one of his most quoted songs.

10. Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men

Who Let the Dogs Out is a sports-arena, party, and playground novelty chant that became impossible to escape in the early 2000s. It is less a song than a cultural bark. That is not an insult; that is basically the job description.

YouTube-Era Novelty Songs and Viral Comedy Hits

YouTube changed novelty music. Older novelty records depended on radio, records, television, or word of mouth. Modern novelty songs can spread through videos, memes, dances, kid-friendly animation, reaction culture, and endless replay. The hook does not just need to be catchy; it needs to be shareable.

1. Baby Shark Dance – Pinkfong

2. Axel F – Crazy Frog

3. I Am a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song) – Gummibär

4. Gangnam Style – Psy

5. The Duck Song – Bryant Oden and Forrest Whaley

6. It’s Raining Tacos – Parry Gripp

7. Hamster Dance – Hampton the Hamster

8. The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) – Ylvis

9. Everything Is Awesome – Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island

10. Chocolate Rain – Tay Zonday

2000s Comedy and Novelty Songs

The 2000s kept novelty music alive through parody, reality-TV moments, comedy bands, viral sharing, and deliberately silly pop. Some songs came from traditional comedy. Some came from internet culture. Some came from the strange middle ground where nobody was sure whether the joke was on purpose.

1. White & Nerdy – “Weird Al” Yankovic
2. Because I Got High – Afroman
3. Tribute – Tenacious D
4. She Bangs – William Hung
5. The Hardest Part of Breaking Up (Is Getting Back Your Stuff) – 2gether
6. Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) – Aaron Carter
7. My Humps – The Black Eyed Peas
8. Chicken Noodle Soup – DJ Webstar and Young B
9. Baby Got Back – Richard Cheese
10. Osama—Yo’ Mama – Ray Stevens
11. I’m on a Boat – The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain
12. Lazy Sunday – The Lonely Island featuring Chris Parnell
13. Friday – Rebecca Black
14. Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
15. What’s New Pussycat? – Tom Jones, renewed through comedy use and pop-culture jokes

1990s Comedy and Novelty Songs

The 1990s gave novelty music a mix of parody, cartoon tie-ins, comedy albums, weird alternative hits, and songs that sounded like they escaped from a cable-TV commercial break. Weird Al was still central, but the decade had plenty of strange company.

1. Amish Paradise – “Weird Al” Yankovic
2. The Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
3. The Thanksgiving Song – Adam Sandler
4. Smells Like Nirvana – “Weird Al” Yankovic
5. This Is Ponderous – 2nu
6. Deep, Deep Trouble – The Simpsons
7. (Meet) The Flintstones – The B.C. 52’s
8. Three Little Pigs – Green Jellÿ
9. Redneck Games – Jeff Foxworthy and Alan Jackson
10. Turtle Power – Partners in Kryme
11. Barbie Girl – Aqua
12. Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
13. Detachable Penis – King Missile
14. Whoomp! (There It Is) – Tag Team
15. Macarena – Los del Río

1980s Comedy and Novelty Songs

No modern novelty artist has had the long-running success of “Weird Al” Yankovic. He broke through in the early 1980s and kept parody music commercially relevant through changing pop eras. His early Queen parody Another One Rides the Bus became part of his origin story, and songs like Eat It and Fat made him a pop-comedy institution.

1. Eat It – “Weird Al” Yankovic
2. Fat – “Weird Al” Yankovic
3. The Curly Shuffle – Jump ’N the Saddle Band
4. Shaddap You Face – Joe Dolce
5. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Eric Idle / Monty Python
6. Because I’m a Blonde – Julie Brown
7. Take Off – Bob & Doug McKenzie featuring Geddy Lee
8. You Look Marvelous – Billy Crystal
9. Meet the Flintstones – Bruce Springstone
10. Make My Day – T.G. Sheppard featuring Clint Eastwood
11. Pac-Man Fever – Buckner & Garcia
12. Valley Girl – Frank Zappa featuring Moon Unit Zappa
13. Rappin’ Duke – Shawn Brown
14. Da Da Da – Trio
15. Fish Heads – Barnes & Barnes

1970s Comedy and Novelty Songs

The 1970s were a golden age for novelty records tied to fads, radio bits, comedy albums, CB culture, streaking, disco, and oddball characters. Some of these songs were everywhere for a moment, then vanished like a leisure suit in daylight.

1. The Streak – Ray Stevens
2. Disco Duck – Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
3. King Tut – Steve Martin and The Toot Uncommons
4. My Bologna – “Weird Al” Yankovic
5. Mr. Jaws – Dickie Goodman
6. Earache My Eye – Cheech & Chong
7. Shaving Cream – Benny Bell
8. The Topical Song – The Barron Knights
9. Junk Food Junkie – Larry Groce
10. Do You Think I’m Disco? – Steve Dahl and Teenage Radiation
11. Dead Skunk – Loudon Wainwright III
12. Convoy – C.W. McCall
13. Telephone Man – Meri Wilson
14. Rubber Duckie – Ernie / Jim Henson
15. Basketball Jones – Cheech & Chong

1960s Weird Songs and Novelty Records

The 1960s had novelty records, odd pop experiments, comedy songs, dance jokes, and songs that now need a little historical distance. Some were meant to be silly. Some were strange art-pop moments. Some used stereotypes common to their time and are better understood as artifacts than evergreen playlist picks.

1. They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! – Napoleon XIV
2. Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Brian Hyland
3. Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp) – Allan Sherman
4. On Top of Spaghetti – Tom Glazer and The Do-Re-Mi Children’s Chorus
5. Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen
6. Tiptoe Through the Tulips – Tiny Tim
7. Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?) – Lonnie Donegan
8. Leader of the Laundromat – The Detergents
9. I Want My Baby Back – Jimmy Cross
10. My Pal Foot Foot – The Shaggs
11. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – The Beatles
12. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
13. A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
14. Fire – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
15. Short Shorts – The Royal Teens

1950s Comedy and Novelty Songs

The 1950s were loaded with novelty records because radio, early rock and roll, vocal effects, comedy albums, and character records all overlapped. Ross Bagdasarian, better known as David Seville, helped create one of novelty music’s biggest empires with Witch Doctor, Alvin and The Chipmunks, and The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late).

1. The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley
2. Witch Doctor – David Seville
3. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – The Chipmunks with David Seville
4. Alvin’s Harmonica – David Seville and The Chipmunks
5. Banana Boat Song (Day-O) – Stan Freberg
6. Stranded in the Jungle – The Cadets / The Jayhawks
7. The Flying Saucer – Buchanan and Goodman
8. The Thing – Phil Harris
9. What It Was, Was Football – Andy Griffith
10. Uh! Oh! – The Nutty Squirrels
11. Nuttin’ for Christmas – Art Mooney / Barry Gordon / many artists
12. Beep Beep – The Playmates
13. Yakety Yak – The Coasters
14. Charlie Brown – The Coasters
15. The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane – The Ames Brothers

Pre-1950 Comedy Songs and Early Novelty Records

Novelty music did not begin with rock and roll. The earliest commercial recording era already had comic songs, character songs, topical songs, vaudeville routines, children’s songs, patriotic satire, and novelty performances. Some early records reflected the humor and prejudices of their era, so they are best heard as recording-history artifacts rather than modern recommendations.

George Washington Johnson’s The Laughing Song was one of the most important early novelty recordings. Johnson, a formerly enslaved performer, became one of the first Black recording stars in the commercial cylinder era, and his laughing-based performances were widely known in the 1890s.

World War II also produced topical novelty and satire songs such as Der Fuehrer’s Face and (There’ll Be a) Hot Time in the Town of Berlin (When the Yanks Go Marching In), which used humor and mockery as wartime morale music.

• The Laughing Song – George Washington Johnson
• A Chicken Ain’t Nothin’ but a Bird – Cab Calloway
• Animal Crackers in My Soup – Shirley Temple
• Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – The Andrews Sisters
• Casey at the Bat – DeWolf Hopper
• Come Take a Trip in My Air-Ship – Billy Murray
• Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two) – various artists
• Der Fuehrer’s Face – Spike Jones
• I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream – Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians
• I’m Popeye the Sailor Man – Billy Costello
• Istanbul (Not Constantinople) – The Four Lads
• Inka Dinka Doo – Jimmy Durante
• Mairzy Doats – The Merry Macs
• Makin’ Whoopee – Eddie Cantor
• Minnie the Moocher – Cab Calloway
• My Own Grandpa – Lonzo and Oscar
• Shoo-Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy – Dinah Shore
• Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Billy Murray and the Haydn Quartet
• Three Little Fishies – Kay Kyser
• Tubby the Tuba – Danny Kaye
• Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? – various artists
• Yes! We Have No Bananas – Ben Selvin
• You Oughta Be in Pictures – Little Jack Little
• Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? – Bing Crosby
• I’m Against It – Groucho Marx

Parody Songs and Musical Spoofs

Parody songs are a major branch of novelty music. They work best when the original song is famous enough that listeners instantly recognize what is being twisted. A great parody needs a strong target, a clever angle, and enough musical accuracy to make the joke land.

• White & Nerdy – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Eat It – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Fat – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Amish Paradise – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Smells Like Nirvana – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Another One Rides the Bus – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• My Bologna – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• The Saga Begins – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Like a Surgeon – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Word Crimes – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Leader of the Laundromat – The Detergents
• Mr. Jaws – Dickie Goodman
• Do You Think I’m Disco? – Steve Dahl and Teenage Radiation
• The Topical Song – The Barron Knights
• Baby Got Back – Richard Cheese

Novelty Songs for Kids and Families

Some novelty songs became children’s favorites because they are repetitive, silly, animated, easy to sing, or centered on animals, food, sounds, or characters. These songs may test adult patience, but they are durable for a reason.

• Baby Shark Dance – Pinkfong
• The Duck Song – Bryant Oden and Forrest Whaley
• It’s Raining Tacos – Parry Gripp
• I Am a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song) – Gummibär
• Hamster Dance – Hampton the Hamster
• Rubber Duckie – Ernie / Jim Henson
• The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley
• Witch Doctor – David Seville
• The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – The Chipmunks with David Seville
• Alvin’s Harmonica – David Seville and The Chipmunks
• On Top of Spaghetti – Tom Glazer and The Do-Re-Mi Children’s Chorus
• Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp) – Allan Sherman
• I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream – Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians
• Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? – various artists
• Tubby the Tuba – Danny Kaye

Holiday Novelty Songs

Holiday novelty songs last longer than most novelty records because they get a yearly comeback. Christmas and Halloween are especially kind to musical weirdness. A song can be silly, seasonal, and somehow immortal if it fits the right holiday.

• Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers
• The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley
• The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – The Chipmunks with David Seville
• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer – Elmo & Patsy
• I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Gayla Peevey
• All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth – Spike Jones and His City Slickers
• Nuttin’ for Christmas – Barry Gordon / Art Mooney / many artists
• Dominick the Donkey (The Italian Christmas Donkey) – Lou Monte
• Christmas at Ground Zero – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• The Thanksgiving Song – Adam Sandler
• Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song – Adam Sandler
• Der Fuehrer’s Face – Spike Jones

Novelty Songs That Became Dance Crazes or Party Chants

Some novelty songs work because people can dance, chant, copy a move, or yell a phrase together. That turns the song into a group activity, which is one reason these records can outlast more serious songs.

• Gangnam Style – Psy
• Macarena – Los del Río
• The Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
• Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men
• Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
• Chicken Noodle Soup – DJ Webstar and Young B
• The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) – Ylvis
• PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen) – Pikotaro
• Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper
• Harlem Shake – Baauer
• Disco Duck – Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
• The Curly Shuffle – Jump ’N the Saddle Band
• Wah-Watusi – The Orlons
• Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Brian Hyland
• Short Shorts – The Royal Teens

Top 150 Novelty Songs and Comedy Songs

This big novelty songs list mixes parody songs, comedy hits, viral videos, children’s novelty songs, holiday oddities, old recording-era comedy pieces, dance crazes, strange pop hits, and musical jokes from more than a century of popular music.

1. White & Nerdy – “Weird Al” Yankovic
2. Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers
3. Baby Shark Dance – Pinkfong
4. Gangnam Style – Psy
5. Eat It – “Weird Al” Yankovic
6. The Streak – Ray Stevens
7. Disco Duck – Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
8. They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! – Napoleon XIV
9. Amish Paradise – “Weird Al” Yankovic
10. Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men
11. The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley
12. Witch Doctor – David Seville
13. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – The Chipmunks with David Seville
14. Axel F – Crazy Frog
15. I Am a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song) – Gummibär
16. The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) – Ylvis
17. The Duck Song – Bryant Oden and Forrest Whaley
18. It’s Raining Tacos – Parry Gripp
19. Hamster Dance – Hampton the Hamster
20. Chocolate Rain – Tay Zonday
21. Everything Is Awesome – Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island
22. Because I Got High – Afroman
23. Tribute – Tenacious D
24. She Bangs – William Hung
25. My Humps – The Black Eyed Peas
26. Chicken Noodle Soup – DJ Webstar and Young B
27. I’m on a Boat – The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain
28. Lazy Sunday – The Lonely Island featuring Chris Parnell
29. Friday – Rebecca Black
30. Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
31. Amish Paradise – “Weird Al” Yankovic
32. The Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
33. The Thanksgiving Song – Adam Sandler
34. Smells Like Nirvana – “Weird Al” Yankovic
35. This Is Ponderous – 2nu
36. Deep, Deep Trouble – The Simpsons
37. (Meet) The Flintstones – The B.C. 52’s
38. Three Little Pigs – Green Jellÿ
39. Redneck Games – Jeff Foxworthy and Alan Jackson
40. Turtle Power – Partners in Kryme
41. Barbie Girl – Aqua
42. Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
43. Macarena – Los del Río
44. Eat It – “Weird Al” Yankovic
45. Fat – “Weird Al” Yankovic
46. The Curly Shuffle – Jump ’N the Saddle Band
47. Shaddap You Face – Joe Dolce
48. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Eric Idle / Monty Python
49. Because I’m a Blonde – Julie Brown
50. Take Off – Bob & Doug McKenzie featuring Geddy Lee
51. You Look Marvelous – Billy Crystal
52. Meet the Flintstones – Bruce Springstone
53. Make My Day – T.G. Sheppard featuring Clint Eastwood
54. Pac-Man Fever – Buckner & Garcia
55. Valley Girl – Frank Zappa featuring Moon Unit Zappa
56. Rappin’ Duke – Shawn Brown
57. Da Da Da – Trio
58. Fish Heads – Barnes & Barnes
59. King Tut – Steve Martin and The Toot Uncommons
60. My Bologna – “Weird Al” Yankovic
61. Mr. Jaws – Dickie Goodman
62. Earache My Eye – Cheech & Chong
63. Shaving Cream – Benny Bell
64. The Topical Song – The Barron Knights
65. Junk Food Junkie – Larry Groce
66. Do You Think I’m Disco? – Steve Dahl and Teenage Radiation
67. Dead Skunk – Loudon Wainwright III
68. Convoy – C.W. McCall
69. Telephone Man – Meri Wilson
70. Rubber Duckie – Ernie / Jim Henson
71. Basketball Jones – Cheech & Chong
72. Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Brian Hyland
73. Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp) – Allan Sherman
74. On Top of Spaghetti – Tom Glazer and The Do-Re-Mi Children’s Chorus
75. Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen
76. Tiptoe Through the Tulips – Tiny Tim
77. Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?) – Lonnie Donegan
78. Leader of the Laundromat – The Detergents
79. I Want My Baby Back – Jimmy Cross
80. My Pal Foot Foot – The Shaggs
81. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – The Beatles
82. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
83. A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
84. Fire – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
85. Short Shorts – The Royal Teens
86. Alvin’s Harmonica – David Seville and The Chipmunks
87. Banana Boat Song (Day-O) – Stan Freberg
88. Stranded in the Jungle – The Cadets / The Jayhawks
89. The Flying Saucer – Buchanan and Goodman
90. The Thing – Phil Harris
91. What It Was, Was Football – Andy Griffith
92. Uh! Oh! – The Nutty Squirrels
93. Nuttin’ for Christmas – Barry Gordon / Art Mooney / many artists
94. Beep Beep – The Playmates
95. Yakety Yak – The Coasters
96. Charlie Brown – The Coasters
97. The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane – The Ames Brothers
98. The Laughing Song – George Washington Johnson
99. A Chicken Ain’t Nothin’ but a Bird – Cab Calloway
100. Animal Crackers in My Soup – Shirley Temple
101. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – The Andrews Sisters
102. Casey at the Bat – DeWolf Hopper
103. Come Take a Trip in My Air-Ship – Billy Murray
104. Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two) – various artists
105. Der Fuehrer’s Face – Spike Jones
106. I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream – Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians
107. I’m Popeye the Sailor Man – Billy Costello
108. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) – The Four Lads
109. Inka Dinka Doo – Jimmy Durante
110. Mairzy Doats – The Merry Macs
111. Makin’ Whoopee – Eddie Cantor
112. Minnie the Moocher – Cab Calloway
113. My Own Grandpa – Lonzo and Oscar
114. Shoo-Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy – Dinah Shore
115. Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Billy Murray and the Haydn Quartet
116. Three Little Fishies – Kay Kyser
117. Tubby the Tuba – Danny Kaye
118. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? – various artists
119. Yes! We Have No Bananas – Ben Selvin
120. You Oughta Be in Pictures – Little Jack Little
121. I’m Against It – Groucho Marx
122. PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen) – Pikotaro
123. Harlem Shake – Baauer
124. Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper
125. Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song – Adam Sandler
126. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer – Elmo & Patsy
127. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Gayla Peevey
128. All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth – Spike Jones and His City Slickers
129. Dominick the Donkey (The Italian Christmas Donkey) – Lou Monte
130. Christmas at Ground Zero – “Weird Al” Yankovic
131. Like a Surgeon – “Weird Al” Yankovic
132. The Saga Begins – “Weird Al” Yankovic
133. Word Crimes – “Weird Al” Yankovic
134. Another One Rides the Bus – “Weird Al” Yankovic
135. Cha Cha with the Zombies – The Upperclassmen
136. Spooky, Scary Skeletons – Andrew Gold
137. Everything Is Awesome – Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island

Novelty Song Trivia

Novelty Songs Often Have an Expiration Date

Many novelty songs are tied to a fad, slogan, movie, gadget, dance, or news event. That is why a song like Pac-Man Fever made perfect sense during the arcade boom but feels more like a time capsule now. Novelty music is often history wearing a rubber nose.

“Weird Al” Yankovic Became the King of Parody Songs

“Weird Al” Yankovic turned parody into a long-term pop career. His songs worked because they were not just jokes; they were musically accurate, carefully written, and released at moments when the original hits were still fresh in listeners’ minds.

Comedy Records Were Popular Before Rock and Roll

Novelty and comedy songs existed long before the rock era. Early recordings, vaudeville routines, Tin Pan Alley songs, wartime satire, and children’s records all helped build the novelty-song tradition before the 1950s.

YouTube Changed the Novelty Song Formula

Modern novelty songs often succeed because of video, repetition, dance moves, memes, and shareability. Baby Shark Dance, Gangnam Style, The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?), and PPAP show how a funny or strange song can become a global video event.

Holiday Novelty Songs Last Longer

Christmas and Halloween give novelty songs a yearly reason to return. That is why Monster Mash, The Chipmunk Song, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, and I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas keep coming back after ordinary fad songs fade.

Why Novelty Songs Still Work

Novelty songs still work because people like a break from serious music. A great novelty song can be a joke, a dance, a character, a sound effect, a parody, a meme, a holiday tradition, or a shared family annoyance that somehow becomes love after enough years.

The best novelty songs also capture their time. The Streak caught a 1970s fad. Convoy caught CB-radio culture. Pac-Man Fever caught arcade fever. Gangnam Style caught global video virality. Baby Shark caught the power of kid-driven repetition, which may be the strongest force in the known universe.

Comedy music can also be smarter than it looks. Parody songs show what was popular enough to be recognized. Topical songs show what people were talking about. Character songs show what made audiences laugh at the time. Even the silly songs become useful little postcards from pop culture.

That is why novelty songs never really disappear. They just change platforms. Yesterday’s cylinder record became the radio novelty hit, then the comedy single, then the MTV parody, then the YouTube video, then the meme. The joke keeps changing clothes, but it keeps showing up.

Sources and Further Listening

• Library of Congress: The Laughing Song by George Washington Johnson
• The Guardian: Pinkfong’s Baby Shark copyright case
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: favorite novelty songs