The Ink Panthers Show! Episode SiXXX
It’s the sexy sixth episode, and it’s super-sized! In this 40-minute bonanza, Mike and Alex spend a lot of time debating the definition of a novelty song, discussing the demise of trivia-related dinner conversation, and catching-up on domestic concerns: this time it’s all about installing air-conditioners. Also, there’s actually a little comics talk in there too. Comments welcome!
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It’s the iTunes! Awesome!
You guys are part of the “flooding the internet with false, poorly-researched information” problem.
THRILLER is reverential. MONSTER MASH is a comic, novelty send-up to Halloween/horror movies.
MY HUMPS is obviously a dance song. To call it a novelty song is like calling THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION a comedy cuz there are a couple of funny bits/aspects to the movie.
Wikipedia states that “Yakety Yak” became a #1 single on July 21, 1958, and is the only novelty song (#346) of the Songs of the Century. Since Thriller *is* one of the SofC, Wiki clearly agrees with me.
I like that you are basically saying that MY HUMPS is the SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION of dance songs.
I don’t see what “reverential” has to do with it. It’s still about Ghosts and Ghouls. THRILLER is basically just a more danceable version of WEREWOLF BAR MITZVAH.
Rob, your argument that “My Humps” is a dance song and therefore not a novelty number is ridiculous. It’s in the same category as “Barbie Girl” and “Too Sexy”: novelty dance songs.
“Reverence” has a lot to do with whether or not something is supposed to be funny/a parody or not. Irreverence is what makes comedy comedy. Jon Stewart might have some reverence for Obama, but when he’s making fun of him, he’s being irreverent.
THRILLER is reverential. It CELEBRATES horror movies. It was by definition an ode to horror movies.
BARBIE GIRL is making fun of the “plastic,” superficial, overly-pampered white, upscale young women’s lifestyle. It’s irreverent.
“MY HUMPS” is not making fun of narcissistic women like BARBIE GIRL is making fun of “plastic,” brainless bimbos. MY HUMPS seems more to be a dark celebration (maybe a warning) of the “I use sex to get what I want” mentality.
That said: BARBIE GIRL is a novelty song first, and a dance song second. MY HUMPS is just a dance song.
WEREWOLF BAR MIZVAH is a novelty song, in that it’s parodying THRILLER. THRILLER is thereby the paradized, not the parodyee.
I guess I never really thought about MY HUMPS seriously enough. Now it’s a dark warning to the kids to use caution as they exploit their sexuality. Wow, it really is THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION of dance songs.
You can parody a song that’s already a novelty song, like BAD by Michael Jackson (as explained in the episode) and the parody FAT by Weird Alan Yankovic.
I use the word “warning” for want of a better word. And it is a bit tongue-in-cheek about a girl who knows she’s sexy and uses it to get what she wants. But it’s not out-and-out parody/comedy/making fun. It’s more like, “Yep, they’re out there.”
BAD is not a novelty. Whether Michael qualified as “bad” or not, Michael was celebrating “Badness,” while “FAT” was making fun of both Michael’s song and fat people.
I think the fact that you’re straining so hard to parse the differences between MY HUMPS and BARBIE GIRL show how tricky it is to come up with a concrete definition of what a novelty song is.
I maintain, a novelty song is either annoying and mix-tape ruining (like MY SHARONA or ROCK THE CASBAH), or if it’s not annoying, it’s about silly/trivial subject matter (like THRILLER, MY HUMPS, and BARBIE GIRL).
I don’t think I strained at all: I think I stated the differences pretty clearly. If you define “novelty song” too broadly, they are no longer “novel.”
…I think what you are calling “novelty songs” are more aptly titled “songs mike doesn’t like.”