The 40 Funniest Songs Ever, from Monster Mash to Weird Al

What is the funniest song ever?

Many people would pick a Weird Al Yankovic parody such as "White & Nerdy" or "Amish Paradise", while others swear by Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue", Ray Stevens' "The Streak" or Monty Python's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". Funny songs have topped the charts for decades, from "Monster Mash" in 1962 to "What Does the Fox Say?" in 2013.

Novelty songs that went to number one

1. "The Purple People Eater", Sheb Wooley, 1958: a silly novelty hit about a friendly monster.
2. "Witch Doctor", David Seville, 1958: the sped-up voice trick that later created Alvin and the Chipmunks.
3. "Yakety Yak", the Coasters, 1958: a comic song about household chores, with a honking saxophone.
4. "Alley Oop", the Hollywood Argyles, 1960: a song about a caveman from the comic strip.
5. "Monster Mash", Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers, 1962: the Halloween dance craze.
6. "The Streak", Ray Stevens, 1974: a news reporter chases a streaker.
7. "Kung Fu Fighting", Carl Douglas, 1974: a disco smash that started as a B-side.
8. "Convoy", C.W. McCall, 1975: a CB radio story of truckers on the run.

Weird Al Yankovic's funniest songs

9. "White & Nerdy", 2006: his first top ten hit, a proud anthem for nerds.
10. "Amish Paradise", 1996: a parody of "Gangsta's Paradise" set on a farm.
11. "Eat It", 1984: his breakthrough parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat It".
12. "Fat", 1988: a "Bad" parody whose video won a Grammy.
13. "Smells Like Nirvana", 1992: a parody about not understanding the lyrics.
14. "Word Crimes", 2014: a grammar lesson set to "Blurred Lines".
15. "Another One Rides the Bus", 1980: his first hit, a Queen parody about a crowded bus.

Funny story songs

16. "A Boy Named Sue", Johnny Cash, 1969: Shel Silverstein's tale of a father's strange gift, a number two hit.
17. "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh", Allan Sherman, 1963: a homesick letter from summer camp.
18. "Charlie Brown", the Coasters, 1959: the class clown who is always in trouble.
19. "Gitarzan", Ray Stevens, 1969: a jungle man who becomes a rock star.
20. "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival", Ray Stevens, 1984: a squirrel loose in a church.
21. "Dead Skunk", Loudon Wainwright III, 1972: a road-trip hazard turned top 20 hit.
22. "I'm My Own Grandpa", Lonzo and Oscar, 1947: a family tree that twists back on itself.
23. "Red Solo Cup", Toby Keith, 2011: a goofy ode to a party staple.

Comedy classics

24. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", Monty Python, 1979: the cheerful finale of Life of Brian.
25. "The Lumberjack Song", Monty Python, 1969: a lumberjack with a surprising secret life.
26. "The Elements", Tom Lehrer, 1959: the periodic table sung at top speed.
27. "Short People", Randy Newman, 1977: a satire that many listeners took literally.
28. "Cocktails for Two", Spike Jones and His City Slickers, 1944: a lush ballad wrecked by sound effects.
29. "The Chanukah Song", Adam Sandler, 1994: a holiday roll call first sung on Saturday Night Live.
30. "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)", Flight of the Conchords, 2007: a deadpan love song.
31. "Rubber Duckie", Ernie, 1970: the Sesame Street bath-time anthem that reached the top 20.

Modern comedy hits

32. "What Does the Fox Say?", Ylvis, 2013: a Norwegian comedy video that became a top ten hit.
33. "Everything Is Awesome", Tegan and Sara with the Lonely Island, 2014: The Lego Movie's Oscar-nominated earworm.
34. "Barbie Girl", Aqua, 1997: a campy, bubblegum top ten hit.
35. "Who Let the Dogs Out", Baha Men, 2000: a Grammy-winning stadium chant.
36. "Dumb Ways to Die", Tangerine Kitty, 2012: a cute and very dark train safety campaign.
37. "The Hampster Dance Song", Hampton the Hampster, 2000: an early internet sensation.
38. "Shaddap You Face", Joe Dolce Music Theatre, 1980: a UK number one in a comic Italian accent.
39. "Albuquerque", Weird Al Yankovic, 1999: an epic, rambling story song that runs more than 11 minutes.
40. "Online", Brad Paisley, 2007: a country song about a man who is much cooler on the internet.

What makes a song funny?

The best funny songs work as songs first: a catchy melody, a strong chorus and a clever twist that pays off at the end. Some get their laughs from storytelling, like "A Boy Named Sue", others from wordplay, like Tom Lehrer's "The Elements", and parodies like Weird Al's take a song everyone knows and change just enough to surprise you. Sound effects, silly voices and a straight-faced delivery help too, which is why so many novelty hits feature sped-up voices, monster growls or deadpan narrators.

Weird Al and the art of the parody

"Weird Al" Yankovic started out sending accordion parodies to the Dr. Demento radio show as a teenager and has been the king of song parody ever since. He asks the original artists for permission before releasing a parody, and many, from Michael Jackson to Nirvana, have said they were honored. His 2014 album Mandatory Fun became the first comedy album to top the Billboard 200 in more than 50 years.

Dr. Demento and the novelty song tradition

Novelty songs have been part of popular music since the days of vaudeville, and in the 40s Spike Jones made a career of wrecking serious songs with cowbells, gunshots and car horns. From the 70s on, the syndicated Dr. Demento radio show kept the tradition alive, playing comedy records from Tom Lehrer, Allan Sherman and Ray Stevens alongside new discoveries, including a teenage Weird Al Yankovic. Today the same spirit lives on in viral videos and comedy TV songs.

Funny songs for a road trip

For a family road trip, mix "Convoy", "Dead Skunk", "Gitarzan", "Alley Oop" and "Albuquerque", which takes care of 11 minutes on its own. For more, see our road trip songs.

Funny songs for a birthday, a retirement or a roast

For a birthday party, "White & Nerdy", "Gitarzan" and "Who Let the Dogs Out" get laughs from every generation. For a retirement or a roast, "The Streak", "A Boy Named Sue" and "Short People" set a playful mood, and "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" is a cheerful send-off. For more, see our birthday songs and villain songs for a themed party.

Funny songs for kids

Kids love "Rubber Duckie", "The Purple People Eater", "Witch Doctor", "What Does the Fox Say?" and "Everything Is Awesome", and older kids will laugh at "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" and "The Elements". For more, see our kids songs.

Funny songs for weddings, Christmas and karaoke

At a wedding reception, a funny song breaks the ice during the bridal party entrance or the garter toss, and at Christmas the novelty songs come out in force. At karaoke, "A Boy Named Sue", "Barbie Girl" and "What Does the Fox Say?" are crowd-pleasers. For more, see our funny wedding songs, funny Christmas songs, funny love songs and best karaoke songs.

The funniest song is one about them

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