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'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' - Napoleon XIV -

One of the very first novelty songs to enjoy global success, 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' was released in 1966 by Napoleon XIV, actually a guy named Jerry Samuels. The title alludes to a mentally disturbed individual and his impending committal to a "funny farm"—slang for a psychiatric hospital. But there's a twist in the tale, quite literally.

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'Barbie Girl' - Aqua -

Back in 1997m Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua gleefully took Barbie well out of her comfort zone, inviting her to party against her better judgement. 'Barbie Girl,' essentially a parody of Mattel's favorite model, became a huge worldwide hit.

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'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini' - Brian Hyland -

Brian Hyland's 1960 version of 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini' was a worldwide hit. In 1990, a version by British pop band Bombalurina topped the UK charts.

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'The Ketchup Song' - Las Ketchup -

Spanish pop trio Las Ketchup scored a hit in 2002 with 'The Ketchup Song.' In the video or when sung live, the nonsensical chorus is accompanied by an irresistible novelty dance routine.

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'Monster Mash' - Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers -

Released in 1962, 'Monster Mash' was written by Bobby Pickett. The song, featuring Pickett's impersonations of veteran horror stars Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, was an instant success, peaking at no. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

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'The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)' - Ylvis -

In 2013, Norwegian comedy duo brothers Vegard and Bård Ylvisåker, otherwise known as Ylvis, released 'The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?),' one of the few electronic novelty dance songs.

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'Eat It' - "Weird Al" Yankovic -

Comedy music artist "Weird Al" Yankovic is especially known for his reworking of two Michael Jackson compositions, 'Beat It' and 'Bad.' In 1984, 'Beat It' became 'Eat It,' a parody where Yankovic changed the lyrics to describe the exasperation of a parent in trying to get their fussy child to eat anything at all, much less to eat properly.

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'The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)' - Alvin and the Chipmunks -

A novelty Christmas song released in 1958, 'The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)' was recorded at different speeds to produce high-pitched "chipmunk" voices, with the vocals credited to Alvin and the Chipmunks.

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'The Laughing Gnome' - David Bowie -

Back in 1967, a little-known English singer called David Bowie released a song called 'The Laughing Gnome.' It failed to raise a smile. But on its re-release in 1973, it reached number six on the British charts. By all accounts Bowie resisted the temptation on several occasions to perform 'The Laughing Gnome' live.

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'My Ding-a-Ling' - Chuck Berry -

In 1972, rock and roll legend Chuck Berry took a huge gamble with 'My Ding-a-Ling.' But it paid off handsomely, becoming his only no. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single in the United States. The innuendo-filled lyrics prompted some radio stations to refuse to play it, which, of course, only added to the song's popularity.

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'The Lumberjack Song' - Monty Python -

With verses that include the lyrics "He cuts down trees, he eats his lunch / He goes to the lavatory / On Wednesdays he goes shoppin' / And has buttered scones for tea," Monty Python's 'The Lumberjack Song' hails as one of the most memorable of all novelty songs.

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'The Ying Tong Song' - The Goons -

Before Python, however, there was the Goons—Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, and Michael Bentine. Together this anarchic foursome produced some of the best comedy to come out of 1950s Britain. In 1956, the quartet released a record, 'The Ying Tong Song.' This nonsense song, consisting of small verses interspersed by a completely nonsensical chorus, is pure genius.

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'You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)' - The Beatles -

Easily the weirdest song in the Beatles' catalogue, 'You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)' was part recorded in 1967 and completed in 1969. It's written as a musical hall comedy, with Lennon and McCartney introducing different singers (themselves) throughout. For those who were wondering, the saxophone playout is performed by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones.

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'The Streak' - Ray Stevens -

Country singer Ray Stevens successfully tapped into the popular mid-'70s craze of streaking with his 1974 novelty song, 'The Streak.' It ran to the top of the charts in the US and UK, eventually selling over five million copies internationally.

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'Coconut' - Harry Nilsson -

Harry Nilsson's catchy, wacky 'Coconut' is heard over the end credits of Quentin Tarantino's 'Reservoir Dogs' (1992). Older music fans will likely recall its original release, way back in 1971.

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'King Tut' - Steve Martin -

Steve Martin first performed 'King Tut' on 'Saturday Night Live' in 1978. Backed by the—wait for it—Toot Uncommons, Martin took the song to no. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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'Tiptoe Through the Tulips' - Tiny Tim -

Tiny Tim, known for his falsetto voice and prowess on the ukulele, turned 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips,' originally recorded in 1929, into a novelty hit sensation in 1968. It became the American entertainer's signature song.

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'(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?' - Patti Page -

A novelty song perennial, '(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?' was recorded by Patti Page in late 1952, replete with puppy dog barks. The song remains widely popular in the US and across the world, especially with kids.

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'Snoopy vs. the Red Baron' - The Royal Guardsmen -

Florida-based pop group The Royal Guardsmen flew 'Snoopy vs. the Red Baron' all over the world, the song selling close to three million copies. The band went on to record several other Snoopy-themed songs.

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'Shaddap Your Face' - Joe Dolce -

Joe Dolce had a worldwide hit in 1980 with 'Shaddap Your Face.' The singer-songwriter, who is Italian-American, based his composition on childhood memories while growing up in Ohio.

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'Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh' - Allan Sherman -

Nutty Allan Sherman recorded 'Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh' in 1963. Lovers of classical music will recognize the melody, taken from the ballet 'Dance of the Hours' from the opera 'La Gioconda' by Amilcare Ponchielli. The song is included on Sherman's album, 'My Son, the Nut.'

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'Gimme Dat Ding' - The Pipkins -

Anybody growing up in Britain in the early 1970s will remember this delightful little ditty. 'Gimme Dat Ding,' released in 1970 by pop duo The Pipkins, also made them laugh in the US and Canada.

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'Convoy' - C.W. McCall -

'Convoy,' released in 1975 by C.W. McCall, capitalized on the fad for citizens band (CB) radio. More than that, the novelty song was the inspiration for the 1978 Sam Peckinpah film 'Convoy.' McCall re-recorded the track to follow the storyline.

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'My Old Man's a Dustman' - Lonnie Donegan -

British skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan's evergreen 1960 hit 'My Old Man's a Dustman' features this wonderful chorus: "Oh, my old man's a dustman / He wears a dustman's hat / He wears cor blimey trousers / And he lives in a council flat."

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'Remember You're a Womble' - The Wombles -

The fictional pointy-nosed furry creatures known as Wombles made their UK television debut in 1973 as stop-motion animated beasts living on Wimbledon Common. By 1974 they were, er, appearing live on music shows as a band. The novelty act was the idea of songwriter and producer Mike Batt.

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'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)' - Benny Hill -

One of Britain's best-loved comedians, Benny Hill delivered a successful chart-topping single in  1971 called 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West).' The song's storyline was actually based on Hill's experience working as a milkman before he found fame on television.

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'The Smurf Song' - Father Abraham -

Dutch musician Pierre Kartner, better known as Father Abraham, had a hit in 1978 with 'The Smurf Song.'

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'The Purple People Eater' - Sheb Wooley -

An early novelty song success, 'The Purple People Eater' was a surprise hit for Sheb Wooley back in 1958. It's all about a strange creature from outer space who wants to join a rock and roll band.

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'Leader of the Laundromat' - The Detergents -

A hilarious spoof of the Shangri-Las' 1964 hit 'Leader of the Pack,' 1965's 'Leader of the Laundromat' was a success in its own right, giving the Detergents a top 20 smash on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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'Does the Spearmint Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?' - The Happiness Boys -

And finally to arguably the first novelty song of note, 'Does the Spearmint Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?' was recorded in 1924 by the Happiness Boys (Ernie Hare and Billy Jones). In 1959, Lonnie Donegan released his version known as 'Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On the Bedpost Overnight?)' to great success.

Sources: (The Washington Post) (Britannica) 

See also: The best duets in music history

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