Humor Folk Comedy Artists

Crates · Post by **Crates** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:17 am

Hi, guys! Long time listener... 37th time caller.

I've owned a guitar for nearly a decade now. Yet strangely enough, the first time I picked it up knowing that I actually intended to learn how to make it sound as if it were created for some musical purpose was roughly a year and a half ago, when I first discovered the stylings of Tenacious D. Something about how the charisma of Jack Black and the musical aptitude of Kyle Gass seemed to completely mask the fact that the lyrics often didn't make sense at all-- in some cases not even words at all-- was fascinating to me.

Since then, I've come to find great appreciation in other artists in this sort of folksy-comedy niche of music: Stephen Lynch, Sean Cullen, Flight of the Conchords... and almost anything classified as Nerdcore Rap for entirely different, but non-conflictingly, precisely the same reasons.

My question to those of you SongFighters with an inclination toward helpfulness is this: what other artists do you know of with a similar style of music (folk guitar mixed with comedy, specifically)? And more importantly... what artists or songs exclusive to SongFight would you recommend in this particular niche?

The next song I submit is likely to be along those lines... and it'd be embarrassing to put all kinds of work into addressing a subject that has already been "tapped out", so to speak.

Thanks in advance!

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:28 am

Uh... Smothers Brothers? Or Tom "T Bone" Stankus ("Existential Blues") maybe...

Neil Thrun in the archives here always came this close to a very blue comedy styling, but then I'm kind of sick & twisted in that vein. Niv? You're the SF Librarian Emeritus, d'you have anything more helpful than Neil to add?

If it doesn't suck, it won't be "tapped out" as you say.

Billy's Little Trip · Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:59 am

So Crates, you want to be the guy building the foundation of modern western philosophy, with significant contributions in the fields of critical reasoning, epistemology, ethics and the creation of the eponymous Socratic method? I'm a little Leary of this style.

....by the way, I'd like to point out that I'm the first one to use the new guys name in a comedic Greek Philosopher kind of way. Anyone to follow from this day on can be told, "it's been done"

Post by **Spud** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:01 am

The Limeliters

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:30 pm

Cledus T. Judd - although I don't like him all that much. He can be funny at times. (the weird al of country)

Rodney Carrington - He is hilarious. Love him. (Check out Dear Penis / Letter to My Penis) Although this leans country... well, it pretty much IS country...but a lot of his recordings are bare bones and often just involve him and a guitar.

OH OH OH...and check out the movie A Mighty Wind. While the songs are not exactly jokes themselves, they are very satirical. (as the 'folk artists' that perform them.) The Spinal Tap(s) of folk music.

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 1:04 pm

Hoblit wrote: Rodney Carrington - He is hilarious. Love him. (Check out Dear Penis / Letter to My Penis) Although this leans country... well, it pretty much IS country...but a lot of his recordings are bare bones and often just involve him and a guitar.

Funny that you would mention Rodney Carrington. I was going to, but I forgot after trying to be funny up tharr ^^^

I used Rodney's pickup truck song for a vid I made about my 4X4 Z71 that I sold earlier this year. Here >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdx3OlZuKHs
...and yes, that is me with short hair after I chopped it off for our local "locks of love" drive, in my truck club. Those are my boys, Christopher and Cody helping me.

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 2:00 pm

Tripod

Doug Anthony All Stars

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:44 pm

The Smothers Brothers are the kings of folk comedy. I'll try to get ya a tube video sometime, but I can't watch too much right now. Other folk groups did funny songs, e.g. The Kingston Trio's "MTA" but were not known for the funny as much as TSB. I don't really know the music you list so I don't know if that's similar or not. But you should really know these guys.
-bill

Reist · Post by **Reist** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:20 pm

Flight of the Conchords is pretty funny.

j$ · Post by j$ » Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:25 pm

I agree, FotC is good, and I normally hate novelty music. I particularly like The Humans Are Dead and also Albi The Racist Dragon

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you not Crates from MCCC, or whatever the name of the rap band was? planning a change of direction?

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 5:19 pm

Flight of the Conchords is honestly, without a doubt, the finest television program I have ever seen in my life. No joking. The best. Note the definite article.

Those fellows have also officially replaced Tenacious D as my favorite acousticomedy duo.

I watched quite a few episodes in a row, one day, and a bit later, I spoke to myself out loud, and it was in a New Zealand accent. I realized I'd been thinking in the accent all day. It had been totally unintentional. It was a little weird. Though I did decide that it was fun and that I ought to keep it up for a while.

Post by **Lunkhead** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 5:48 pm

Jonathan Richman doesn't always play acoustic, and he isn't always funny on purpose, but some of his stuff is funny acoustic music.

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:01 pm

Hoblit wrote:OH OH OH...and check out the movie A Mighty Wind. While the songs are not exactly jokes themselves, they are very satirical. (as the 'folk artists' that perform them.) The Spinal Tap(s) of folk music.

Did you know the guys that play the Folksmen are actually the core three members of Spinal Tap?

Me$$iah · Post by **Me$$iah** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:16 pm

Comedy folky guitar based singer/songwriter types start and end with the master:-
Jake Thackery

You can all thank me later.

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:57 pm

Oh, I almost forgot about Demetri Martin. Kind of new, but very funny and plays guitar and harmonica quite a bit.

Paco Del Stinko · Post by **Paco Del Stinko** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 5:14 am

J$ wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you not Crates from MCCC

I believe that's him and he and another fella entered an acoustic song many months ago, but I can't remember which fight. (Am I being a tattle-tale?)

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 7:51 am

Lord of Oats wrote:
Hoblit wrote:OH OH OH...and check out the movie A Mighty Wind. While the songs are not exactly jokes themselves, they are very satirical. (as the 'folk artists' that perform them.) The Spinal Tap(s) of folk music.
Did you know the guys that play the Folksmen are actually the core three members of Spinal Tap?

*Yes.

Also note that all the actors in A Mighty Wind are also in Best In Show and mostly in *Waiting for Guffman. (*Which those three also wrote songs for)

the idiot king · Post by **the idiot king** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:55 am

would the mighty boosh count?

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:43 pm

Hoblit wrote:
Lord of Oats wrote:
Hoblit wrote:OH OH OH...and check out the movie A Mighty Wind. While the songs are not exactly jokes themselves, they are very satirical. (as the 'folk artists' that perform them.) The Spinal Tap(s) of folk music.
Did you know the guys that play the Folksmen are actually the core three members of Spinal Tap?
*Yes.

Also note that all the actors in A Mighty Wind are also in Best In Show and mostly in *Waiting for Guffman. (*Which those three also wrote songs for)

Picked up a DVD the other day - Mighty Wind, Best in Show and Guffman all on the one disk for $15. I'm so happy.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:16 pm

I am surprised nobody's mentioned John Coulton. (Okay his recordings aren't usually acoustic guitar BUT his live performances are, and there's a lot of those on YouTube.)

I am less surprised that nobody's mentioned that this thread is more suitable for 'currently digging' since it's not about actual recording gear or techniques.

Tonamel · Post by **Tonamel** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:37 pm

I'll add Hard N Phirm to this list.

While not specifically folk, they are musicians, and they are hilarious.

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:53 pm

Dan Bern