Weekend Listomania: Special "A Good Joke is Worth a Thousand Guitar Riffs" Edition

[I originally posted a version of this in 2008(!), back when the world and this blog were young. I'm reviving it now primarily because given the appalling times in which we currently live, we could all use a hearty laugh. And also because one of today's subjects was just featured in Rob Reiner's wonderful new Albert Brooks documentary, which is available for streaming at various brand name outlets, and is highly recommended. In any case, I've done some rewriting and inserted some new choices, just to prove I'm not the senile slacker you all (justifiably) think I am. You're welcome very much.--S.S.]

Well, it's Friday, and you know what that means. Yes, I don't have a vaguely smutty topical joke, so let's get directly to business:

ALL-TIME FAVORITE ROCK-ERA MUSICAL PARODY OR NOVELTY RECORD!!!!!!

You know -- the funniest, the silliest, the one that best punctures somebody's pomposity, or however you define it.

Okay, here's my totally top of my head Top Ten:

10. Robbie Fulks -- Fountains of Wayne Hotline

Everything about that is priceless, although my favorite bit is "Oh -- that Gerald." Anyway, I don't know for a fact, but I'd like to think the late Adam Schlesinger thought this was as funny as I do.

9. Albert Brooks -- Party From Outer Space

From Brooks' 1975 A Star is Bought album, which is one of the all-time comedy masterpieces. The track, of course, is a tribute to the Buchanan and Goodman flying saucer break-in records (see below); the gimmick here being that Albert used fake records he himself had written to ensure he got the royalties.

8. Little Roger and the Goosebumps -- Stairway to Gilligan

Led Zep's management got this record banned back in the day, but in 2000 Robert Plant decided it was funny, so it's now on CD.

7. Bob and Doug McKenzie -- Take Off

Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas meet Geddy Lee, and then they all go out for a Molson.

6. Steve Martin -- King Tut

It's rarely said, but nonetheless true -- Steve Martin is a great dancer.

5. Weird Al Yankovic -- Dare to Be Stupid

A Devo parody that's actually better than the real Devo. "Mashed potatoes can be your friend." Indeed.

4. Napoleon XIV -- They're Coming to Take Me Away (Ha-Ha!)

An obvious choice, I know, but hey -- some high school friends of mine can be heard yelling in the background on this one. True story -- buy me a drink sometime, and I'll tell it to you....

3. The Diamonds -- Little Darlin'

These guys were actually a bunch of jazzbo snobs who thought the song (previously a minor doowop hit written by Maurice Williams, of "Stay" fame) was moronic crap and were goofing all over it. It is one of the great ironies of our time that the result is simultaneously one of the most exciting rock records ever AND an outsiders parody of the genre.

2. Buchanan and Goodman -- The Flying Saucer

The original break-in record, and an amazing technological feat in the days before sampling.

And the number one You Gotta Be Kidding comedy record of the rock era is, it's not even close, so don't gimme any crap about this is ---

1. Linda Laurie -- Ambrose (Part 5)

This record haunted my childhood, and at the time I assumed it was a monster national hit. Later, of course, I discovered it was only a local phenom -- I've never run into anybody who remembers it who wasn't also from the Tri-State Metropolitan Area. Perhaps not such a surprise, given Ms. Laurie's vintage New Yawk delivery and the single's subterranean subway milieu.

Oh, and as a special bonus, because I love you all more than food, I'm including here Ms. Laurie's utterly charming 1959 appearance as a contestant on TV's To Tell the Truth. She's really cute, no? And stick around till the end of the clip -- she actually does the Ambrose voice.

Man, that just kills me.

Anyway -- alrighty, then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!