4 Goofy 1970s Songs That Are Impossible Not to Sing Along To

Some songs are so absurd, silly, or goofy that singing along with them is as entertaining in a comedic sense as it is a musical one. Comedy can occasionally compensate for melody and rhythm and vice versa. And in the best circumstances, these entertaining qualities all come together to make an infectious hit, as in the case of these four goofy songs from the 1970s that are impossible not to sing along to.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

Freddie Mercury is one of the greatest rock vocalists who have ever lived, and that’s no joke. There is plenty of “Bohemian Rhapsody” that is somber and, in some cases, even gut-wrenching. However, how could someone not sing along to the off-the-wall third verse? Octave jumps and silly voices not necessary, but they make it more fun. 

“I see a little silhouetto of a man / Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango? / Thunderbolt of lightning, very, very frightening me / Galileo (Galileo), Galileo (Galileo), Galileo Figaro / Magnifico!”

“Coconut” by Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson adopts two different voices to tell the story behind his 1972 hit “Coconut”. One is a woman who is complaining to her doctor about a bellyache. The other voice is a pseudo-Caribbean doctor who advises the woman to “put de lime in de coconut, you drink ‘em bot’ up.” The droning groove is so rhythmic and vibey that it’s easy to forget you’re listening to the band vamp on a single chord for four minutes. 

“Said, ‘Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take?’ / I said, ‘Doctor, to relieve this bellyache’ / I said, ‘Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take?’ / I said, ‘Doctor, now lemme get this straight.”

“King Tut” by Steve Martin

Very few comedians can master the delicate dance necessary to write a song that is as funny as it is legitimately good. Steve Martin is one of those comedians. He proved himself as such with his late 1970s hit “King Tut”. Martin first performed the song in full Egyptian garb (complete with Egyptian dancing) on Saturday Night Live, introducing the song to a massive audience and propelling it to the Hot 100. 

“Now if I’d known they’d line up just to see him / I’d taken all my money and bought me a museum / King Tut, buried with a donkey / Funky Tut, he’s my favorite honky / Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, King Tut.”

“Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” by Middle Of The Road

“Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”, which became a hit for both Lally Scott and Mac and Kate Kissoon, is a prime example of a song that sounds so ridiculous that the listener forgets what the lyrics are actually talking about. If you listen closely to the chorus, you realize that this unassuming song about bird noises is actually about a mother abandoning her child, and her child discovering it the next day. 

“Last night I heard my mama singing a song / Oooh, wee, chirpy chirpy cheep cheep / Woke up this morning, and my mama was gone / Ooh, wee, chirpy chirpy cheep cheep.”

Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/Getty Images