When was the last time you listened to a piece of music and laughed out loud? It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you tend to remember. A song is supposed to make you feel something—hope, sadness, a thrill of new energy. But sometimes it makes you feel something by accident, too.
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That’s just what we wanted to explore here below. We wanted to dive into a few tracks that make us laugh—a trio of tunes that not only satisfy musically but that get us to giggle (usually by accident). Indeed, these are three unintentionally hilarious one-hit wonders from the 1970s.
“One Toke Over The Line” by Brewer & Shipley from ‘Tarkio’ (1970)
Normally, when we think of songs about getting stoned, we think about modern tracks from artists like Afroman or Cypress Hill. But decades before those rap acts came to the fore, the acoustic duo of Brewer & Shipley was singing about that particular state of mind using acoustic guitars and the type of singing styles you might hear at a neighborhood potluck. It’s impossible not to chuckle hearing this duo sing about being high at some train station. We dare you to try!
“Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band from ‘Starland Vocal Band’ (1976)
Similar to the song above, the incongruity on this track is the type of thing to make you guffaw. It’s such a sweet tune with sweet harmonies. You might think Peter, Paul and Mary are set to sing about a plate of spaghetti and some wholesome dragon. But no. Starland Vocal Band is singing about daytime fornication. What?! We should move on and just let the song do the work here. Oh yeah, and try not to laugh out loud!
“The Hustle” by Van McCoy from ‘Disco Baby‘ (1975)
The humor derived from this dance track is less about its lyrics and more about the passing of time. In the moment, we’re sure this tune was all the rage. But now some five decades removed from the disco craze, we can’t help but chuckle at the earnest sincerity expressed by these dance-crazed folks. How silly, how fun! Ah, the humor that comes with 20/20 hindsight!
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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