3 Novelty Songs From the 1960s You Won’t Forget No Matter When You Hear Them

When it comes to writing a song, there are as many points of inspiration as there are points of view. Sometimes a songwriter wants to get something off their chest. Sometimes a songwriter wants to express the depth of her love. And sometimes a songwriter wants to be funny. Here below, we wanted to highlight three tracks from back in the day that certainly hoped to get a laugh. Indeed, these are three novelty songs from the 1960s you won’t forget, no matter when you hear them.

“Surfin’ Bird” by The Trashmen from ‘Surfin’ Bird’ (1964)

Fans of the cartoon sitcom Family Guy are likely familiar with this song. The show’s main character, Peter Griffin, is famous for singing about the bird. But many of those same cartoon fans may not know that the track originally came from a band called The Trashmen in 1964. The single, which hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, is just a few repeated lines “sung” over and over at an awkwardly hypnotic octave. There is no way this song should be taken seriously—and that’s why it’s great.

“Monster Mash” by Bobby Pickett from ‘The Original Monster Mash’ (1962)

Any person who has ever trick-or-treated is sure to know this track. While it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, it has an even higher honor. Every year, people remember it all over again, playing it on their home stereo, at office parties, or while driving to the costume store to buy their next mummy outfit. It’s a genius thing—songwriter Bobby Pickett’s story about various Halloween monsters will be part of pop culture every October 31st for the rest of time.

“Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” by Brian Hyland from ‘The Bashful Blond’ (1960)

Oh, how times have changed. Today, if you go to a concert, chances are you’ll see a bevy of people on stage wiggling and waggling what their mamas gave them. But some 60 years ago, things were different. It was taboo to show too much skin, so much so that pop songs about short shorts and small bathing suits rose up the pop charts thanks to young people. This track, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, was meant to make people snicker and have fun.

(Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)