For a long time I've lamented the demise of the "quality" novelty song. I haven't heard one around for years. Maybe Ween's Pushin th' Little Daisies. But not much of any substance that has everyone from grannies to kinda kids singing it like Ahab the Arab (now there's one due for revival) or Snoopy and The Red Baron, or Monster Mash or the daddy of them all Purple People Eater.
A good novelty song not only has to be catchy and an ear worm but a bit clever and operate on a few levels for the knowing hepcats and the unknowing great unwashed. And it needs another ingredient - in some way it should grab a bit of the zeitgeist like King Tut and Hot Rod Lincoln.
Peter Denahy's Sort Of Dunno Nuthin grabbed me the first time I heard it on John Nutting's Saturday Night Country around xmas time. Luckily the video doesn't spoil it at all. Deserves to be a hit.
Especially after the rush to international fame of Cory the "Numbskull from Narre" in yellow sunnies and hoodie.
PS: I didn't mention that Denahy is a superb muso who spent time in Slim Dusty's touring band, always a good recommendation, and some of his growing up and musical learning was done in his mother's country of Japan.
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