"Signature Songs"-Part 6: Novelty Tunes Quiz

Answer: Lonzo and Oscar

At the end of this sibling silliness the guy comes to realize: "I'm my own grandpa. It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so, Oh, I'm my own grandpa".
Lonzo (Lloyd George) and Oscar (Rollin Sullivan) joined forces in 1945.
Backed by The Winston County Pea Pickers, they recorded 15 forgettable songs and this one, which sold over four million copies.
Believe it or not, there were other covers, most notably by Guy Lombardo, Phil Harris ("He's His Own Grandpa") and songstress Jo Stafford who did it as "I'm My Own Grandmaw". Even Willie Nelson took a shot at it, including it as track seven on his album, "The Rainbow Connection" (2001).

Answer: Lonnie Donegan

Scottish born Lonnie Donegan recorded it in Oxford, England in 1958 and it was released the following year. "Does Your Chewing Gum...." was released as track 12 on his album "King of Skiffle" as well as a single. The song hit number three on the U.K. charts and managed to stay on the U.S. charts before it lost its favor after 11 weeks, having peaked in the fifth spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961.
Lonnie Donegan who was known by the sobriquet of "The King of Skiffle", recorded over 100 songs in a career that spanned seven decades (1949-2002). He died of a heart atack while touring in the U.K. in 2002.

Interesting fact: Lonnie Donegan wrote and recorded another song which produced mediocre results for him in 1962, but later it became a big hit for another artist. The tune was "I'll Never Fall in Love Again". Tom Jones recorded it in 1967 and took it to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Answer: Melanie

Melanie was born Melanie Anne Safka, February 3, 1947, in Astoria, N.Y. She inherited her pipes from her mom, who was a talented jazz singer. Melanie also wrote her signature song (in 15 minutes) and recorded it on the Neighborhood label.
A couple of years earlier, Melanie had performed at that little gathering in Woodstock, N.Y.(1969.)

Interesting fact: In 1972 Melanie was named the Top Female Vocalist by "Billboard" magazine.

Answer: The Playmates

"Beep Beep" went gold selling over a million copies, and enjoyed a lengthy stay of three months on the Billboard Top 40 chart, reaching as high as number four. The threesome had begun singing as a group while they were Huskies at the University of Connecticut and they kept honking away until they dissolved The Playmates in 1965.
Back to our macho motorists... things are gettin' a little hairy for the Caddie's wheelman as he startlingly notices (sing a lot faster now):
"Now we're going a hundred twenty
As fast as I can go
The Rambler pulled along side of me
As if we were going slow
The fella rolled down his window
And yelled for me to hear
"Hey buddy how do I get this car, outta second gear?"

Answer: Bobby Pickett

Bobbie "Boris" Pickett, who also co-wrote the frightening refrains, saw his novelty song hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list just a couple of weeks before, what else?, Halloween in 1962. Pickett was born February 11, 1938, served in the Korean War, and began his career with a group named The Cordials. "The Monster Mash" featured The Cryptkickers as background singers and went on to sell over a million copies.

Interesting fact: Of all people, The Beach Boys would later release "The Monster Mash" as track number six on side one of their album "Beach Boys Concert" (1964). The Beach Boys had been Bobby Pickett's first backup group.

Answer: Shirley Ellis

New York born Shirley Ellis, a former soul singer, was probably a tad surprised herself, when this single of nonsensical babble made it all the way to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 list. "The Name Game" was later included as track one on her album of the same name the following year. Ms. Ellis had one other million selling single, "The Clapping Song" (1965).
During her brief career she recorded five albums and a dozen singles, before retiring in 1968 at age 27.

Answer: Roger Miller

Roger Miller wrote and sang many popular tunes throughout his career which spanned five decades (1957-1992). "...Buffalo Herd" cracked the U.S. Top 40 Country Hits list, settling in as high as number 35. Miller claims it's the favorite song he wrote, despite the fact that two others hit the Number One spot on the same list.

The first was "Dang Me" (1964), followed a year later by what most would consider to be his signature song, "King of the Road". His "Engine, Engine # 9" climbed to second place in 1965. In addition to recording 19 studio albums and over 35 singles, he also hosted "The Roger Miller Show" on TV (1966-1967. Roger Miller was the "Jukebox" Artist of the Year in 1965, won 11 Grammy Awards and was posthumously elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995.

Answer: Jimmy Boyd

Jimmy Boyd was a mere lad of 13 when his song reached the top of the Billboard Best Sellers chart on December 27, 1952 and stayed there for one more week. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", was written by London born Tommie (aka: Tommy) Connor, who also wrote the amusing "Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo".
Here's a little trip back down Jimmy Boyd's memory lane:
"I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
She didn't see me creep
down the stairs to have a peep;
She thought that I was tucked
up in my bedroom fast asleep"...and so on.

Interesting fact: Like many other things before it, the song was banned in Boston by the Catholic church, thinking it irreverential. After a visit to Beantown's Archbishop by Jimmy Boyd and studio execs the ban was lifted.

Answer: Tiny Tim

New York born Herbert Khaury began getting noticed after singing "You Are My Sunshine" in a local talent show, and in 1962 he changed his moniker to Tiny Tim. "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" was written in 1929 and it was first heard in a Warner Brothers musical film called "Golddiggers of Broadway". Al Dubin, the song's lyricist, also penned the words to many other familiar tunes including, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "I Only Have Eyes For You", and "You're Starting to be a Habit With Me". Tiny Tim became a fixture on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson and on December 17, 1969, he married his "Miss Vickie" (Victoria Mae Budinger) in front of over 20 million witnesses.

The union ended in divorce eight years later. Tiny Tim collapsed and died while performing on stage in Minneapolis, MN on November 30, 1996.

Answer: Elmo and Patsy

The husband and wife duo of (Dr.) Elmo and Patsy Trigg Shropshire recorded this perennial holiday favorite in 1979. It had been written a year earlier by Randy Brooks. The unfortunate event was precipitated by grandma hittin' the eggnog pretty heavily and then staggering outside, where she met up close and personal with Santa and his mini-herd. Despite forensics from the footprints on Granny's forehead since DNA was not available back then, it is impossible to know which of Santa's octet was the actual antlered assassin.
In any event Grandpa seemed to get over his loss and begin to enjoy life again as the following lyrics will attest:
"Now we're all so proud of Grandpa,
He's been takin' this so well.
See him in there watchin' football,
Drinkin beer and playin' cards with cousin Belle".

Happy New Year, Gramps.