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Songs that ended up as novelty songs when they weren't meant to
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Leicester_Hunk
20-08-2014
I was thinking about this the other day and I thought of the following that I absolutely hate:

Sweet Caroline
Build Me Up Buttercup
Come On Eileen

The first two at least I don't think were intended as novelty songs, but they have ended up that way because of them being sung by people at parties and weddings who have drunk too much and start waving their arms about and drunkenly lurching to them - I hate them!

Any more songs anyone can think of that have suffered the novelty fate?
Makson
21-08-2014
Get Sexy - Sugababes
bryemycaz
21-08-2014
Rockin all over the world by Quo. It has come to define them, though most serious Quo fans hate it.
thewaywardbus
21-08-2014
I think people need to learn the difference between novelty songs and popular song along songs.....
Johnny_Cash
21-08-2014
The three in the original post are not novelty songs, they are merely popular, red solo cup, thats a novelty song, star trekkin, thats a novelty song.
Soupietwist
21-08-2014
Shiny
Happy
People.
StratusSphere
21-08-2014
The Macarena maybe?

Given that it was written and sung by a group of 60-70 year old South American men and just happened to have a remix and a dance that became a big fad.
tim18
21-08-2014
Originally Posted by Makson:
“Get Sexy - Sugababes”

I dont think its a novelty song, crap yes but not novelty.
Y_Me
21-08-2014
I'm too Sexy?
mgvsmith
21-08-2014
Originally Posted by thewaywardbus:
“I think people need to learn the difference between novelty songs and popular song along songs.....”

I agree I don't think any of the listed songs are novelty songs.

'Sweet Caroline' is the unofficial theme tune of the Northern Ireland football team which is hardly what Neil Diamond expected?

Would 'No Charge' be a 'novelty' song that wasn't really intended?
scrilla
21-08-2014
When reggae records have charted (and it certainly doesn't happen often) they've often been considered as novelty records by people who never otherwise hear anything comparable. e.g.

Double Barrel by Dave (Barker) & Ansel Collins
Return Of Django by The Upsetters
Uptown Top Ranking by Althea & Donna (which was an 'answer record')
The Liquidator by The Harry J. All Stars
Girlie Girlie by Sophia George
One Dance Won't Do by Pam Hall's sister Audrey Hall
Informer by Snow (which was unusual but not unique in that it was a white guy toasting)
Here Comes The Hot Stepper by Ini Kamoze
Compliments on Your Kiss by Red Dragon

etc.
via_487
21-08-2014
Not sure what the OP means by 'novelty songs', but here's one which may be seen that way:
Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.

Written by McFerrin and based on his take on an Indian philosophy, the song was used (without McFerrin's permission) in Republican George H. W. Bush's presidential campaign.
The organisers obviously hadn't taken onboard the song's meanings.

McFerrin, a democrat, made a big public protest about Bush's use of the song and wouldn't perform it himself for ages afterwards.
Kiko H Fan
21-08-2014
Originally Posted by bryemycaz:
“Rockin all over the world by Quo. It has come to define them, though most serious Quo fans hate it.”

Most serious Quo fans don't mind it as they know Quo did not write it.
Quo's version is a cover version.
Leicester_Hunk
21-08-2014
Originally Posted by mgvsmith:
“Would 'No Charge' be a 'novelty' song that wasn't really intended?”

Was Chinese water torture intended with that? Because it is just like that
djfunnyman
21-08-2014
Originally Posted by Leicester_Hunk:
“I was thinking about this the other day and I thought of the following that I absolutely hate:

Sweet Caroline
Build Me Up Buttercup
Come On Eileen

The first two at least I don't think were intended as novelty songs, but they have ended up that way because of them being sung by people at parties and weddings who have drunk too much and start waving their arms about and drunkenly lurching to them - I hate them!

Any more songs anyone can think of that have suffered the novelty fate?”

None of those songs are "novelty", they are just popular songs which are regularly sung along to. I love them all!
Brummy Girl
22-08-2014
B*Witched - C'est La Vie

I'm not sure when this was released if this was meant to be a serious song or not but over the years it has become famous for its 'Oirish' sections:

"I fight like me da' as well"
The middle Riverdance lite section

I agree with those that have said the list the OP has mentioned are not novelty songs but just popular songs played at weddings and other functions/gatherings
mushymanrob
22-08-2014
Originally Posted by scrilla:
“When reggae records have charted (and it certainly doesn't happen often) they've often been considered as novelty records by people who never otherwise hear anything comparable. e.g.

Double Barrel by Dave (Barker) & Ansel Collins
Return Of Django by The Upsetters
Uptown Top Ranking by Althea & Donna (which was an 'answer record')
The Liquidator by The Harry J. All Stars
Girlie Girlie by Sophia George
One Dance Won't Do by Pam Hall's sister Audrey Hall
Informer by Snow (which was unusual but not unique in that it was a white guy toasting)
Here Comes The Hot Stepper by Ini Kamoze
Compliments on Your Kiss by Red Dragon

etc.”

dont really agree with that sir.... ive never known any of those tracks/reggae tracks being thought of as 'novelty' because they are reggae. reggae was a popular and often heard genre from the 60's onwards.

ok, 'uptown top ranking' was abit noveltyish after their dire performance on totp.
mushymanrob
22-08-2014
not sure popularity = novelty..

think the tracks the op cites have been 'karaokefied' , and used as party pieces.
Hound of Love
22-08-2014
Originally Posted by mushymanrob:
“dont really agree with that sir.... ive never known any of those tracks/reggae tracks being thought of as 'novelty' because they are reggae. reggae was a popular and often heard genre from the 60's onwards.

ok, 'uptown top ranking' was abit noveltyish after their dire performance on totp.”

bib: Damn that TOTP Orchestra!
Ella Nut
22-08-2014
Originally Posted by Hound of Love:
“bib: Damn that TOTP Orchestra!”

Oh I don't know. Their performance was really very amateurish, messed up totally at 2.11, so I think the naff orchestration is quite fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVBmeWAsRAA

That said, I love the song. I didn't when it came out (I really didn't get it at ALL, and it did knock my beloved Mull of Kintyre off the top spot).

As for songs that became novelties - that one that goes "Heyyyy baby, ooh! ahh!, I wanna know-woh-woh if you'll be my girl." Due to the darts probably.
Dandem
22-08-2014
I think the biggest one would have to be Gangnam Style by PSY.

In the world of J-Pop, it's really not THAT out of the ordinary.
ShotMarvin1
22-08-2014
The obvious one is Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. No doubt tainted because of the Rickrolling association.
thewaywardbus
22-08-2014
Originally Posted by ShotMarvin1:
“The obvious one is Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. No doubt tainted because of the Rickrolling association. ”

Once again an example of a popular song along songs and not a novelty song.

And gangnam style was definitely written as a novelty song.

Yet to see one decent example on here!
mushymanrob
23-08-2014
Originally Posted by thewaywardbus:
“Once again an example of a popular song along songs and not a novelty song.

And gangnam style was definitely written as a novelty song.

Yet to see one decent example on here!”

give us one then!
thewaywardbus
23-08-2014
Originally Posted by mushymanrob:
“give us one then!”

Maybe the fact that no one can give a decent example means that it very rarely happens.
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