The Okeh Laughing Record, a novelty recording, was first released in 1923 and rose to #8 on the Billboard charts, becoming the highest ranking anonymous* recording ever. It's history and provenance is completely unknown**. It has since appeared as the soundtrack to cartoons, on Dr. Demento and on Jean Shepard's radio show. [more inside]
posted by 1f2frfbf on Feb 13, 2013 - 24 comments

Mary Lou Retton - "It's Your Move"* [more inside]
posted by Trurl on Jun 2, 2012 - 43 comments

A unique (to say the least) musical voice from the past emerges, with a timely tune to those along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Yes, friends, it's Nervous Norvus, with Evil Hurricane. [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Aug 26, 2011 - 19 comments

At long last, Wikileaks gets a catchy theme song: "Who the f**k is Wikileaks" by "Chicken Soup (Boney M Goes Club)", a new project from veteran producer Frank Farian, the man behind Boney M and Milli Vanilli. Warning: the song contains repeated use of the "F"-word, and the video contains images of the "anonymous" mask. [more inside]
posted by iviken on Mar 8, 2011 - 32 comments

Performances [MLYT] from the 2010 Old-Time Piano Championship in Peoria. Featuring early March, Cakewalk, Ragtime, Boogie, Stride, Blues, Novelty, Jazz, Classical, and popular song styles from before 1930.
posted by gman on Jun 20, 2010 - 13 comments

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah add a little brawla, brawla too it (YouTube video). It's a song people get obsessed with. Such as this Time writer from 1941. And Kevin Murphy from Mystery Science Theater 3000. The video seems to recognize the fact by literally having its singers (the King's Men; no, not the ones who did "Louie, Louie") driven mad by the song. [more inside]
posted by Astro Zombie on Apr 7, 2010 - 38 comments

The Kleptones put together a version of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody stitched together from 33 different cover versions. Synthesizers, computer-generated voices, acoustic guitar, accordion, Weird Al, Star Trek.... (Direct MP3 link) [more inside]
posted by JHarris on Sep 18, 2009 - 50 comments

I know it's YouTube. But Spike Jones^ must be seen as well as heard.
posted by Astro Zombie on Aug 23, 2006 - 42 comments

Are you ready, Hezzie? I have a complicated family history that allows be to be simultaneously from Washington state and Indiana. Over the last few years my tastes have migrated toward post-rock and traditional music played with a certain frantic desperation. Somehow, I knew that Indiana was a crossroads for these styles of music - but somehow, I missed out on the Hoosier Hot Shots, apparent popularizers of the beloved washboard!
posted by mwhybark on Jun 14, 2004 - 4 comments

This (windows media) movie taken from a French variety show is pretty cool/kooky/amazing. It's a guy wearing a suit covered in small horns, all honking different keys, and he can play the classics by jumping around and hiting the right notes.
posted by mathowie on Feb 5, 2004 - 22 comments