PhillyPOP Discussion #3 | FunnyPOP: Musical humor, jokes, and cleverness

PhillyPOP is a meetup group for discussing popular music–it’s like a book club for playlists. We meet roughly once a month and every meeting has a playlist of songs on a given theme (see below). Participants listen to the playlist in advance and discuss it at the meeting. It's a great way to connect with local music superfans and hear stuff you wouldn't have otherwise. You can find more info on what we're about here. If you'd like to be notified about future PhillyPOP events, make sure to check the box marked "Keep me updated on more events and news from this event organizer" when you RSVP, or follow us on our profile page.

NEXT MEETING: What songs make you laugh the hardest? What artists have consistently made you laugh (and was it on purpose or not)? What are some clever lyrics that might not be laugh-out-loud funny, but that have stuck with you over the years? What's the difference between self-consciously "comedic" genres vs. "regular" music that just so happens to have a funny moment or two? Which artists do some people think are funny, but make you cringe? (I'm looking at you, Weird Al.) Our next discussion will cover all these topics and more, as we explore the different dimensions of humor and cleverness in pop music. My starter playlist includes MF Doom, Loretta Lynn, CeeLo Green, Beck (twice), and a Johnny Cash song in which a doctor surgically removes his brain and implants it in a chicken, who goes on to become a country music sensation. (That's not a joke BTW--the song is called "Chicken in Black," it's absolutely ridiculous, and I can't wait to talk about it.)

Please send up to five of your funniest songs to me via the "Contact" link below (under the "Organized by" header) or email them to [email protected] and I'll add them to the playlist. Also note that we are continuing our exploration of various West Philly venues and will be holding this meeting at Loco Pez at 47th & Baltimore.

Host or Publisher PhillyPOP