Author Archives: Wacky Alex

About Wacky Alex

Creator of FunHouse Radio

Snopp Dogg Bit Somebody Hard – The No Shizzle Truth Behind Snoop-Speak

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The first time I heard Snoop Dogg say “Fo Shizzle My Nizzle”, I knew he didn’t come up with that himself. My theory is that he heard a classic disco song playing on the radio called “Double Dutch Bus” by Frankie Smith. He’re a clip from YouTube. Decide for yourself.

I guess it’s not a big secret because discogs reports, “His classic “Double Dutch Bus” popularized his nonsensical form of slang that influenced later rappers like Snoop Dogg and E-40.”

In the HipHop world the term “bite” means to borrow an phrase or an idea from another artists, usually a rapper. That’s why I used it as click-bait.

Frankie Smith released a very similar sounding song as a single back in 1973. It was called “Double Dutch” without the “Bus”. From what I can tell the song failed to chart at the time. (citation needed)

In 1980, He re-cut the vocals and modified the lyrics, releasing it as a 12 inch single, with his original 1973 track on the flip-side. The clubs started to play the record and it ended up at Number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Number 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.

So the question remains, Did Smith come up with this kind of jibberish/code speak or did he learn it from someone? I think he heard the kids in his neighborhood doing it back in the early seventies. So we may never know who really invented “Snoop-Speak”.

“Jamaican In New York” by Shinehead – Alternate Lyrics to “Englishman In New York” by Sting

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It’s kind of crazy to hear this take in 2023. New-Jack-Swing beats were on EVERYTHING in 1992, the year this one dropped. At least is slowed down a bit so as to be more tolerable.

The melody is all Sting. He naturally received a writing credit on this track. It’s not quite a parody and not quite a cover. Le’ts call it a reinterpretation. It charted in several countries reaching #30 in the USA and #5 in New Zealand.

courtesy of discogs
7 inch single, UK

For your reference, here is the original version by Sting.

“Jeannie’s Diner” by Mark Jonathan Davis – A Parody of “Tom’s Diner” by DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega

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Here we have a goofy mash-up/parody of “Tom’s Diner” with the I Dream of Jeanie TV Show Theme.

The DNA remix, rather than the original, became a big hit in 1990. Remixes were relatively new as a concept in pop music at the time. They sometimes charted along side, or even instead of, the album version.

Reruns of the 1960s classic TV sitcom, I Dream of Jeanie, were airing daily in the USA at the time.

It’s seems that the Jeanie parody actually samples the DNA remix. So in that way this is a mashup. While never officially released as a single but word got around about the parody and It was released on a compilation called Tom’s Album the following year.

The video included here contains scenes from the television series as well the promotional spots for the show that aired on Nickelodeon in the 1990s. It’s not an official video but it seems to have been created by the same guy who first created the mashup.

An Odd Continuity Error – White Uhura And Black Sulu on Peter Pan Records – Fascinating

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The role of Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, a beautiful and talented bridge crew-person of African descent was originally played by the iconic Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek. She’s made countless appearances in the franchise as the character.

It’s hard to imagine that Lt Uhura could be portrayed as a Caucasian woman but here we have it. Wrap your heads around it. It also seems that the role of Chief Helmsman Sulu is depicted as a Black or perhaps Pacific Islander.

In 1975, Peter Pan, a long-time children’s record publisher, created eleven Star Trek stories. These took the form of both 7 and 12 inch vinyl records and often with a read along comic book.

Presumably, a Black voice actor was not hired to play Uhura. Rather than have a White voice actor perform a Black character, they simply depicted the character as White instead. The ethnicity of the voice actor playing Sulu, however, is unclear. None of the original TV series actors did voices for these recordings. With these unexpected changes, it get’s a bit uncanny. You might think we’ve been zapped over to an alternate universe.

The story on the actual record is charming or course. We won’t spoil it for you.

If you liked this episode, check out the CHDanhauser YouTube Channel . They uploaded several of these about two years ago. I’ve checked out a few and they are all pretty good. I can only assume that none of these are considered official cannon.

courtesy of discogs
courtesy of discogs

“Not The Not Song” by Kit And Kaboodle Because It Really Is Opposite Day

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Today is National Opposite Day and this might be the perfect song for the Occasion. We think this live version from 1997 is best but Kit And Kaboodle recorded it again for a studio album.

In English, negation works like multiplication. Two negatives equal a positive. Three equals a negative again. This song is about “nothing but not”. Count the negations. Are they really singing about nothing? What is NOT nothing? Is that automatically something?

Also it is important to remember that an argument is not just contradiction. Or is it?

“Back That Thang Up” by Devo Spice – Juvenile Parody

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It’s January. Have you backed up your data lately? It’s probably time. We are doing it here at FunHouse Radio. Don’t wait. You will thank us later.

Our parody song here, in my opinion is better than the original. Let this be your inspiration and don’t half-ass it.

If you know what this is then you are truly outrageous

How I Accidentally Attended The Release Party for “Sandwiches” by Detroit Grand Pubahs back in Y2k

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I am still trying to confirm all the details but this is what I believe to be true at the moment.

Sometime back in the year 2000, I was 25 years old and very much enjoyed going to nightclubs. I had previously visited the now legendary nightclub in Hamtramck Michigan called The Motor and I liked the place.

I don’t remember why I decided to go there again that particular night. I think I was just bored of the other places that I frequented at the time. I went alone.

When I got there, it looked like a party was wrapping up. The song was on the speakers. I had never heard it before. I didn’t know anything about Detroit Grand Pubahs.

There was a table with a large club-sub sandwich. Most of it had been eaten. I’m talking about the kind you might get at a work lunch. Something like this photo.

I had no idea what was going on exactly. It was not until much later when I encountered the song online that I pieced together that I might have inadvertently attended its release party!

The song ended up on the dance music charts in both the US and UK. Then they made the goofy video you see at the top of this blog.

The track makes use of a pitch-shift effect on the vocals that produces a chipmunk-like voice. For that reason alone it made it to rotation here at FunHouse Radio.

The 12 inch single cover
12 in single label
CD “maxi” single

“Who Put The Pecker on The Snowman?” by FreddyB

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Who decided that a Snowman should have arms? Why a nose? Is he going to smell something? Why a mouth? Is he going to sing to us? I personally don’t see why a snowman should go without a penis. It’s just another body part.

Some snow-people might have a preference for one gender or the other. We shouldn’t give them a hard time just because they are a little different. I am kind of mad that I didn’t think of this when I was a kid. I could have got a lot of the neighborhood kids to laugh.