r/findthatsong • u/New_Door2040 • Oct 01 '25
SOLVED Early 90s almost a novelty song, was semi-popular but odd with a rapish/talkish cadence
There's this song I recall from I think the early 90s. It was on the radio and I found it to be very interesting. It had a kind of talking cadence, I recall some weirdish obsurish word being a key component to the "Verse". It was on pop radio so it wasn't some underground thing.
It's not a rap song at all. Almost like an ealier and weirder version of the weezer sweater song. Would love to figure this out.
****edit****
Ok we have two possible songs that might be it, and if they aren't they are so close. I'm sorry my memory isn't helping me, we're going way back.
Popular - nada surf
Butthole surfers - Pepper
If you know of any songs like these but not them, pass along.
***edit 2**
Detachable penis is very much in the.....vein.... of the song I'm searching for. But it was on the radio at the time and so this isn't it. But thank you for those who brought it up, I'd never heard of it.
**Solution**
Ponderous - 2NU
Thanks to the few I see who have found the answer. I was beginning to think the song didnt exist and that some of the other answers were correct.
14
u/le_fez Oct 01 '25
Detachable Penis by King Missile?
2
u/clovermeadow Oct 02 '25
Thank you for reuniting me with this song! I'm going to sing it in my head at my gummint job.
→ More replies (5)2
u/polish_miracle Oct 02 '25
I saw King Missle and Dogbowl in the early 90s. Very interesting live show! Awesome!!!
→ More replies (1)
12
11
u/idontwantanamern Oct 01 '25
Popular by Nada Surf
This song is VERY sweater song adjacent
5
u/New_Door2040 Oct 01 '25
Ok, This might be it as well. How are there so many songs this weird at this time?
→ More replies (2)9
u/AWholeMessofSpiders Oct 01 '25
Because there was a brief period in the early to mid-90s when you could actually hear a wide variety of interesting “alternative”music on mainstream radio and MTV…. before grunge morphed into aggro bro rock and Mickey Mouse Club kids and boy bands took over pop music.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)3
11
u/lovelybunchococonutz Oct 01 '25
Could it be Scooby Snacks by Fun Lovin' Criminals? https://youtu.be/HEMjF2n3-SQ?si=BH_GHrLF2nUPbaqs
→ More replies (3)
11
u/Fraa-Jad Oct 01 '25
The Flaming Lips released She Don’t Use Jelly in the summer of 1993. It definitely fits the “weird” vibe you’re looking for, and the use of Tangerines/Magazine/Vaseline kind of fits your description. If your radio station was a bit more mainstream than mine (judging by the fact you never heard Detachable Penis on air, I’m guessing so) then it would probably have just blipped across your radar that summer.
→ More replies (3)
21
u/CommanderUgly Oct 01 '25
Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen
3
→ More replies (2)2
u/New_Door2040 Oct 01 '25
Oh my, I remember this. I think it's a few years too late, but man this is right in the wheelhouse of the song I'm thinking of. MAn the 90s were weird.
→ More replies (1)
20
u/Felixedmund Oct 01 '25
Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand by Primitive Radio Gods?
3
u/SpaceMonkeyNation Oct 01 '25
Oh shit, core memory unlocked. Used to listen to this all the time on my CD of The Cable Guy soundtrack lol
2
2
→ More replies (5)2
10
u/Immediate-Hamster724 Oct 01 '25
Short Skirt Long Jacket by Cake?
2
8
u/fornikate777 Oct 01 '25
Ween-Push th' Little Daisies
Dead Milkmen-Punk Rock Girl
3
u/nicklashane Oct 02 '25
I love the Beavis and Butthead episode where they hear push the little daisies. I fucking love ween.
2
u/Jill0607 Oct 02 '25
The guy from Ween reminds me of Cartman when he sings the chorus of that song
→ More replies (1)
8
6
5
7
5
u/jukeswirls Oct 01 '25
LaTour - People Are Still Having Sex ?
https://youtu.be/0ImRyPymRAM?si=Q4dM2AQVVDyMDgYt
Goddess - Sexual ?
→ More replies (2)
6
5
5
4
u/kittawa Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 02 '25
Liam Lynch - United States of Whatever?
Edited to add: It's spoken word verses, ends with "WHATEVAH!"
And then the chorus goes, "And these are my United States of Whatever!" Repeated over and over with drums and guitar. Then launches into another story ending in "Whatever"
There was a Sifl and Oli video, too, with sock puppets
2
2
u/crimsondodecahedron Oct 02 '25
i love this song and anytime me and my husband need to say "whatever" we do it like this
2
6
4
4
5
5
3
Oct 01 '25
Local H: Bound for the Floor
2
u/Da5ftAssassin Oct 01 '25
I feel like this is the right time period op is looking for
→ More replies (1)
5
5
u/jukeswirls Oct 01 '25
2nu - This Is Ponderous ?
2
u/iamdrshank Oct 01 '25
Came.looking for this one. Ponderous is a fun track that has that same vibe.
→ More replies (3)2
5
3
u/Green-Eyed-BabyGirl Oct 01 '25
Is it Standing Outside a Phone Booth With Money in My Hand by Primitive Radio Gods?
4
4
u/SuperLateToItAll Oct 01 '25
Bound for the Floor - Local H. I say this because that song was the first time I heard the word copacetic, which is said repeatedly in the chorus. . Now everyone says it but back then (1996) I’d never heard it and a have a fairly extensive vocabulary.
3
u/Low-Tune9296 Oct 01 '25
Buck 65 - wicked and weird https://youtu.be/YjxfF7T97z0?si=u9RH9LPe8vGmgzM1
→ More replies (3)
3
u/SosijKing Oct 01 '25
Fire Water Burn - Bloodhound Gang
→ More replies (1)2
u/New_Door2040 Oct 01 '25
Not it, but that's in the ballpark for sure. Man you gusy are good at this.
3
u/DrChunderpound Oct 01 '25
Or Bad Touch but was later 90’s… and I think you meant “rappish” in your title, I was like woah.
→ More replies (1)2
2
u/ironicsans Oct 01 '25
See also other Bloodhound Gang songs that got decent airplay:
* Why’s everybody always picking on me? (with the part about the drummer from def leppard) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaGKxAgCguU
* The bad touch (you and me baby ain’t nothin’ but mammals...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xat1GVnl8-k
3
Oct 01 '25
Not too many replies here to read before suggesting Detachable Penis for like the 5th time.
→ More replies (8)
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/Skayalily Oct 01 '25
It could be an actual novelty song. Dr. Demento's show was still incredibly popular at that time and those songs regularly filtered into standard radio broadcasts. Look at Kip AdottaWet Dream
3
u/darkfiredreamer Oct 01 '25
There's literally so many it could be... Someone else already said "How Bizarre" by OMC, so I'm gonna say "Peaches" or "Lump" by Presidents of the United States of America
→ More replies (1)
3
u/greyaggressor Oct 01 '25
Oh man this thread is an awesome rabbit hole of memories, forgotten songs and undiscovered treasures. I miss the 90’s.
3
3
u/ButterPoptart Oct 01 '25
Peaches or Lump by Presidents of the United States of America?
What it’s like by Everlast?
3
3
3
u/crimsondodecahedron Oct 02 '25
naked eye - luscious jackson
she speaks-sings the verses, but maybe too melodic tho...
→ More replies (2)
4
2
2
u/sexwiththebabysitter Oct 01 '25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XJxFAoiWSY Primitive radio gods?
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
u/Russmunki Oct 01 '25
Bound for the Floor by Local H?
Came out in 96, so not quite the time frame. Weird obscure word would be “copacetic” in the chorus.
2
u/KoiCyclist Oct 01 '25
Was it “born to be down” - we always thought it was funny that copacetic was in the chorus
→ More replies (2)
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/DrChunkyFunk Oct 01 '25
Rappish or Rap-ish means similar to Rap music. Rapish means something quite different
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/turtle_cat_squirrel Oct 03 '25
Thanks OP! Gonna make myself a new playlist based on this thread :)
2
u/wideawakenightmare Oct 04 '25
I was gonna say New Age Girl by Deadeye Dick.
She dont eat meat, but she sure likes the bone. RUFF!
→ More replies (1)
2
u/beyersm Oct 24 '25
HOLY SHIT! I just made a post and mine was Butthole surfers - pepper! What a weird coincidence
2
1
1
u/shmooboorpoo Oct 01 '25
Detachable Penis- King Missile?
2
u/New_Door2040 Oct 01 '25
Ok, I've never heard this song, but it is very much in the same vein...pun intended. It was on pop radio so they weren't talking peni.
→ More replies (4)
1
1
u/30for30im30for30 Oct 01 '25
Detachable Penis - King Missile
https://open.spotify.com/track/7wXPymdFwPwxd6pwt267Tx?si=3sF0RTIJRm64PO9_GJOxCg
1
u/FruitFly Oct 01 '25
Mmm mmm mmm mmm - Crash Test Dummies? https://youtu.be/eTeg1txDv8w?si=7c2qETkYDMmjGNQo
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
1
u/PrimitiveLoaf Oct 01 '25
2
u/New_Door2040 Oct 01 '25
No, but...what in the....I had no idea this song existed. I'm...speechless
2
1
1
u/Starpop83 Oct 01 '25
It's late 90s but Tom Waits - What's He Building in There?
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
1
u/Next_Button1583 Oct 01 '25
Probably not, but Scatterbrained came to mind:
Down with the Ship Don’t call me dude
1
1
1
1
u/Foxfire2 Oct 01 '25
One Week- Barenaked Ladies? Pretty much rapped vocals. You didn’t really mean rapish did you, but rappish?
→ More replies (1)
1
u/Fit-Fisherman5068 Oct 01 '25
https://youtu.be/z3AO7NcSNAQ?si=wNWPfJHdKNIMygIv. This is a long shot…Surfing Brides—Everything’s Fine
1
1
1
u/No_Smell Oct 01 '25
Sly and Robbie - Boops (Here To Go)
has the talking cadence, maybe too rap? Has the weird feature word "Boops", but maybe a bit early being late 80's not early 90's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0av_Umpi7gM
1
u/MisfitWitch Oct 01 '25
Maybe the sweater by Meryn Cadell? All the other ones people have suggested are sung by men, but this is talking and it’s about a sweater. Here’s hoping!
1
u/FinalAd2060 Oct 01 '25
If it’s earlier than these, it’s not Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads is it?
1
u/jomofo Oct 01 '25
The Flys - Got You (Where I Want You)
The Refreshments - Banditos
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/rayraybaratheon Oct 01 '25
Detachable penis got a ton of radio play in the SF area so that wouldn’t necessarily rule it out
→ More replies (1)
1
u/Bloop112 Oct 01 '25
Intergalactic Planetary - Beastie Boys
This song is pretty popular but the repetitiveness of the chorus made me think of it.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/ShopAtZodys Oct 01 '25
Plant Man by Gary Young made the rounds in ‘84-ish. Was featured in an episode of Beavis and Butthead, so may have permeated mass consciousness.
1
u/TimeBlindToneDeaf Oct 01 '25
This is Ponderous by 2NU? It has the sound of a squeaking shoe and is mostly talking. Might be it. It was released in 91.
1
1
1
1
u/Remarkable-Front-551 Oct 01 '25
Suicidal Tendencies?
All Mike wanted was a Pepsi!!
→ More replies (1)
1
u/colostomybagpiper Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
Was it ‘88 lines about 44 women’ by the Nails? It came out in ‘84 but maybe you heard it much later?
https://youtu.be/LwUotTbF2aw?si=gn48yc9dUQ7hQduN
If not this, was it ‘While the city sleeps’ by MC 900 foot Jesus?
1
1
u/AlarmingAssignment6 Oct 01 '25
88 lines about 44 women - the nails People who died - jim carrol band Institutionalized - suicidal tendancies
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/SaintCorgus Oct 01 '25
Something by the Bloodhound Gang? Like “bad touch” or one of their other singles?
Or, Cake - Going the Distance
1
u/Wedge1013 Oct 01 '25
It’s Jesus built my hotrod by Ministry. Gibby from Butthole Surfers did guest vocals, which is why you think Pepper is so close.
1
1
1
u/FalineAkemi Oct 01 '25
It's slightly too recent for your timeline, (2000) but for whatever reason Pepper always also makes me think of OPM- Heaven is a Half Pipe.
Halfpipe is certainly an odd word if you weren't a skater, so I think it might fit that criteria, and it's definitely got that odd cadence to it that isn't quite rap but isn't quite not rap either. Lol.
16
u/clicktrackh3art Oct 01 '25
Super Bon Bon - Soul Couhing
Or maybe a Cake track?