Dead Puppies on keyboard, with "tutorial"

First performed and made famous by The Ogden Edsl Wahalia Blues Ensemble Mondo Bizzario Band, "Dead Puppies" was #1 on the playlist of the 100 most-requested songs of all time in the Dr Demento Show's special 10th-anniversary episode in 1984. (Am I showing my age by mentioning that I recorded much of that episode?)

Yesterday, I got it into my head that I should learn to play it on piano. I figured out most of it before going to bed, and now tonight I fumbled through it enough to do this little video, and give a "tutorial" on how to play it. I wasn't using a recording of the song; I was just going from memory. I've heard the song a few hundred times probably, so even though I hadn't heard it in years, it was ingrained enough for me to work out the notes. My voice was giving out, alas, and I can't sing well when I'm trying to be quiet enough not to disturb other people in the house... but you get the basic idea, right?

Lyrics:

Dead puppies
Dead puppies
Dead puppies aren't much fun.

They don't come when you call.
They don't chase squirrels at all.
Dead puppies aren't much fun.

My puppy died late last fall.
He's still rotting in the hall.
Dead puppies aren't much fun, no no no.

Mom says puppy's days are through.
She's going to throw him in the stew.
Dead puppies aren't much fun.

Dead puppies
Dead dead dead, dead puppies
Dead puppies aren't much fun.

C'mon everybody out there; sing along, OK?

Dead, dead dead dead puppies
Dead dead dead, dead, dead dead dead puppies
Dead puppies aren't much fun.

One more time for Roman Hruska!

Dead, dead dead dead
Dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead, dead dead dead puppies.
Dead puppies aren't much fun.

---

(Roman Hruska was a politician in Nebraska at the time the song was recorded in Omaha, Nebraska.)

Your chords are C, G, Am, Em, F, C, G7, C, then use a G or G7 to transition back to the beginning and repeat. The song makes frequent use of a second-inversion ending chord with a 4-3 suspension. At the end, the suspension does a 4-3-2-3.

When playing the song, keep in mind that what makes it funny is not that it's a song about dead puppies; it's that it's such a grandiose song about dead puppies. It needs to be built up and taken to an over-the-top serious level to get the comedic effect. A lot of what passes for comedy these days completely misses that aspect, thinking that an absurd subject is enough. It isn't; the way that the absurd subject is presented is what matters most.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• piano
• keyboard
• ogden edsl
• dead puppies
• dr. demento
• demento
• dementia
• music
• dr demento

[AyyyCruzzZ]

LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOO omg. this video is going to have 1,000,000 views after im done

[Keeper1st]

@AyyyCruzzZ I hope that I will soon start playing it again and do it well enough that after-hours at the upcoming ragtime festival I can play it on a 9-foot concert grand, like I did with Fish Heads previously.

[AyyyCruzzZ]

you sound like you can do the herbert voice from family guy ! i bet you can. bro make a video PLEASE

[Keeper1st]

@AyyyCruzzZ I can do a lot of voices (a voice coach in the industry heard me on the radio once and said I would be foolish not to pursue it as a career). I don't watch or particularly like Family Guy, though, so you won't hear anything from that coming out of me! I do have some videos up with me doing voices, like a Lilo & Stitch unaired storyboard, the Last Will & Temperament sketch, and some Froynlaven challenges.

[AceWissle]

Wondeful, made my day again! : D

[rihc2]

lol, awesome

[Jorge329]

I like it, weird title :P