Who remembers listening to Dr. Demento?

[LogDog75]

I loaded all my CDs onto a USB stick and have it played on my small stereo radio/alarm in my bedroom. It wakes me up playing music from the USB stick in alphabetical order. Today, it started playing Dr. Demento's 20th Anniversary Collection which has 36 songs. It got me thinking how many people remember listening to Dr. Demento

I remember listening to Dr. Demento in the 70s and 80s on the radio. He'd play little know songs that were weird and "demented." Most of the songs were funny and he earned a cult following. Weird Al Yankovic got his start when he submitted "Belvedere Cruisin' song parody and Dr. Demento played it.

Among my favorite songs on Dr. Demento's 20th Anniversary Collection are:
"Dead Puppies" by Ogden Edsl
"Junk Food Junkie" by Larry Groce
"Star Trekkin'" by The Firm
"The Ballad of Irving" by Frank Gallop/Phil Leeds
"Existential Blues" by Tom "T-Bone" Stankus

So, anyone have their favorite Dr. Demento songs?

[Stargleamer]

1. I think The Cockroach that ate Cincinnati was often voted no. 1

I liked Dr. Demento too and got to see him once at Magic Mountain in Valencia. I would listen every week.

As for your list, I remember The Ballad of Irving ("now 141 could shoot faster than he, but Irving was looking for 143. . .&quot

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. I was on a college bowl team in the late 1970s that had Doctor Demento in its name

[EYESORE 9001]

3. I first made the acquaintance of the good doctor in 1975

When stationed in San Diego. His show provided the soundtrack for many adventures and misadventures alike.

[Walleye]

4. I listened to the good doctor religiously in the 70s when I lived in Los Angeles

Commander Cody and the lost planet airman particularly “Hot Rod Lincoln”. Tom Lehrer “poisoning pigeons in the park”. And some Loudon Wainwright, I think. There’s a song I’ve vaguely remember called the middle-class blues that started with a line. “I threw my drink across the lawn“ I’ve never heard that again.

[Marthe48]

17. You might try doing a lyric search

I've been lucky finding old songs based on a line or two I could remember.

[Walleye]

24. Thank you, I did. It was Martin Mull "Ukulele Blues"

[Marthe48]

33. i bet if I listened to it

I'd remember it. I remember Martin Mull playing a song on a tv show, a long time ago

[yaesu]

5. I loved listening to him with my little AM radio as a teen in the 70's, especially while at the weekend cabin. nt

[WheelWalker]

6. Indeed I do. And also, Norman's Organic Mind Garden

KZEL Eugene, Oregon 1968-69

[underpants]

7. Sunday night King Biscuit then Demento

[AllaN01Bear]

8. my young adult hood .

coktails for 2.
the little nash rambler

they are coming to take me away haha.

got to have an other sig

[Marthe48]

18. I remember them all

My folks had several Spike Jones albums and my brother bought the Napolean XIV album. I remember one song from the album 'I live in a split level head' lol

[WestMichRad]

25. I live in a split level head

&pp=ygUcaSBsaXZlIGluIGEgc3BsaXQgbGV2ZWwgaGVhZA%3D%3D

The left channel lyrics are different than those in the right channel. (Overall they’re actually the same but offset by a few verses.)

[surrealAmerican]

9. "Fish Heads" - Barnes and Barnes

I was listening from the late '70s through the '80s.

[AllaN01Bear]

10. one time dr demento was near sonora ca and some one found out and he came and performed live for the fair here .

[ZDU]

11. Demento Tribute

Last edited Thu Feb 27, 2025, 10:08 PM - Edit history (1)

Dr Demento Tribute - 2019 - Alternative 80s (podcast) | Listen Notes

Edited to include this link:
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/alternative-80s/dr-demento-tribute-2019-iHtbnF1qjPo/

[Brother Buzz]

12. Dr. Demento essentially launched Weird Al Yankovic's career

Earliest known video of Weird Al, recorded in San Luis Obispo the same year, while he was still an archeterial student at Cal Poly.

Fun post in the comment:

randykerdoon641
10 years ago
just to clear this up. This video was recorded at the TV production facility at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo as part of my final directing project for a TV production class I took in '79. I knew Al from the Cal Poly radio station KCPR...never thought much about this afterwards until I got a call from MTV asking if I had any pics of Al for their "Driven" TV show. I said no...but I have this "video" on 3/4 inch tape!! Thought the producer was about to faint.

[LudwigPastorius]

13. "Making Love in my Subaru" - Damaskas

"My Name is Larry" -Wild Man Fishcer

...and, of course, pure darkness:

[cynical_idealist]

14. His shows helped broaden my horizons and add laughter

Don't know if the Dr ever presented it, but this is a worthwhile cover of They're coming to take me away.

[Behind the Aegis]

15. Vampire Beavers!

Awesome song.

I used to listen to Dr. Demento on Sundays with my college roommate sophomore year, often high, which made it funnier!

[beemerphill]

16. Fish Heads and The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

We can't forget Poisoning Pigeons in the Park too.

Dr. Demento was one of my favorite shows. I had cases of tape on which I had recorded his shows. As I grew older, my tastes changed and the tapes are long gone. This is too bad. It might be fun to listen to a few of them.

Some of his music is saner than the evening news nowadays.

[Marthe48]

19. My husband and I listened every Sunday evening for years

It was sad when the radio station stopped carrying the show

I remember almost all of the songs mentioned.
I'm not sure if I heard songs by Weird Al on Dr. Demento or rock stations: 'Another One Rides the Bus' and 'Just Eat It'

[Wiz Imp]

20. Tom Lehrer

[red dog 1]

38. The Vatican Rag

[Beausoleil]

21. They're Coming To Take Me Away, The Purple People Eater

and of course, Fish Heads
were some of my favorites.

I also met him while in the Navy in the mid/late 70's either in San Diego or the Bay Area.

[Wiz Imp]

22. Former Pro Wrestler Freddie Blassie

[Boomerproud]

23. A Sunday Night staple in my high school years in the early 70s.

Great memories.

[Shambala]

26. Shaving Cream

Used to listen to Dr. Demento on KMET. We’d sing this song on the playground in elementary school.

?si=R1iqz6UMNk4W5C4d

[Harker]

27. "The Crusher", by The Novas.

"Yeah, do the eye gouge, you turkey necks."

Immortal stuff.

[strongermessage]

28. "The Pope Smokes Dope" by David Peel & The Lower East Side

I listened to Dr. Demento when I was in college in Southwestern Pennsylvania in the early Seventies and this song always comes to mind when his name comes up.

[red dog 1]

30. Here are 2 David Peel songs: "The Pope Smokes Dope" & "Have a Marijuana"

[Eugene]

29. regular listener in the 1980s

Some of my favorites:

"They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" - Napoleon XIV
"Last Will and Temperament" - The Frantics
"My Name Is Not Merv Griffin" - Gary Muller
"Star Trekkin'" - The Firm
"Silicon Valley Guy" - Don Data & The Rez-Tones

[red dog 1]

31. Yeah, I remember that Dr. Demento loved to play "They're Coming To Take Me Away"

(It was one of his favorites)

[DBoon]

32. 12 drugs of crhistmas

by the mushroom tabernatucule choir

[Brother Buzz]

34. Get a Load of This - Robert Armstrong (R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders)

Lyrics by Robert Armstrong and Al Dodge - New lyrics to a Charley Jordan song - Keep it Clean

Bonus Cover of Keep it Clean by the dude who shot Buster Scruggs, Willie Watson (no Dr Demento Connection)

[GReedDiamond]

35. In 1980, Dr. Demento played my band on his show...

...Benedict Arnold & The Traitors, the song was "Kill The Hostages"...

Here it is on YouTube:

[VGNonly]

36. Porklips Now!

[Archae]

37. One song he stopped playing due to complaints.

"Kinko The Klown."

[Doc_Technical]

39. Nervous Norvus - Transfusion

[boonecreek]

41. More Tom Lehrer

[Doc_Technical]

43. The Frantics - Ti Kwan Leep

[PlanetBev]

44. I still have his 1979 Christmas show on cassette

Every Sunday night, my roommates and I would listen in.

My all-time favorites songs were Walter Wart, the Freaky Frog, Pico and Sepulveda, Chula Vista and
I Wanna Hang my Balls on your Christmas Tree.