Kazoos In Popular Music
The kazoo pops up in recorded music more often than you would imagine.
Here are some examples
sent in by kazoo fans from all over the world:
Kristy Krueger is getting great reviews for her singing and kazoo playing.
Listen to "Little Pollyanna" on her MySpace.
...from Rick
I found this on Garage Band.
The Seedy Seeds have a great kazoo solo
on the track, "The Little Patton."
...from Rick
A kazoo features heavily in the song 'Just A Day'
by British band Feeder.
You can hear it here. (actually not currently available.)
Here is a Youtube Video using the song.
It once came runner up to the Jimi Hendrix song
in a list of the best songs ever to feature a kazoo;
I think that was in Q Magazine.
...from Alex
The band The Beat Farmers (A Biography)
recorded live in KBCO Studio C, Boulder, CO.
I believe it is on KBCO Studio C Volume 2.
The song is called "Happy Boy."
(First mentioned on this page here.)
Song may be heard on this podcast.
Not only is there some serious Kazooing
but there is a gargling solo as well that kicks A$#.
...from George Sassmo
The song “This Girl’s in Love With You”
by Dionne Warwick has a kazoo solo at the end.
...from Yara DaSilva
The Temple City Kazoo Orchestra were played
on the John Peel radio show a few times
in the UK, c.1978. Their version of "Miss You" is not to be um..missed.
...from Proudfoot
London
Someone was saying they were not able to
find the song "I Love Onions" in digital form.
The web site Mad Music Archive I believe has a recording
and most of the places the song shows up.
It is an AWESOME song with a complete kazoo
verse supporting a spoken verse.
...from Linda
Steal My Body Home by Beck.
There is a kazoo solo at the end.
...from Reece
I have just done a version of Tequila by the Champs on ukulele and kazoo.
Krabstick
Also we have a local heavy rock band called AIM who do a
fantastic version of golden earrings, radar love with a kazoo solo.
AIM
Its very entertaining... ...from Mike
My band, the Flabbergasted Asparagus Kids, uses kazoos in many of our songs!
Check out our song "I Love My Kazoo" I hope you like it!
...from Melissa
"The Toy Dolls" plays a cover of "The Final Countdown" by "Europe",
using kazoos, on their album "Our Last Album" from 2004.
It's actually quite spectacular.
...from Pontus Stenetorp
Canadian pop punk rock band Hawk Nelson has a kazoo solo
on the song Hello on their new CD "Smile, It's The End Of The World." ...from Angela
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a kazoo solo in their song "Collegiana".
They've probably used it throughout their early jugband music.
...from Jake
The soundtrack to the movie "Raising Arizona" has a song that features a kazoo solo.
Along with a clawhammer banjo and yodeling.
...from Jake
(if anyone knows the specific song, let us know.)
English punk rock band The Fall used kazoo on the tune NWRA from the 1981 album "A Part of American Therein."
Read A Review.
from Paul in England
Del Shannon's great top 30 pop hit "So Long Baby"(Sept. 1961)
has a grat Kazoo Solo that takes the place of the Musitron from Runaway(Feb.1961)
Del Shannon is listed as "Guitar, Main Performer,Vocals, Kazoo" in the line-up for this recording.
Jim K.
Pink Floyd
Another one from "Saucerful of Secrets."
"Jugband Blues," the last Syd Barrett (RIP) vocal on a Pink Floyd album,
features kazoos in the instrumental break.
Steve C.
The Cure appeared on MTV "Unplugged" and played kazoos.
The entire audience is given kazoos and use them to play along with the band as they perform "The Walk".
Craig R.
In April 2006 Toby Keith issued his latest CD titled "White Trash With Money."
One of the tracks on the album is "Brand New Bow".
At about 1:32 into the song there is a Kazoo solo.... also at about 2:22.
Just to carry this one step further, I believe it is the producer of the album
who actually plays the kazoo on that track. Her name is Lari White, married to
Chuck Cannon the songwriter.
Toby Keith is the reigning Contemporary Country Mega-Star.
Find out more about Toby Keith.
Hear A Short Clip Of The Kazoo Break
More Information On The CD And Purchasing
Contributed By Toby Keith Fan Club Member "Gio"
In the Young Blood's Album "Ride The Wind", a recording of a live performance,
the song "Sugar Babe" contains a kazoo section.
I loved this version of the song and recently found the album on Amazon.
Contributed by
Rob Lambie
Check out "rizorkestra"
one-man-roots-blues-band
His "Kazoo Stomp" and "Nocturne (Strange Interlude)" have kazoo,
and there's prominant kazoo parts in all tracks of the "Stompin' Next Door" cd.
http://ezfolk.com/audio/rizorkestra
http://cdbaby.com/rizorkestra2
http://myspace.com/rizorkestra
riz provided this interesting story:
Red McKenzie and the Blue Mound City Blowers
had a million-selling hit in the 20's with a trio made up of a guy
on banjo, one on kazoo, and one on comb and vocals...
McKenzie went on to make a few cd's worth of recordings which
are available just recently.
I was at a houseparty of a jazz critic
this weekend (Scott Yanow is his name), and he's quite an expert
on early jazz...he was trying to get guests to stump him and so
I asked for the McKenzie stuff..turns out he not only had all of it,
but also reviewed it for the "All Music Guide"...shoot, I really
thought I had the guy stumped...anyways, McKenzie is my kazoo
idol, if there ever could be such a thing. I found a music store
near Berkely, California that has one of his cd's in stock, and as I'll be
touring through there this month, I'll pick it up and let you know
how it sounds.
Los Lonely Boys do a song called Supper Time.
Playing the kazoo is Henry Garza (guitarist)and Ringo Garza (Drummer).
Playing guitar is JoJo Garza (Bass player).
The song does not appear on any of their released cd's, but
can be seen on the DVD - Los Lonely Boys - Texican Style - Live from Austin.
They often perform it live.
Live concert recordings of Supper Time can be found here.
...from a Los Lonely Boys fan.
I'm afraid I've listened to "The Boxer", "Highway 61 Revisited",
"As Cool As I Am" and "Surreal Estate" and haven't heard anything that
sounds like a kazoo.
Have these recordings been confirmed as having kazoos in them?
(...anyone care to settle this? - Rick)
Here are some more songs that definitely do:
"Little Diane" by Dion,
"I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog" by Peter, Paul & Mary, and
"All Alone in the Dark" by The Monkees.
Lee Weinstein
In "Down on the Corner"
The lyric is: Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.
The other pop song is from the "What's New Pussycat?" soundtrack.
There is a version of the title track that is played solely on kazoos.
Check it out, it's pretty cool.
keep hummin'
Jeff
Another song that has a very prominant kazoo solo is Little Diane by Dion from 1962.
Sam Ward
Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
updated by
Eli Finklestein MD
Hi I read the following in the piece by M. Finke:
"Eric Clapton uses the kazoo on his cover version of 'San Francisco Bay Blues'
taken from his 'Unplugged' record from 1991.
His kazoo solo is not particularly special but it fits well to athmossphere
of the song. The song was originally written
by the blues guitarist Tampa Red who often used
the kazoo in his songs."
If I'm not mistaken it is Jesse Fuller (one man band) who wrote this song, not Tampa Red.
Check out the new kazoo music sensation that's sweeping the world.
Embrace - Hooligan, found on Drawn From Memory by the same band
The kazoo plays a large part in this song, even gets a solo. Encouraged me to purchase one myself!
Simon Scarfe
I've just discovered your site and thought I'd add a kazoo appearance
that popped immediately into my head. On the late 60s album by the Kinks
("Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire"), there's a
prominently featured kazoo in the wild hell-bent-for-leather ending of the
"She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina".
Great to find you--
Steve Constantelos
Displaced Midwesterner
I think I've heard some kazoo in the solo part of Pink Floyd's 2nd album
"A Saucerful of Secrets", track "Corporal Clegg" Easy to listen. I think.
ps: The Jimi's "Crosstown Traffic", the kazoo part was made with a comb with cellophane paper, to simulate a kazoo.
Junior
I am pretty sure Tampa Red plays a mean kazoo on his first recording
with an electric guitar (late 50's, early 60's). In the liner notes
he also comments on his classic tune, "Let Me Play With Your Poodle,"
by laying down the official Tampa Red guidelines for blues double
entendres.
trivially-------------------------------------------tom
To add to your list - there's the Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel, Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan,
and As Cool As I am by Dar Williams.
Bill McDowell
My "I Don't Want To Find Waldo" song at http://mp3.com/artpauls does have a kazoo solo.
My homepage is at http://www.heartwarmers4u.com/members?artpaul
Which I plan to put more stuff about kazoo stuff up soon.
Or you could just put my I Want To Be Madonna CD up at http://cdbaby.com/artpaul
Thanks for your interest.
ART PAUL SCHLOSSER
The song Concrete Schoolyard by Jurassic 5 has a kazoo solo and was my
personal inspiration to check out the kazoo.
andykasten19@YAHOO.COM
The instrumental break in "Johnny Get Angry" by Joannie Summers (1961) is played on kazoos,
and there are kazoo instrumental breaks in "Corporal Clegg" by Pink Floyd (Saucerful of Secrets).
"I Love Onions" by Susan Christie (1966). There's a kazoo running all the way through it.
Lee Weinstein
Philadelphia
There is a fun little song by a small group called the Beat Farmers.
The song is titled "Happy Boy" and has some nice Kazoo backup.
Also, there is a song called "I Love Onions" by Susan Christie.
As I recall the Kazoo is one of the main instruments on this song,
but I haven't been able to locate a digital copy. It was included
on a K-Tel Looney Tunes recording that I got as a kid. A very fun song with lots of Kazooing!
David Sholes
Queen recorded in 1974 a great song called
"Seaside Rendezvous" in their album "A Night At The Opera"
the kazoo players are Freddie Mercury ( the vocalist )
and Roger Taylor ( the drummer ) .
----|> Mr.BLOB <|----
ICQ # 58895949
By far the most important recordings ever made featuring the kazoo are those
made in the 1920s and 30s by the Mound City Blue Blowers. Featured in the
1920s recordings are Jack Bland on Banjo, Dick Slevin on Kazoo and Red
McKenzie on vocals and comb and paper (which he called "Blue Blowing") They
were a sensation and supposedly sold a million records. Later, McKenzie
"Blue Blowing" was featured on records with Coleman Hawkins, Bunny Berigan
Eddie Condon and scores of others. The Classics label (from Europe, but
available widely) just released some mid-thirties Blue Blowers that are
amazing, and McKenzie solos stand up in their own way to those by Berigan
and the rest. In the book Selections from the Gutter, a compilation of
articles from the mid century magazine The Jazz Record, includes an
interview with Bland titles "The Kazoo Comes On." In the book "Lost Chords
author Dick Sudhalter calls McKenzie a legitimate hot jazz stylist on his
homemade kazoo.
If you like the Kazoo this is kazoo in its highest form ever.
Jon Pult, New Orleans
Blind Melon has a song titled "Skinned" on their second album Soup where a kazoo is played.
It is one of my favorite Blind Melon songs, check it out. - Eddie
The Big Squeeze - Frank Zappa
Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix - Kazoos play along with the guitar riff in the chorus.
You're Sixteen - Ringo Starr - Kazoos have a solo.
Anthem Of The Sun - The Grateful Dead - Kazoos appear throughout the second side of the album.
San Francisco Bay Blues - Eric Clapton - A recent recording with a kazoo solo.
Roller Coaster - The Red Hot Chili Peppers - kazoos play horn-like parts on the chorus.
"Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag - Country Joe and the Fish (performed live at Woodstock)
Jim Kweskin's Jug Band used a Kazoo in their instumental version of " Mood Indigo."
If you really want to be obscure, the hip-hop track,
'Im Ready' by Caveman (ProfileRecords) which is on 'Hip Hop Don't Stop' Vol 1
and should be on several Hip Hop antholagies, samples heavily the Hendrix
Crosstown Traffic segment with kazoos.
On the box set "The Pet Sounds Sessions", there is an outtake from
the Beach Boys' album "Pet Sounds" which is called "Trombone Dixie".
There is a beautiful kazoo line in the last chorus.
An LP from borrowed from a library in New Zealand in 1990
had a few tracks by the Kazoo Brothers.
They did unaccompanied kazoo renditions of
soul classics, e.g. Sam & Dave's, 'I'm a Soul Man' and
Spenser Davies Group's, 'Hold on I'm Coming.'
The album was a US label sampler, maybe Rhino, Rounder or Alligator.
'Passing By' by Pizzicato Five which can be found on
'Sister Freedom Tapes' EP on US label Matador Records.
They are a seriously cool Japanese group and have a
cult following in USA, Europe and Japan.
The movie "Alice's Restaurant" has kazooing in it as well,
in the scene where Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie play for
Woody Guthrie in his hospital room.
Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Down on the Corner" doesn't
include the kazoo, but does mention it in the lyrics.
In the second verse, I think the line is "Then he goes into a jam, the devil's on kazoo."
It isn't a large part of the song,..but in the intro to
The Presidents of the United States of America II (track #4) :Mach 5
....there is a brief episode with a kazoo being played through distortion.
One effective appearance of a kazoo was the Be Bop Deluxe album
Drastic Plastic, in which the song "Surreal Estate" finishes with a fun
excerpt sounding something like "Whistle While You Work".
A new kind of music is emerging blending kazoos with the
popular music form ska. It's being called "Skazoo"
Another Web Page With A List Of Kazoo Songs
If you have information about or recordings of kazoos in pop music, please send to kazoos@kazoos.com
I would love to post short audio files here in either .wav or .mp3 format.
If you'd like to be credited for your contribution, just say so.