Puttin' On The Witz: 5 Funny Jazz Songs

I'm Hip

• Artist: Dave Frishberg
• Album: Dave Frishberg Classics

• Add to Playlist
• Purchase Music

Dave Frishberg began his career as a pianist, working with artists such as Zoot Sims, Carmen McRae and Ben Webster, but he's become best-known for his songwriting, which is often quite humorous. For "I'm Hip," Frishberg collaborated with another witty singer, pianist and songwriter Bob Dorough. The song is a delightful skewering of people (and you've met 'em) who are trying so hard to be hip, they have to tell you how hip they are — which, as we all know, is decidedly un-hip.

The Shape of Things

• Artist: Blossom Dearie
• Album: Blossom Time at Ronnie Scott's

• Add to Playlist
• Purchase Music

Although Blossom Dearie was an accomplished jazz pianist, it is her voice that immortalizes her. Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote this about Dearie's vocal style: "Rarely raising her sly, kittenish voice, Ms. Dearie confided song lyrics in a playful style below whose surface layers of insinuation lurked." Insinuation lurks like crazy in "The Shape of Things," written by Fiddler on the Roof lyricist Sheldon Harnick. If you just listen to the melody, the song sounds like an old English folk song about true love. But when you listen to the words, you find that it's something quite different — and quite funny, in a bizarre sort of way.

Certified Senior Citizen

• Artist: Mose Allison
• Album: Earth Wants You

• Add to Playlist
• Purchase Music

Over the past 50 years, singer and pianist Mose Allison has commented on the human condition in a number of great songs, many of which also happen to be quite funny. In "Certified Senior Citizen," released in 1993, Allison gives notice to the world that, even though he's getting older, he's not getting out of the way. As time goes along, this could become a Boomer anthem.

You're Outa Here

• Artist: Lorraine Feather
• Album: New York City Drag

• Add to Playlist
• Purchase Music

Lorraine Feather was born into jazz. Her father was famous jazz writer Leonard Feather, her mother was a big-band singer and her godmother was Billie Holiday. Combining those genes and influences, Feather has become one of today's wittiest jazz singer-songwriters. "You're Outta Here" comes from her 2001 CD, New York City Drag. For this album, she took instrumental songs by Fats Waller (yes, here comes Fats again) and put lyrics to them. "You're Outta Here" is based on Waller's composition, "The Minor Drag."

Click here to purchase this album through Rhombus Records.