I can clearly remember being a little kid, lying on the living room floor, listening to the Mary Poppins soundtrack on my parents’ console stereo — with a pen and paper, practising writing the “word” Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It might have been my first attempt at a party trick. Too bad kids who do this sort of thing don’t get invited to parties.
Recently I was trying to decide whether or not to sell my copy of Black Moses (1971) by Isaac Hayes, and decided it could go. But I kept Hot Buttered Soul (1969). I did this partially on the strength of a song I’d somehow missed on this, his second studio album — a record which has just four tracks. The song in question is the album’s only original composition, and it’s called Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic. A light bulb appeared.
I decided a cool Stylus Counsel would involve putting together a playlist of songs with ridiculously long, made-up, single-word titles. I’ll also include a bit of lyrics for context, because I’m only choosing songs that use the incredibly-hard-to-sing word in the lyrics. (Yeah, I know the Diana Ross one is two words. Whatever.) There’s honourable mentions for songs with run-on sentence titles, because I prefer the made-up words. You also get a Spotify playlist. Here we go!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious | Julie Andrews & Dick Van Dyke (1964)
34 letters
“Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”
Reggaejunkiejew | Ween (1992)
15 letters
“What can you do
When your world’s been invaded by a reggaejunkiejew
And what can you do
When the things that made you happy now only make you blue?”
Prisencolinensinainciusol | Adrian Celentano (1973)
25 letters
“In de col mein saivuan
Prisencolinensinainciusol ol rait.”
Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic | Isaac Hayes (1969)
34 letters
“Now what, I, say
Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic
Let me stop procrastinatin’
Standin’ hear, and narratin’
Find my emancipator, she’s a love educator.”
SpottieOttieDopaliscious | OutKast (1998)
24 letters
“Yes! When I first met my SpottieOttieDopalicious angel
I can remember that damn thing like yesterday
The way she moved reminded me of a brown stallion horse with skates on, you know?”
Nineteenhundredandyesterday | D.A.D. (2000)
27 letters
“Back in nineteenhundredandyesterday
Yeah, I think of you every time
Every time I leave it behind
Back in nineteenhundredandyesterday.”
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik | OutKast (1994)
31 letters
“It’s that Southernplayalisticadillac funky music
Now, players if you choose it
You better make sure you don’t abuse it
We gonna get cha high, high.”
Doobedood’Ndoobe, Doobedood’Ndoobe | Diana Ross (1970)
30 letters
“Doobedood’ndoo doobedood’ndoobe doobedood’ndoo
Oh, doobedood’ndoobe doobedood’ndoobe doobedood’ndoo
Oh, doobedood’ndoobe doobedood’ndoobe doobedood’ndoo
I love you, yes I do
Doobedood’ndoo.”
Brokenheartsville | Joe Nichols (2002)
18 letters
“I think the devil drives a Coupe de Ville
I watched ’em drive away over the hill
Not against her will
I’ve got time to kill
Down in Brokenheartsville.”
Honourable mentions
Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad | Funkadelic (1978)
30 letters
“The Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad
The prune juice of the mind
The doo doo chasers
Friends of roto-rooter
Bringing you music to get your shit together by
The man in the tidy bowl of your brain.”
IfwhiteAmericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart | Manic Street Preachers (1994)
57 letters
Not in the lyrics, though
Fuckwithmeyouknowigotit | Jay-Z (2013)
23 letters
“FuckwithmeyouknowIgotit
FuckwithmeyouknowIgotit
Sexy bitch I hope she ’bout it
Come fuckwithmeyouknowIgotit.”
Anotherloverholenyohead | Prince (1986)
23 letters
“You need another lover
You know there ain’t no other
You need another lover like you need a hole in your head.”
Idontwannabeyouanymore | Billie Eilish (2017)
22 letters
“Tell the mirror what you know she’s heard before
I-I don’t wanna be you
I don’t wanna be you
I don’t wanna be you, anymore.”
Whyyawannabringmedown | Kelly Clarkson (2008)
21 letters
“So what’s your evil attitude
When you got me spendin’ my time pleasing you?
Why must you keep me underground?
Tell me, tell me whyyawannabringmedown.”
Whitechocolatespaceegg | Liz Phair (1998)
22 letters
Not in the lyrics.
• • •
Area Resident is an Ottawa-based journalist, recording artist, music collector and re-seller. Hear (and buy) his music on Bandcamp, email him HERE, follow him on Instagram and check him out on Discogs.
