The following is an edition of Mac’s Tracks, The Mirror’s music column. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Drury Mirror. 

On Sept. 29, Kanye West and Lil Pump donned Perrier and Fiji water bottle costumes to perform their song, “I Love It,” on Saturday Night Live. Despite a politically chaotic year for West’s career, he is acclaimed for curating hip-hop as an art form. Perhaps that is why fans were melting their brains trying to figure out what the performance meant on a deeper level.

Maybe the answer is simple – West was out there to have fun. From the ridiculous costumes to him grinning and hopping around stage with a backdrop strikingly similar to Drake’s during his own SNL spot for “Hotline Bling,” the last thing Ye seemed to be doing was taking himself seriously.

Music does not always need an underlying theme and there are plenty of musicians who make this their mission.

“Weird Al” Yankovic and his parodies are all but a household name, and The Lonely Island holds a special place in many hearts for their self-deprecating macho pop style. Bo Burnham’s comedy routines incorporate musical hilarity as well and are well-loved among college students. Here are some names you might not be as familiar with.

Dr. Demento

A patron of novelty songs and mentor to Weird Al, Dr. Demento’s real name is Barrett Hansen. Although he does not produce his own music, his radio show broadcasts any music that could be described as strange or unusual. After 40 years on air, his show was moved online where it is available for free streaming. Songs that have received his stamp of approval include “Fish Heads,” “Bulbous Bouffant” and “Dead Puppies.”

Spike Jones

Jones, not Jonze. A pillar of early satirical music, Jones would take popular tunes and arrangements and transform them with bells, whistles and improvised vocals. Among his hits include “All I Want for Christmas (is My Two Front Teeth)” and a more adult rendition of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”

Jones stands apart from his comedic peers because he adamantly wanted to be more than his parody. As a composer during World War II, a portion of his work includes political digs at Nazi Germany. His Other Orchestra was formed in 1946, separately from his more hilarious City Slickers group, to perform artistic arrangements at nightclubs. Their song “Laura” features the Other Orchestra on a serious first half, with the City Slickers closing it out in the renowned bells and slides style.

Arrogant Worms

This Canadian trio originated in 1991 and describe themselves as “purveyors of the absurd and ambassadors of fun.” Their Spotify review praises them for remaining “refreshingly fun and witty” in their decades-spanning career despite many comedy acts losing their flavor quickly. “The Last Saskatchewan Pirate” tops their greatest hits list with “Carrot Juice is Murder” poking fun at vegetarians. Not afraid of self-deprecation, Arrogant Worms released an album based off their Canadian heritage and the stereotypes – and points of pride – that come with it.

Flight of the Conchords

The dynamic duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are “New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk-comedy duo.” With their beginnings in 1996 at Victoria University Wellington, Flight of the Conchords have produced two seasons of their self-titled sitcom, along with two studio albums and North American and Australian tours. Armed with acoustic guitars, Clement and McKenzie sing on topics such as male body image, rapping dinosaurs and lost love. Clement was also the voice of Tamatoa, the collector crab from “Moana.”

Garfunkel and Oates

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci were so successful that they landed an IFC primetime series. Pulling their names from Art Garfunkel and John Oates, who they describe as “two famous  rock ‘n’ roll second bananas,” this American folk duo centers their music around the pains of being female, the struggles of dating and other 21st century woes. They have also faced controversy for their subject matter. Among the worst (and most well-known) offenders is their song “The Loophole” that satirizes religious views on virginity. Other popular cuts are “Pregnant Women are Smug” and “Sports Go Sports.”

Stephen Lynch

Working as an actor and stand-up comedian, Lynch’s routine features songs making fun of popular culture and everyday life. Lynch began his career in 2000 after signing to the What Are Records? label. Since then, he has embarked on international tours, appeared in five short films and released five albums. He has also starred in Broadway productions. Among his library are “Beelz,” a song he wrote to “provide the devil equal time” in his music as he had previously written works about God and heaven. “D & D” and “Vanilla Ice Cream” are a couple other classic hits.

The songs mentioned in this article, as well as other selections, are compiled in this week’s list of Mac’s Tracks on Spotify.

Written by Maclen Johnson.