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Nervous Norvus

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (March 24, 1912-July 24, 1968)
    Born in Memphis, Tennessee
    Birth name was James Drake
    Recorded the novelty songs 'Transfusion' and 'Ape Call' (both 1956)

Why he might be annoying:

    Ironically (considering that his biggest hit is about a lead-footed driver repeatedly crashing his car), he was a truck driver before becoming a performer.
    'Transfusion' was banned by the ABC and NBC radio networks for being in poor taste.
    He turned down an offer to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
    He was a heavy drinker who died of cirrhosis of the liver.
    'Transfusion' was named one of the ten worst songs of all time in a listeners poll conducted by British disc jockey Kenny Everett (1978).

Why he might not be annoying:

    'Transfusion' sold half a million singles in two weeks.
    He donated his body to medical school.
    The car crashes in 'Transfusion' came from a sound effects record and would reappear on Jan & Dean's 'Dead Man's Curve' and the Shangri-Las' 'Leader of the Pack.'
    He was indirectly responsible for Barrett Hansen becoming Dr. Demento: someone who heard Hansen spinning 'Transfusion' declared, 'You have to demented to play something like that!'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 209 Votes: 46.41% Annoying