Ah, The Barenaked Ladies. There’s a band name that gets some attention. What started as a joke name for a sort of novelty band actually got them some big-time media attention when they were banned from playing a Toronto concert. But their music was the real reason why this band took off.
Coming from Canada, it took changes in sound and style to allow BNL to break into the American music scene. And, when they did, they found big success, both there and back at home. While their songs got more serious, they stayed the same group of fun-loving guys that they were from the start. So, what are the top 10 Barenaked Ladies songs ever? Keep your pants on – I’m about to tell ya!
15 Best Barenaked Ladies Songs
1Lovers In A Dangerous Time (1991)
The band started as a duo of singer-guitarists Ed Robertson and Steven Page. But, by 1990, they had added the multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist Creeggan brothers, Jim and Andy, and drummer Tyler Stewart. They wrote acoustic songs that were mostly funny and weird and ended up getting some attention.
Then, in 1991, they were invited to contribute a track to Kick at the Darkness, a tribute album to Canadian poet and singer Bruce Cockburn. They chose “Lovers In A Dangerous Time” and recorded an excellent version of this track.
In contrast to the original Synth-Pop version…
Theirs was acoustic. It featured guitars, a piano, and a bowed upright bass for a very mellow sound. Robertson and Page harmonize perfectly on this track and trade verses seamlessly, giving a whole new beauty to Cockburn’s lyrics.
This song is also the source of the tribute album’s title. “When you’re lovers in a dangerous time – Sometimes you’re made to feel as if your love’s a crime – Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight – You gotta kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight.”
2If I Had $1,000,000 (1992)
The Barenaked Ladies won a contest through a radio station and used their winnings to cut their debut full-length album, Gordon. And, by far, one of the most popular Barenaked Ladies songs – the light and silly “If I Had $1,000,000”. That’s a million dollars, just to save you counting zeroes.
This song is very nicely composed and sounds quite pretty. At the same time, it’s full of strange and quirky references to a sort of life that broke students and struggling musicians could relate to.
The song is silly and almost ridiculous, but somehow the call-and-answer vocals between Robertson and Page just work. This song even spawned a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor, “If I Had 1,000,000 Flavours” (Canadian spelling!).
3Brian Wilson (1992)
Another quirky track from 1991’s Gordon was “Brian Wilson.” While it’s quirky and weird, the song wasn’t meant to be funny. It’s actually all about creative block and, on another level, all the obstacles that interfere with everyone’s lives. At the same time, it’s a tribute to Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who had a nervous breakdown and stayed in his room for years in the 60s.
The song starts slow and quiet before bursting into a peppier, poppier song. The bass here is slippery and perfect, and the percussion gives it a slightly Latin-influenced flavor.
Steven Page sings lead and really emotes in this track, with lyrics like “Drove downtown in the rain – Nine-thirty on a Tuesday night – Just to check out the late-night record shop – Call it impulsive, call it compulsive – Call it insane – But when I’m surrounded I just can’t stop.”
4Be My Yoko Ono (1992)
Referencing another famous musician, “Be My Yoko Ono” is another track from Gordon that’s supposed to be fun and funny, too. It was written in 1989 and recorded in other versions for demos and the like. This song represents the band’s original acoustic sound, with simply fast and peppy drumming and acoustic guitar strumming.
Robertson and Page sing trade parts of the song, even doing a strange impression of Ono’s experimental singing. But, the song is really about Yoko Ono’s relationship with John Lennon and its effect on The Beatles.
In a way, it’s a romantic song, too. After all, they sing, “I mean if I was John and you were Yoko – I would gladly give up musical genius – Just to have you – as my very own personal Venus.” And, just so you know, the song got Ono’s stamp of approval!
5What A Good Boy (1992)
The last track we’re going to look at from the BNL debut album Gordon is “What A Good Boy.” Finally, a real and serious, heartfelt song from a band that normally liked to goof around. This is another track where Steven Page takes the lead vocals. His voice is strong and passionate here, and you can actually take him seriously.
This song is slow and sincere. It’s like an acoustic ballad, with a simple slow beat and strummed acoustic guitars. This is all about living life as though playing a role written by others, and being broken out of that sort of life by love.
Lyrics like, “We’ve got these chains – Hanging ’round our necks – People want to strangle us with them – Before we take our first breath” are deep and meaningful, revealing another side of this band.
6The Old Apartment (1996)
After a second album that was more or less a flop, the Barenaked Ladies decided to change their sound and sort of reinvent themselves. They lost Andy Creeggan, who moved on to other projects and adopted electric sounds to create the 1996 album, Born On A Pirate Ship. And one of the most successful Barenaked Ladies songs comes from that album – the memory-laden “The Old Apartment.”
This track was the band’s first hit in the US, making it into the Top 40. Robertson and Page share vocal duties, although Page is definitely in the lead here, showing the pattern of him singing the band’s more serious songs.
This track is a slow Pop-Rock song that is very emotive. It references a failed relationship through the image of breaking into the old apartment where the couple used to live. This is a true anthem for anyone missing their old love and old life.
7One Week (1998)
A couple more years down the line and the Barenakeds had again increased their fan base and also expanded their sound. They were now using all sorts of new instrumentation and were influenced by styles across the board.
The 1998 album, Stunt, was well-received in the US and back in Canada. One song, in particular, made it to the #1 spot. That was “One Week,” a strange mixture of Pop, Alternative Rock, and even some good old-fashioned Canadian Rap.
Yeah, Canadian Rap…
The song has a solid Rock beat and a cool combo of guitars and keyboards. It alternates between choruses by Page and rapped verses from Robertson. Then, the two sing the pre-chorus in harmony. It’s a very eclectic song, and the lyrics are just as far out there.
Check out Robertson’s rhymes: “Chickity China, the Chinese chicken – You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin’ – Watching X-Files with no lights on – We’re dans la maison – I hope the Smoking Man’s in this one.” With flow like those, how could it not be included in the Top 10 Barenaked Ladies songs?
8It’s All Been Done (1998)
Also, from Stunt, “It’s All Been Done” is a more straight-ahead Pop-Rock song. This track is still very bouncy and energetic – it’s just not as weird as “One Week.” This one is sung by Page and has some great oohs, ahhhs, and woo-hoo-hoos in the backing vocals.
Lyrically, this song seems a lot simpler, too. It seems to be about a relationship that never got off the ground because at least one person in it is stuck in the past. At least, that’s what I get from lines like, “I knew you – Before the west was won – And I heard you say – The past was much more fun.”
9Pinch Me (2000)
Stunt was a massive success, so the BNL’s next album, 2000’s Maroon, was highly anticipated. This album debuted at #1 in Canada and #5 in the US. It was a bit more toned down and more Adult Contemporary radio-friendly than previous albums. But it still spawned some of the Barenaked Ladies’ best songs, such as “Pinch Me.”
This tune is one of the Barenakeds’ most radio-friendly of them all. It’s a fairly light Pop-Rock song with a bit of a funky beat. The lead vocals are sung by Roberston with backing from the band, so you know that the song has a quite serious tone.
Of course, the lyrics are still going to be a bit weird. Case in point – “On an evening such as this – It’s hard to tell if I exist – If I pack the car and leave this town – Who’ll notice that I’m not around – I could hide out under there – I just made you say ‘underwear’.”
10Big Bang Theory Theme (2007)
After Maroon, the Barenaked Ladies put out an amazing 12 more albums, including their latest in 2021. However, none of them had the success that this band found through the 90s.
Things change…
They also lost singer and co-founder Steven Page, who left the group in 2009. But, before he left, he helped record one more of the top 10 songs by the Barenaked Ladies. That track was the “Big Bang Theory Theme,” aka “History of Everything.”
This song is, of course, the well-known theme song from the hit TV show of the same name. It was written by request from the show’s producers and sung by Robertson. This song is fast, fun, punchy, and upbeat – the perfect theme song!
11Shoe Box (1996)
12Another Postcard (2003)
13Too Little Too Late (1994)
14Call and Answer (1999)
15You Run Away (2010)
Need More Fun and Light Songs to Get You Through the Day?
Well, check out our thoughts on the Best Songs To Wake Up To, the Top 11 Songs about Trust, the Best Songs About Heroes, the Best Songs about Flowers, and the Best Happy Songs for more great song selections to help you build a playlist of positivity.
The 10 Best Barenaked Ladies Songs Ever – Final Thoughts
So, that’s the Barenaked Ladies in a nutshell. In reality, this band has an incredibly long 30+ year history and a catalog of 17 albums. They changed personnel a bit along the way, but they are still writing and performing even today.
As for the Barenaked Ladies’ Top ten songs, well, this is my list. You may have your favorites, and some might be their newer work, while mine focuses on their earlier work. If so, tell us about it in the comments below.
But we can agree on one thing – the Barenaked Ladies are a great band with some truly excellent songs in their repertoire.
Until next time, happy listening.
