Top 15 Songs About Fat People and Being Overweight
Whether it’s a heartfelt lament on the nature of gluttony, or a humorous jingle about the joys of eating, there are many songs about fat people throughout pop music history. Join me as I take you through some tunes you may already know, and hopefully some hidden gems you haven’t heard of yet.
Songs About Fat People
Let’s begin with a popular song by Weird Al.
Fat by Weird Al
No list featuring songs about being overweight would be complete without this one. Obviously inspired by Michael Jackson’s infamous “Bad,” this one is a classic parody. Weird Al has done a lot of songs about food, and this is one of the best.
I was exposed to this one as a small child, and I actually heard it before the Michael Jackson original. So whenever I hear “Bad” on the radio, I immediately replace it with the lyrics of “Fat.”
Whole Lotta Rosie by AC/DC
This rocking tune from AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock album shows the humorous side of AC/DC, mixed in with their trademark sexual innuendos. Late front man Bon Scott describes a one-night stand with a buxom, husky woman in this one, and despite its lighthearted subject matter, it’s one of the best tracks on the album. The whole album is worth hearing, but especially if you’re looking for a lesser-known track about fat people, this is one to look up.
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Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot
Starting off the list with a humorous number, this 90’s dance hit is a pop culture mammoth. Having been featured in innumerable movies and TV shows, this playful hit by Sir Mix-A-Lot extols the virtues of chunky women with big butts.
“I like big butts and I cannot lie” opens this tune, and it’s one of those infamous lines that is so well-known, many people think that’s the name of the song. This one never fails to get a chuckle out of me, and I’ve been hearing it since I was a little kid.
Big Bottom by Spinal Tap
While it’s true that Spinal Tap are not necessarily a real band, this group of Brits parodied heavy metal music in the 1984 film This is Spinal Tap andcompletely nailed the type of lyrics prevalent in mainstream heavy metal at the time. This is one of the better songs from one of my all-time favorite comedy films.
Other artists clearly enjoyed it as well, as evidenced by the fact that grunge legends Soundgarden did their own spin on this hilarious classic. Fans of The Simpsons will also remember that this was a favorite of Bart and Milhouse.
All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor
While possibly the epitome of a modern day one hit wonder, “All About That Bass” is a fat-acceptance anthem (or, at the very least, a curvy acceptance anthem) that dominated the airwaves upon its release. I’m not even the biggest fan of modern pop music in this style, but I still get this one stuck in my head years after its release.
Trainor also somewhat predated the fat acceptance movement by a bit, as songs that told young girls it was okay to be plus-sized weren’t quite as prevalent at the time.
Fat Girl by Eazy-E
This may not be quite as well-known as “Baby Got Back,” but it’s another hilarious hip-hop anthem for sure. Obviously, if you know the late Eazy-E was a member of seminal hip-hop group NWA, you’ll be correct in guessing that this track is pretty explicit stuff.
That being said, if you’ve got a sense of humor and you’re a fan of old-school hip-hop, there’s a lot to love here. It’s a refreshing side of the famous rapper to check out if you’re only familiar with his gangster-oriented raps. So if you’re looking for songs about fat girls, you’ll want to check out this one.
Fat Girl in Red by Mellotones
While a far cry lyrically from the politically charged anthems produced by fellow reggae artists Bob Marley and Peter Tosh around this time, “Fat Girl in Red” shows the humorous side of the genre.
It’s a catchy little number, and as opposed to the sexually charged lyrics found in Eazy-E or Spinal Tap’s work, this one has lyrics that are almost sweet. Any fans of reggae should check this one out, as the Mellotones were also one of the first white reggae groups, yet they’re rarely mentioned today.
Brick House by The Commodores
This popular funk hit was basically the “Baby Got Back” of the 70’s, and like that song, it’s also been a permanent fixture of pop culture since its release. This is a funky dance number that’s remained popular in clubs for decades. While Lionel Ritchie would go on to do more sensual ballads in the 80’s, none of them are as fun as this track.
Big Women by GBH
These British punk rockers don’t get talked about much anymore, but they were an influence on countless punk and metal acts. In addition to their raw and intense style of musicianship, one thing that made GBH stand out was their sense of humor.
While most British punk groups at the time were more interested in sociopolitical affairs, like Crass or Discharge, GBH were always about the party. If you’re a punk fan, definitely check this one out. It’ll make you laugh even if you don’t like the song.
Bubble Butt by MOD
Speaking of artists who were influenced by GBH, these crossover thrash titans churned out humorous track after humorous track, always railing against the PC attitudes of America in the 1980’s. While this one is even a little bit dumber lyrically than GBH’s “Big Women,” it’s a fast thrash attack that will get you pumped up.
Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen
One of the band’s biggest hits from their 1978 album Jazz, “Fat Bottomed Girls” is one of Queen’s heaviest and most rocking tracks. While they were often known for their classically inspired and heavily composed intricate tracks like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “March of the Black Queen,” Freddie Mercury and the boys always had a sense of humor and knew when to kick out the heaviness.
Driven by a distorted, bluesy riff courtesy of Brian May, vocalist Freddie Mercury describes his love for fat bottomed women. As more evidence of the band’s sense of humor, it was paired with the whimsical “Bicycle Race” when released as a single.
Big Girls Are Best by U2
Admit it—humor isn’t exactly the first thing you probably think of when someone mentions U2. Especially since the new millennium, these Irish rockers are as known for their political activism as they are their music, which is often serious, political, and introspective.
Yet even Bono himself has days where he’s allowed to tell a joke or two, and “Big Girls are Best” demonstrates this sense of humor perfectly. It’s not a very well-known tune, as it was released as a B-side in the early 2000’s, but it’s notable for showing a different side of the band. It’s a funky little rocker and Bono sings these silly lyrics with the same conviction he employs while singing about Martin Luther King or apartheid.
When Big Joan Sets Up by Captain Beefheart
If you’re at all familiar with the avant-garde legend of the 1960’s and 70’s, Captain Beefheart, you probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn this guy wrote a song about a fat woman. This is an interesting track from his landmark Trout Mask Replica album from 1969, as the Captain’s object of affection is actually not the fat woman christened “Big Joan.”
The lyrics and the exasperated chaos of the music and vocals convey Big Joan as a frightening character in Beefheart’s world, making it seem like she wants him, but the feeling certainly isn’t mutual. This is rough, cacophonous music, especially for its era, but this song still makes me laugh.
Skin and Bone by The Kinks
From their early hits like “Well-Respected Man” to their later concept albums like 1968’s The Village Green Preservation Society, The Kinks were no strangers to social commentary. 1971’s “Skin and Bone” is no different, as it’s a humorous yet prescient commentary on fitness and beauty culture.
This one really could have been written today, as it describes a tale of a woman who feels ashamed of her large size, but upon losing weight she ends up losing all her friends in her pursuit of vanity. Musically, it’s worth hearing, much like everything The Kinks did up to the early 70’s.
Jumbo Go Away by Frank Zappa
Zappa must have had some residual influence from his friend and collaborator Captain Beefheart when he wrote this song for 1981’s You Are What You Is album. Zappa was always a bit more lyrically direct than Beefheart. No stranger to groupies, this track tells a tale of a fat woman who simply won’t leave Frank alone.
The narrator tells this jumbo woman that she’s too big, too ugly, and that she smells like a dead fish, yet the woman persists. This track features all the musical idiosyncrasies that made this era of Zappa’s music so great, and it’s hard not to laugh at the admittedly mean-spirited and crass lyrics. If you’re looking for one of the wildest songs about fat chicks on this entire list, you’ll probably want to check this one out.
There you have it, 15 songs about fat people for you to feast your ears upon. Hopefully this list showcases a selection of familiar favorites and overlooked gems for you to get your fill.
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