I remember the song, even though I never listened to commercial radio, it’s that distinctive, so I don’t think the song needs any analysis beyond the catchy, identifiable chorus. The switch to band pass filter style vocal, would have sounded completely whack back in those days.
I think it could probably be filed under “hey yeah, we’re not your average FM hits station check this weird quirky number out” type bull shit.
Pretty sure the Cure have more FM friendly hits than Love Cats …
(I agree with the rest of your post, though)
I’ve heard a lot of weird songs that weren’t hits.
I get the part about the chorus having the doo doo doo part though.
I first heard/saw this while as a kid, during the heyday of MTV. To me, there are a few memorable things about this song; very catchy tune, interesting story, visual of Stan Ridgeway’s head popping out of a pot of beans. I hate to say it, but the MTV-tuned visuals of some songs had a greater impact on me than the music itself.
I was thinking in this direction, the mass hypnosis through popularity and mass distributed oddly colored jelly beans angle.
Okay, I scrolled back and watched the video, probably for the first time since about 1983. I’d forgotten about the tight physical arrangement of the band, the pot of beans shot, the breaking of the fourth wall showing an ostensible director and crew. Also the sonic spectrum was narrower and more manipulated than I remember, unless that is YT compression.
The whole thing is so early MTV.
all of that, you tagged it perfectly.
As if “made for the audience” it was aimed at.
I liked it but I can’t explain why other people also liked it.
Maybe early days of MTV had something to do with it.
Personally, the only reason I’m at all familiar with it is that it was sampled on The Cold Vein.
Love this album.
I’ve always thought of this song as “psychobilly adjacent”. Maybe a slightly more new wave and radio friendly version of the Cramps or the Revered Horton Heat.
a lot of one-hit wonders happened in the early 80s because when MTV launched in 81, they had almost no actual videos from the biggest stars at the time. so filling the channel 24/7/365 with anything meant bands like Wall of Voodoo that did make videos had an instant advantage over Springsteen etc.
Love this song. Weird and catchy
This thread reminds me of my eternal struggle to understand why the song “mmm mmm mmm mmm” by the crash test dummies was written and recorded. Completely baffling song.
Was about to post this! That album is top tier.
Don’t know how I forgot about this track, I used to have that album.
This band is another enigma, like how a total baritone singer ended up on an mtv heavy rotation video.
I read an article once where the singer claimed his low voice was a result of:
his anomalous third testicle. true story.
This reviewer however, claims it is fictitious:
Guilty Pleasure: Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet - Consequence
Wow, that was an incredible reveal.
I hear this song almost everyday, but I listen to a lot of 80’s playlists among other things at work.
I think the quirkiness is what’s most memorable about the song. An Accordion melody plus a Les Claypool from Primus vocal vibe before Primus was a band. Great track 
I remember this song. It’s fun and quirky and would work well in a B-52’s playlist.
