Music is good. Comedy is good, too. But something happens when the two are combined.

It seems that no matter how funny, original or entertaining a “comedy band” is, they’re usually seen as second-class entertainers. Not quite good enough to start a legitimate band and not quite funny enough to split people’s sides.

Tenacious D, Stephen Lynch, Flight of the Conchords, Weird Al and even sometimes musicians like Demetri Martin, Sarah Silverman and Zach Galifianakis rarely get acclaim for their musical talents. They’re normally classified as mediocre comedians and mediocre musicians.

The truth is they should be getting more praise for their work. Writing a song is hard. You know what else is hard? Making people laugh. Put the two together and the task seems insurmountable.

Is it that funny songs focus more on the lyrics than the music? Bob Dylan and Mos Def are pretty lyric heavy. Is it that the music is simple and catchy? Pick just about any popular pop group and they’re music is just as simplistic.

Why no love for composers of funny songs? I don’t know, I’m no scientician. There’s just something about them that gets no respect.