Lyr Req: Television / Tele-Vee-Shun (Stan Freberg)

13 Apr 01 - 06:30 PM (#440071)
Subject: Television
From: GUEST,JackieR

I am compiling a booklet of songs sung at my summer camp in the late '50's/ very early '60's. Does anyone have lyrics to a calypso-ish song w/ the chorus,"Television, television, I'm sick of looking on television; I've got weak in the eyes, weak in the head, likewise, from sitting and looking on television?"

Words included: Mr. general public, do you realize that you have a population of staring eyes...

Thank you!

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01 May 02 - 04:08 PM (#702325)
Subject: Lyr Add: TELEVISION (Stan Freberg)
From: Jim Dixon

I found these lyrics at an Australian television site. I Americanized the spelling and punctuation, since Stan Freberg is American. Ironically, he made a good part of his living from television, both as a performer and as an advertising executive and copywriter. I don't know the tune, but from the dialect, I'm guessing it has a calypso beat. It was a genre he loved to parody. The web site has a sound file, which I haven't listened to, because the song is apparently embedded in a long program. It would be nice if someone would work up a midi or ABC file from it, or at least identify the tune, if he stole it.

Copied from http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/mediarpt/stories/s226416.htm

TELEVISION
(Stan Freberg)

Television, television,
I'm sick of it.

Hey, Mr. General Public, do you realize
That we got a generation of staring eyes?
The women never bother getting housework done.
They just sit around gawking at television.
The kiddies never run and playing out of door.
Apart from that they never reading books no more.
You ask them who's the father our country, man.
They say was either Walt Disney or Ed Sullivan.

Oh, television, television.
I'm sick from-a looking on television.
I got-a weak in the eyes, weak in the head likewise
From sitting and looking on television.

The burglar come sneaking in and break the latch
While grandma she is looking on the wrestling match.
She throws him on the floor although she's ninety years old.
She says "I got him with a step-over toehold."
I turn on Elvis Presley and my daughter scream.
I fear she have a nervous breakdown 'cause of him.
I wonder why he wiggle-waggle to the beat?
As a boy he must have had a loose bicycle seat.

Oh television, television,
I'm sick from a-looking on television.
I got-a weak in the eyes, weak in the head likewise,
From sitting and looking on television.

The children of the country eat their dinner, you bet,
But they eat it sitting in front of the TV set.
They got pudding in their ears from the north to the south,
From eating while watching and missing their mouth.
Last night a very unusual thing occurred.
The baby he is saying his very first word.
I have him on my shoulder for to make him burp.
Instead he open his mouth and say "Wyatt Earp!"

Television, television –

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01 May 02 - 04:23 PM (#702331)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Television
From: SharonA

Oh, darn, Jim beat me to it. Yes, the song absolutely does have a calypso beat!

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01 May 02 - 04:38 PM (#702346)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Television
From: GUEST,Paul

And this is from the 50's, eh...

And how many channels did they have then?

I can sadly relate to it all too well, as, no doubt can many others...

Anyone got any songs about HATING television, cos I sure do.

Paul

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26 Dec 12 - 07:42 PM (#3457435)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Television
From: GUEST,Brian

Thanks for the lyrics, I actually have this song on an old 78 somewhere

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26 Dec 12 - 08:42 PM (#3457452)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Television
From: GUEST,999

Tele vee shun

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26 Dec 12 - 09:55 PM (#3457458)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Television
From: Jim Dixon

The recording includes one additional verse that is not shown above:


I watch the late, late movie then I climb the stairs,
Get into bed and have television nightmares
Complete with bad commercials that repeat all night
Both in compatible color and black-and-white.
Someday my son grow up and want to go to sea,
So he prob'ly go and try to join US Navy.
They give him aptitude test, mon, now here's the rub:
They find him best suited for watching Mickey Mouse Club.


[It's also on an album "The Very Best of Stan Freberg" (2008) which can be heard on Spotify.]

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