-Joe Offer-
Here are the Digital Tradition lyrics on the left. Lyrics on the right are from the Staines songbook, If I Were a Word, Then I'd Be a Song (1980, Folk-Legacy Records, page 74). The only differences are in the layout of the lyrics. The words in the DT are correct.
| A PLACE IN THE CHOIR (DT Lyrics) All God's critters got a place in the choir Some sing low, some sing higher, Some sing out loud on the telephone wires, And some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they got now REPEAT Listen to the bass, it's the one on the bottom Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus Moans and groans with a big t'do And the old cow just goes moo. The dogs and the cats they take up the middle While the honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles, The donkey brays and the pony neighs And the old coyote howls. CHORUS Listen to the top where the little birds sing On the melodies with the high notes ringing, The hoot owl hollers over everything And the jaybird disagrees. Singin' in the night time, singing in the day, The little duck quacks, then he's on his way. The 'possum ain't got much to say And the porcupine talks to himself. CHORUS It's a simple song of living sung everywhere By the ox and the fox and the grizzly gear, The grumpy alligator the the hawk above, The sly racoon and the turtle dove. CHORUS REPEAT | A PLACE IN THE CHOIR (Staines songbook) (Bill Staines)
Some sing low, some sing higher, Some sing out loud on the telephone wires, And some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they got now Listen to the bass, it's the one on the bottom Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus Moans and groans with a big t'do And the old cow just goes moo. The dogs and the cats they take up the middle While the honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles, The donkey brays and the pony neighs And the old coyote howls. CHORUS Listen to the top where the little birds sing On the melodies with the high notes ringing, The hoot owl hollers over everything And the jaybird disagrees. Singing in the night time, singing in the day, The little duck quacks, then he's on his way. The 'possum ain't got much to say And the porcupine talks to himself. CHORUS It's a simple song of living sung everywhere By the ox and the fox and the grizzly gear, The grumpy alligator the the hawk above, The sly racoon and the turtle dove. CHORUS REPEAT |
By Bill Staines, copyright 1979
On "The Whistle of the Jay", FSI-70
@animal
filename[ PLACHOIR
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DC
By Bill Staines, copyright 1979
On "The Whistle of the Jay", FSI-70
@animal
filename[ PLACHOIR
TUNE FILE: PLACHOIR
CLICK TO PLAY
DC
...and that parody, also from the Digital Tradition:
PLACE IN THE FIRE
(Donald A. Duncan, Sara Freed)
(TUNE: A Place In The Choir By Bill Staines)
CHO: All God's critters got a place in the Fire
Some are roasters, some are Fryers
We cook 'em all as they require
And serve them up with jams or sauces, or anything we've got now...
Cows and pigs make many a meal
Steak and hamburger, liver and veal,
Ribs and bacon, chops and peel,
All the pig except the squeal.
Sheep and goats may take the crown;
The Darby ram fed two whole towns
Mutton helps the ale go down
Or was that the other way around? [spoken musinglyl
cho:
We gnaw up chickens piece by piece,
And gobble turkeys at every Feast.
Peking ducks and goose pate'
Fowl is fare eaten any old way!
Swimmin' in the rivers, swimmin' in the sea
Fish make dinners for you and me,
Fried or broiled or poached in sauce,
And Yuppies eat it raw! (spoken disparagingly. or as an epithet)
cho:
Things that crawl on the ocean Floor
Things that live along the shore
Crabs and lobsters, clams and more,
Shuck the shell and eat the core.
We eat'em in the nighttime, eat 'em in the day,
Gorge ourselves at work and play:
If it walks or crawls or swims or Flies,
We chuck it on the grill and give it a try.
cho:
Optional verses for strong stomachs aka "Vegetarian's Horror'ยท
or Carnivore's Delight"
We slice 'em and dice 'em and skewer them through
Sauce 'em and gloss 'em in savory brew
Slap them on the barbecue
And breathe that wonderful smell!
Pickled pigs-Feet, leg of Frog.
Eat a horse, or toast a dog,
Sweetmeats and tripe, offal in grog
Not to mention (Haggis and) Rocky Mountain oysters!"
Kill 'em with guns or clubs or knives
Whack 'em, stab 'em, boil them alive:
Hang 'em, bleed 'em into a trough,
Or twist their necks 'til their heads come off!
Skin 'em, slice them into parts,
Fry their liver, dice the heart.
When you've carved out all the choicest cuts,
Grind the rest to pack the guts.
Copyright Duncan and Freed
@food @parody
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