Wow! So "sesquipedalian" has gotten the attention it deserves. Tom Chapin's song is a great vehicle for introducing children to the joys of language. Most children also delight in the long dinosaur words, much to the chagrin of childrens book consultants who feel that such books should be restricted to words of one syllable. My mother had great difficulty getting a publisher interested in doing her pioneering book on dinosaurs, called THE WONDERFUL EGG. It was one of her most successful works.

I'm also reminded that the Canadian group Tanglefoot is a master at incorporating multisyllable words in their songs. "Paddy's Finger" is a case in point:


By Joe Grant & Steve Ritchie, Tanglefoot © 1994
From Saturday Night at Hardwood Lake
Slightly adapted by Charlie Ipcar 1996


Paddy's Finger

'Twas in the town of Pelham one dark and dreary day
We local lads was in the pub, just sipping time away-a
When in there walked this stranger who disturbed our CONTEMPLATION
So we decided his facial features needed ALTERATION.
"Now what's your name, fair stranger? We've not seen you in town."
He answers "David Disher. I'm a man of some renown."
Says Patrick, "Well, now, Disher, lest you think that I'm remiss,
They calls me Scrappin' Paddy, and this here is me fist!"

Chorus:

Oh, Fight like a wildcat, learn your lesson, up jumps Paddy with a finger missin'
Poor wee fist, one finger less, for seven pound ten 'twill scarce be missed!.
Oh, fight like a wildcat, learn your lesson, up jumps Paddy with a finger missin'
Poor wee fist, great bloody mess, for seven pound ten 'twill scarce be missed!
Paddy's finger 'twill scarce be missed!

A room of rowdy roisters, swinging aft and fore;
Disher takes a nasty knock and sprawls upon the floor;
Paddy pounces all too slow, and for one second lingers;
Disher grabs his hand and sets his teeth to Paddy's finger. (CHO)

Now Paddy seeks legal counsel, down in muddy York;
Fighting may be Paddy's line, but missing parts is lawyers' work;
His complaint was swiftly drafted and filed with the court clerk,
With a copy served on Disher before he could embark;
So Disher is persuaded for fear of DISPUTATION,
To compensate in full for Paddy's DISINDIGITATION;
Now Paddy gets his seven pound ten, a COMPENSATION which ?
Convinces him that losing fights will make him filthy rich!(CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble