I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head

Subject: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From:
Date: 10 Jan 99 - 12:40 AM

I heard a song I think in the early 1970's. I've been trying to find it for a long time. I even wrote to Dr. Demento and he wrote back that it stumped him.

It was on the back of an album, in fact it was about the 2nd or 3rd song on the back of the album. All the songs were very weird. That last song on the back of the album was about war, death and dieing and was quite long, but thats not the song I'm looking for.

I don't remember the name of the song or the album but I remember the words exactly.

"I HAVE A LITTLE BRAIN TUCKED NEATLY IN MY HEAD ANOTHER LITTLE BRAIN THAT FOLLOWS ME INSTEAD."

These words were repeated over and over, perhaps the only words in the song or almost the only words anyway.

Does anyone have any idea what the name of this song is or who the writer, singer, or album is to this song is.

I'm not a regular reader of this forum so please email me if you know anything about this song. Thanks.

George Blake [e-mail]

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 12:58 AM

I have a little brain tucked safely in my head
and another little brain which is in the air instead
it follows me and plays with me and talks to me in bed
the other one confuses me
the one that's in my head.

I've been trying to find that whole album. I used to have it when I was a kid. All I remember is that "My Brain" was written by a grade school kid and adapted for Moog synthesizers for some sort of recording, perhaps a live performace? Who knows?

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,Paul Millar
Date: 08 Apr 11 - 01:30 PM

This is from an old album called "Does not exist" by a Canadian group called Perth County Conspiracy. The song is called "Listen to the Kids" and features several poems by children from a book of children's poetry.

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,A.B.
Date: 01 Aug 16 - 06:07 PM

http://redmp3.su/6581077/gershon-kingsley-i-have-a-little-brain.html

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,JP
Date: 14 May 19 - 11:39 AM

PCC does not exist / whole album is on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt8aOig9AmM

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,Vitaliy Shtapura
Date: 08 Oct 25 - 10:05 AM

Hi all, I have solved a longstandng mystery of where these words originated.

Indeed they appear twice in 1970 - sung beautifully as a round in First Moog Quartet's "Miracles" and recited by an adult man in Perth County's "Listen to the Kids." I first heard the powerful recitation while listening to that gorgeously far-out trippy album, First Moog Quartet, which really is a transcendental work of art.

But I found the spoken-word poetry in "Miracles" so incredibly odd that I ended up quote-searching some of the lyrics, which is how I found this thread.

Ain't it odd that both songs have the same poem but were published in 1970?

Well, I learned some STRANGE knowledge about the origin of these wonderful words!

They come from a 1966 anthology of poems by children, titled Miracles, for which I've just created a Wikipedia article!

After finding a 1966 New York Times article: I learned that this beautiful poem was written by Annabel Laurance, an Ugandan girl then 10 years old. It was collected by Richard Lewis c. '64-66, for his book Miracles which collected 200 poems from children around the English-speaking world. This poem is "My Brain" and here it is in full (your memory was great, OP):

      I have a little brain tucked safely in my head;
      and another little brain, which is in the air instead.
      This follows me and plays with me and talks to me in bed.
      The other one confuses me - the one that's in my head.

This no doubt meant that both musicians had the 1966 book Miracles and used it to inspire their 1970 works.

Interestingly, this poem has been quoted again and again by scholars, psychologists and poets even into the 2020s.
Literally over 50 years of existence in the cultural zeitgeist and not many realize this was a trippy shocking poem by a kid that was reprinted and even collected by the US Department of Education.


Inspired by this thread and its cultural notability, I have created a new article titled "My Brain" where you can view the journey of this strange poem in chronological order.

Anyhow, beautiful thread and thought I'd update with some interesting cultural anthropology. Hope you have all been doing well.

---

Link fixed. ---mudelf

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: cnd
Date: 10 Oct 25 - 06:00 AM

Excellent researching, Vitaliy! Thanks for sharing

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 10 Oct 25 - 11:49 AM

What time does it start on that album?

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 13 Oct 25 - 07:28 PM

Doesn't anybody have a link to just the song? Not an hour-long podcast or an album upload, just those words with the music?

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: cnd
Date: 14 Oct 25 - 08:24 AM

First Moog Quartet - Miracles (at about 4:10)

Perth County Conspiracy - Listen to the Kids (at about 1:30)

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 18 Oct 25 - 08:30 PM

Thanks. There's no tune but it can be recited in canon.

Subject: RE: I have a little brain tucked neatly in my head
From: GUEST,Vitaliy Shtapura
Date: 08 May 26 - 03:56 PM

How lovely of a surprise to come back to this thread and see such kind responses and kudos! Thank you very much CND and ensuing posters for your kindness.

I have a happy update I figured I should share. Due to my dear connection to his poem, I've purchased a used copy of the 1966 anthology, which I soulfully reccommend. It is great reading for morning, afternoon, or evening, and each short poem can be read many many times without tiring. It is no wonder these poems inspired various songwriters.

I've decided I must incorporate the aforementioned poem into my 6th album as a tribute; and happily, it ended up fitting PERFECTLY with a song I wrote years ago.
So, here's my 2026 tribute to the poem:
Vitaliy Shtapura - The Future and I (I Have a Little Brain)

Hopefully more musicians can continue the tradition of incorporating this beautiful poem into their works and keep it alive for decades and generations to come! New tunes each time mean it can take on a different meaning through it.
It's rather like a game of Keepy-Uppy, isn't it! Hopefully my little attempt enhances the poem's reach and enlightens more people. And I hope poet Annabel Laurance becomes aware of how much her words in childhood have left an impression in the hearts/souls of others.