Subject: Lyr Add: I'M A MAINFRAME (Bob Franke) From: beardedbruce Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:26 PM Just have to post this. I've had the lyrics for a while, but the parody/parity workshop brought it out... I'M A MAINFRAME (Bob Franke) You been runnin' your program on your little PC, Tryin' to fix your business with your 1-2-3; That little Junior jus' can't manage your files, Well, I got some hardware that will make you smile. cho: 'Cause I'm a mainframe, baby I got a hard disk, too. An' I can do twenty times What that mini floppy driver can do. That's pow'ful software that you got to run But you just can't run it on that sonovagun; That little Junior's got no mem-o-ry Come on baby, get on line with me. Little lights of amber, little lights of green You got more data than I've ever seen That little board can't even jump your screen Oh baby, check out the soul of a new machine! Copyright (C) 1986 Robert J. Franke |
Subject: RE: BS: Computer song From: katlaughing Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:40 PM There are some others in this thread. I esp. like the one Alan in Australia wrote. |
Subject: Lyr Add: NOT PC (Duncan McFarlane) From: BusyBee Paul Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:21 PM Not PC words and music - Duncan McFarlane (Frustrated at work by the yet another network crash – and having just read through the 'bawdy' chapter in Kennedy's Folk Song Book, what else was I to do with the afternoon? I don't 'do' comedy, but since I included this in my set (as a spoof) it's gone down so well, I get told off when I don't include it. It's become my most requested song - now I find that VERY disturbing!) As I was once a-walking – in me place of work one day I spied a pretty maiden – she unto me did say 'If you've the time and trouble – then I will have you stand And help me with me windows, sir – for I could use a hand' She'd quite a case before her – a lovely monitor screen The contours of her keyboard – were the finest I had seen I leaned to take a closer look – twas then our eyes did meet Says she 'Why don't you press control and follow with alt/delete' Well I'm no expert at this lark – in fact I'm quite a dunce But I can spot an opening – need asking only once No sooner was I next to her – she this to me did say I hope you've got your caps lock on – press insert right away She bid me tap on enter – oh, now guess then what I found She had me press on home and then – page up and then page down I scanned her user area – I could hardly believe me eyes She searched right through me files and made me RAM increase in size When I plugged in the modem – I could tell she was a sport For she displayed both parallel – and also serial port I played with her drop-down menu - I think that did the trick But just to be quite certain gave her mouse a double click As her new service provider I gave as much as she could take But I must shift on out of here – log off now, press escape 'For it is getting late' says I – and 'I'm half afraid to ask But can I save this document? – It's time to end the task' Well, the answer that she gave me – oh, it filled me with surprise 'I see you've now a floppy – where you once had a hard drive But don't erase your memory – for me favour you did earn And I'll be waiting here for you – should ever you return' I'd opened up her folder – I'd surfed a little while She'd been desperate for a defrag – her connection I had dialled We'd scrolled around for hours - but now – a thought's filled me with fear I'll have to have a virus check – when I get out of here. Even after hearing it loads of times, it still makes me laugh!. BBP |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: dick greenhaus Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:30 PM Troble is, computer songs get obsolete as fast as computers do. |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: JohnInKansas Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:43 PM Most of them don't even have a BRS any more. John |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: Geordie-Peorgie Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:54 PM Les barker's written 'Reinstallin' Windows' te the tune of the owld George Formby Classic 'When Aah'm Cleanin' Windows' |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: Rowan Date: 12 Jul 07 - 01:01 AM And the Shiny Bum Singers do a Morris Dance (with words) using old keyboards the way a Morris Dancer uses a short staff. I'll try and find the words. Cheers, Rowan |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: JennyO Date: 12 Jul 07 - 01:23 AM That's the Ten Meg Morris. It's the funniest thing! Here's a link to a video clip of them performing it at the Australian National Library. Ten Meg Morris I can't find the words online, but I have the books. Give me a little time and I'll copy them out of the book. |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE TEN MEG MORRIS From: JennyO Date: 12 Jul 07 - 10:46 AM Here are the words, copied out of the book. I was just previewing and about to post them when Mudcat went down. Talk about timing! The Ten Meg Morris Tune: The Keeper The system it was running slow And the start-up screen took an hour to go. A dialogue box has begun to show A message on the screen-O: Chorus: Error at (Sector) Twenty-five (OK) Log Off (Shut Down) Derry derry down A message on the screen-O To my hey down down (To my ho down down) Log Off (Shut Down) Derry derry down A message on the screen-O At first a real computer geek The network config gave a tweak. It was up and down for the rest of the week There's a message on the screen-O Chorus The second helper that they sent He told the disk to defragment The disk wasn't sure just what he meant. There's a message on the screen-O Chorus The third the vendor he did ring And then the server he did ping, But that didn't change a single thing There's a message on the screen-O Chorus |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 12 Jul 07 - 11:49 AM ahem JennyO you forgot to credit the author! tut, tut, tut The author does not appear in the Ten Meg Morris clip above, but she does introduce this song - here's Julianne Patterson sandra (No. 1 Shiny Bum Fan) |
Subject: RE: Computer song From: JennyO Date: 12 Jul 07 - 12:33 PM Oops! Anyhoo, what are you doing still up, Sandra? Keeping my hours! |
Subject: Lyr Add: UNCLE ERNIE'S (Steve Savitzky) From: Jim Dixon Date: 10 Dec 11 - 11:07 AM I found this song by accident today on Spotify, and it gave me a great excuse to search for and find this old thread. I'm sure there are lots more songs in other threads that we could link to. Since not many people will remember the computers referenced here, I have created links to Wikipedia. UNCLE ERNIE'S Words by Steve Savitzky. Music, "Finnegan's Wake" As sung by Steve Saviszky on "Coffee, Computers and Song" (2007) 1. When Babbage's birthday rolls around, We hold our annual shopping spree. With every CPU you buy, You get a floppy disk completely free. We've acres of used computers here, The biggest selection in the land, Prices from just fifty cents To seven hundred and fifty grand. CHORUS: It's Uncle Ernie's used-computer Babbage's-birthday bargain bash! Once-in-a-lifetime discount deals! All sales are final and strictly cash! 2. We've Altairs, IMSAIs, Apple-Threes, And PC-Juniors by the score, And if you fancy something big, A mainframe's only slightly more. Take that Seventy-Ninety there; Such a mag-tape drive did you ever see? And whether it runs with tape or cards, Get a floppy disk completely free. 3. If energy bills are out of sight, Don't sit and shiver in the cold. To help you beat the cost of heat, We're offering real-time control, Straight from the nuclear industry. Here's a real hot number just for you: It glows in the dark a little, so It makes a dandy night-light too. 4. Now in the robot section here, We've Heathkit HEROs by the score And a couple of custom models That were only used in one Star War. Robby here is a great machine. Did you ever see such a friendly face? The price is very low because Because we found him drifting Lost in Space. |
Subject: RE: Songs about computers From: Vic Smith Date: 10 Dec 11 - 11:19 AM The best of them all - John Kirkpatrick's "Belinda Brown". This is on MySpace - and I think that you may have to be a member of MySpace and logged in to hear it all. I may be wrong.... |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LITTLE MOUSE (Malvina Reynolds) From: Bettynh Date: 10 Dec 11 - 11:29 AM The Little Mouse Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1976 Schroder Music Company, renewed 2004. A little mouse got into the wires At the central clearing house in Buenos Aires. One little mouse short circuited the computers, Says a press dispatch from Reuters. Hooray for the little mouse That mucked up the clearing house, And threw the Stock Exchange in a spin And made the bankers cry. So much for the electronic brains, That run the world of banks and aeroplanes, And if one little mouse can set them all awry, Why not you and I? Spoken: Then there was another item in the papers About a bank's computers That messed up the accounts So the farmer's checks all bounced, So his business fell apart And it nearly broke his heart. So he took the bank to court, And they gave him an award Of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The bank appealed and on due consideration The higher court doubled the compensation. So if a computer does it to you, You can sue, or chew the wires through. Note: Malvina didn't fool around. She didn't sing "mucked up." She dropped the f-bomb. You can hear it on youtube. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: Bev and Jerry Date: 10 Dec 11 - 07:38 PM 1. Was you ever on Ebay Making offers all the day For things you don't need anyway Surfing on a keyboard chorus: Way, hey, and away we go Keyboard surfing, keyboard surfing Way, hey, and away we go Surfing on a keyboard 2. Was you ever at Google's site Searching, searching day and night Using cable or satellite Surfing on a keyboard 3. Was you ever at Google earth Fly to Paris, Rome or Perth Even see your place of birth Surfing on a keyboard 4. Was you ever at Snopes dot com Where the tales told by your mom Are debunked without a qualm Surfing on a keyboard 5. Was you ever at Craig's List They have deals you can't resist Onyx, jade and amethyst Surfing on a keyboard 6. Was you ever at Amazon You can buy a lexicon And books about Lake Woebegone Surfing on a keyboard 7. Was you ever at Yahoo News Articles you can peruse There you'll find out who is whos Surfing on a keyboard 8. Was you ever at Mapquest Some say it's the very best Find your way to Budapest Surfing on a keyboard 9. Was you ever at Mudcat Drop in for a little chat Or find out where the words are at Surfing on a keyboard The tune is "Donkey Riding" which is in the DT. This could be the only song which actually mentions "mudcat"! Bev and Jerry |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: Uncle Phil Date: 11 Dec 11 - 09:31 AM Runnin' Out of Memory by Tim O'Brien on the CD Cornbread Nation. "...It was a full-length picture, jpeg format But I never got to see you smile..." - Phil |
Subject: Lyr Add: I'M IN LOVE WITH GILL BATES From: Acorn4 Date: 11 Dec 11 - 10:53 AM I'M IN LOVE WITH GILL BATES (or "How not to be sued by famous persons") 1.You can see me at the computer fair, Though I probably won't see you As through myopic tunnel vision I barge my way to the front of the queue Glasses like the bottoms of milk bottles 3 days stubble on my chin has grown With "eau de Bernard Manning's underpants" I talk to the salesman in binary code You wouldn't think to look at me There was room for passion in my life As I prattle on about pipeline burst cache PCI slots, D-ram and gigabytes But in my heart there's a secret desire I'm a real dark horse it seems As I sit before my monitor all my waking hours Thinking of the girl of my dreams cos… Chorus: I'm in love with Gill Bates Heaven is just a mouse click away In her tender hands she holds my fate With those teasing messages on my screen that say "Can't locate my e-drive, abort, retry, ignore", She denies me access without giving any cause My operating system's at her back and call If I get this lot to work it will be a bloody miracle 3.She says I must update my bios, My device drivers and secondary cache Fit the latest graphics accelerator Load my digital camera with compact flash Get her all the latest gizmos Which soak up all my hard earned cash I've done what she says, why won't it work ? Oh, shit, I forgot the backslash ! Cos,I'm in love with Gill Bates She says my mouse doesn't like my modem They're fighting over the same IRQ The manual's badly written in Chinese But a nerd's gotta do what a nerd's gotta do I'd put in the wrong kind of memory But I've sorted that one out OK Now I can load the latest game "Blast the b***s off a zombie" Wahay! Cos, I'm in love with Gill Bates |
Subject: Lyr Add: BELINDA BROWN (John Kirkpatrick) From: Jim Dixon Date: 12 Dec 11 - 07:32 PM Vic Smith: Yes, it is a great song. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I was able to hear the song though I'm not a member of MySpace. But it's also on Spotify, and I found it more convenient to play it from there. I suppose the tune is traditional. Anyone recognize it? Here's my slightly incomplete attempt at a transcription. I would appreciate help filling in the gaps. BELINDA BROWN As sung by John Kirkpatrick on "Mazurka Berserker" (2001) 1. Now Belinda Brown she sailed through town. Her face and her features wore never a frown. Her shoes were going a-clickety-clack, The paint and leather a shimmering black, And her skirt was swishing and shimmering too, Her suit a shimmering shade of blue. Her hair was shimmering in the sun, Parading the price she paid having it done. She flew into an office she knew. Her pitch was perfect, her makeup too, But when she got there, oh, what a scare! Patty from reception was slumped in the chair, Tearing her hair out in despair With her "down, down, derry down, down, The blooming computer's down! Down, down, derry down, down, The blooming computer's down!" 2. "All right," said Belinda. "Let's get it fixed." While Patty was ..., She nuzzled each ..., caressed each ..., Stroked the screen so tenderly. "Bang the bugger!" Belinda burst out. "You won't get it working by piddling about. Our skulls together must do what we can. We mustn't give in to the maintenance man." So she rattled and jaggled and twiddled and tweaked While Patty she prattled and went rather weak. But, do what they might, nothing went right. Her knuckles were gleaming whiter than white. Belinda went forth into terrible sight, When you're down, down, derry down, down, When your blooming computer's down. Down, down, derry down, down, When the blooming computer's down. 3. She leaned across Patty to pick up the phone, But their chairs took on a life of their own. Locked together and side by side, Across the office the two did glide, And they ripped the wires coming out of the wall As the vase of flowers began to fall. Trundling on, they held their breath Till a shower of sparks had scared 'em to death. Well, the trip switches went all over the floor. The lift was stuck for an hour or more, But she wasn't beat; she leapt from her seat. It was simply a challenge she knew she could meet. For Belinda Brown there was no defeat When they're down, down, derry down, down, When the blooming computer's down. Down, down, derry down, down, When the blooming computer's down. 4. She whipped out her mobile as quick as a flash. You have to move fast when the system has crashed. But the signal was poor, hardly a squeak. Patty said, "Well, it's been like that all week." So she strode off determined to get the best spot. She knew she would find it, ready or not. She tried in the kitchen; she tried in the hall, But just up the stairs was the best place of all. Well, the signal was perfect, the acoustics as well. Pity the room had that rather odd smell! But she plumped herself down .... She tapped in the number and straightened her hair. With Belinda in charge there's no need to despair, When they're down, down, derry down, down, When the blooming computer's down. Down, down, derry down, down, When the blooming computer's down. 5. Sid from the store he crashed through the door, Lamenting the lack of a loo on his floor. The cheeks of his bum were sad and sore From the birthday bash at the Kohinoor. In a terrible hurry from too much curry, He undid his trousers; well, why should he worry? But you'd lose the urge, however immense, When a woman from management sat in the gents. She fumbled and faulted; he stopped in his tracks. In that situation it's hard to relax. What can he do? There's only one loo. Why had he chosen to have vindaloo? And Belinda just sat there admiring the view With 'em down, down, derry down, down, With her bloomin' own trousers down. Down, down, derry down, down, With her bloomin' own trousers down. 6. Before she could move, there came a great crack. With a terrible surge, the power came back. It gave her a fright; her phone took flight, Got itself lodged in the overhead light, So she leapt on the loo to wiggle it free, But as Sid held her steady quite fast round the knee, A consid'rable whack of the national grid Passed through Belinda and on into Sid. Well, the phone it fell and they said not a word, And the splash they neither saw nor heard. They lowered her down with wonder and glee. They were sparking together as sweet as can be, And under her feet in the WC, Going down, down, derry down, down, Her phone was bubbling down. Down, down, derry down, down, Her phone was bubbling down. 7. Now Belinda Brown she sails through town. Her face and her features wear never a frown. The hair on her head is still sticking out straight From when she and Sid had their brush with fate. For their gel and their chemistry none can explain. The passion between them is hard to contain, For Sid and Belinda, whenever they kiss, They fizz and they sizzle from that day to this. Whenever they touch, you can see the sparks fly. The appliance of science they simply defy; And there in reception Patty still sits. She tells how they nearly were ... to bits. Up in the gents in the flush and the spray, The ghost of her mobile babbles away, And Belinda and Sid they crackle and glow. Their voltage is high; their resistance is low. Connected by currents, fused by fate, They pump up their units in place of a date. They were down, down, derry down, down. Their blooming computer's down. Down, down, derry down, down, The blooming computer's down. Down, down, derry down, down, The blooming computer's— Blooming computer's— Blooming computer's down. |
Subject: Lyr Add: WHITE COLLAR HOLLER (Stan Rogers) From: saulgoldie Date: 13 Dec 11 - 06:33 AM From the late great Stan Rogers. White Collar Holler Well I rise up every morning bout a quarter til eight, The woman who's my wife tells me not to be late, I kiss the kids goodbye, can't remember their names, And week after week it's always the same. cho. It's ho boys, can't you code it Ungh!, program it right, Nothin ever happens in this life of mine, I'm hauling up the data on the Xerox line. And it's code in the date give the keyboard a punch, Cross correlate and a break for some lunch, Correlate, tabulate, process and screen, Program, printout, regress to the mean. cho. Then it's home again, eat again, watch some TV, Make love to my woman at 10:53, I dream the same dream when I'm sleeping at night, I'm soaring over hills like an eagle in flight. cho. Some day I'm gonna give up all the buttons and things, Gonna punch that timeclock til it don't ring, Burn up my necktie and set myself free, Cause noone's gonna fold, bend, or mutilate me. cho. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: Newport Boy Date: 13 Dec 11 - 09:46 AM I produced this for a pre-Christmas session of our U3A (mainly over-60s) a couple of years ago. I think I got the idea and some of the first verse from the web. Email Wonderland Another ping! Are you listening? Computer screen Is a'glistening With icons so bright They light up the night. Welcome to the email wonderland! Gone away Are the long walks Here to stay Is the in-box Marked "Urgent, please read!" And "Answer with speed!" Welcome to the email wonderland! Every morning offers you viagra, Messages from neighbours down the road, Photos of your cousin at Niagara, Even though they take an age to load. Although you Are retired, It's 10 p.m. You're still wired. The day's not complete Till the last "delete". Welcome to the email wonderland! Phil |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE PROGRAMMER'S ALPHABET (Steve Savitsky From: Jim Dixon Date: 15 Dec 11 - 07:24 PM This will make some old programmers (like me) smile, but I don't see anything here that couldn't have been written before the early 1970s. THE PROGRAMMER'S ALPHABET As sung by Steve Savitsky on "Coffee, Computers, and Song" (2007) A is for ASCII, our alphabet's name. B is the bugs for which we get the blame. C, the computer which never works right. D is debugging the rest of the night. E is the elegant problems we're set. F is old Fortran we try to forget. G is the go-to we're trying to kill, And H is the hacker* who uses it still. CHORUS: Programming, programming all through the night, We're stuck her until our new program works right. Programming, programming, isn't it fun? Maintenance starts when debugging is done. I is the input we handle with care. J is the jump-to, nobody knows where. K is the kluge with which we got by. L is for later to fix it we'll try. M is the memory dropping a bit. N the new version that doesn't quite fit. O is the op'rating system we buy, And P is the patch to make our programs fly. CHORUS Q is for qwerty of typewriter lore. R is the RAM that we used to call core. S is the standard we'll follow some day. T is the teletype banging away. U is the user, that unhappy man. V is the vengeance he wreaks when he can. W is work; it's the manager's call. And X is the Xerox machine down the hall. CHORUS Y is the yes you reply by mistake. And Z is the zeros all over your tape. There may more verses they wanted to send, But they've all gotten clobbered so this is the end. [* "Hacker" here is used in the old sense of a careless or "quick and dirty" programmer who works only for the short-term goal. It has nothing to do with gaining unauthorized access to data—a concept that wasn't invented till later.] |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: harpmolly Date: 16 Dec 11 - 02:18 AM Is it REALLY possible no one's posted this one yet? :D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRY9Ybi5zqI |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: Susanne (skw) Date: 24 Dec 11 - 04:11 PM saulgoldie, The White Collar Holler was written by Nigel Russell iirr, not Stan Rogers, though the latter recorded it. |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE GATES From: Jim Dixon Date: 27 Dec 11 - 03:43 PM Here's the song that Harpmolly provided the URL for: THE GATES DiCostanzo / Sabourin As sung by Da Vinci's Notebook on "Brontosaurus" (2010) 1. Workin' on a laptop close to the end Of a job I been doin' since half past ten, I don't believe that it's frozen again. The system has gone down-o, Down-o, down-o. I don't believe that it's frozen again. The system has gone down-o. 2. So I took it down to the help-desk guy. I said, "Make it better or I'm gonna cry." He said, "I'm sorry your computer has died. The data can no longer be found-o, Found-o, found-o." He said, "I'm sorry your computer has died. The data can no longer be found-o." 3. To the roof with the laptop I did go, Over to the edge and I gave it a throw, And when it arrived seven stories below, It really made a mighty fine sound-o, Sound-o, sound-o. When it arrived seven stories below, It really made a mighty fine sound-o. 4. Well, that didn't do enough to ease my pain, So I went down to Dulles and I got on a plane, Saying, "This is all Billy Gates' fault. I'm gonna be trackin' him down-o, Down-o, down-o. This is all Billy Gates' fault, I'm gonna be trackin' him down-o," 5. Touched down at Seattle and got off the plane, Hit Starbucks to get out of the rain, Paid all o' my dough for a thimble o' joe Full o' foam and a cinnamon brown-o, Brown-o, brown-o, All of my dough for a thimble o' joe Full o' foam and a cinnamon brown-o. 6. When The Gates found out about my plan, He packed up a bag, turned tail, and ran. Megalo-man took it out on the lam, Then hid 'way underground-o, Gound-o, ground-o. Megalo-man took it out on the lam, And hid 'way underground-o. 7. Well, The Gates been a-runnin' ever since that day, Thinks he can hide but he can't get away. When I finally find his little skinny behind, Gonna kick it all over this town-o, Town-o, town-o. Finally find his little skinny behind, Gonna kick it all over this town. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: Charley Noble Date: 28 Dec 11 - 07:45 AM Nice to know this thread is still aggregating. There are some real gems here. Cheerily (with a high resolution TIFF format smile) Charley Noble |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: Arkie Date: 28 Dec 11 - 10:41 AM Tom Paxton's "Internet for Dummies" might fit here as well. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs about computers From: PHJim Date: 28 Dec 11 - 10:58 AM saulgoldie - While Stan Rogers did a fine job of interpreting the White Collar Holler, it was not his song, but was written by Nigel Russell and dedicated to the city of Bramalea, Ontario, Canada where he lived the life described in the song. |
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