Lyr Req: 30,000 Pounds of Bananas (Harry Chapin)

Subject: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: Kevin G
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 07:06 PM

Yes, I am totally familiar with the song 30,000 lbs of bananas, which I memorized completely when I was young and had nothing else to do. However, I have recently been informed that there are *three* different endings to this song. One, obviously, is the recorded version. One of the others reportedly goes, "Yes, we have no bananas, no bananas in Scranton PA." That's a hoot. Can anyone confirm this rumor and/or supply the third version, and/or explain why there are three versions, if there are? Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: fulurum
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 07:59 PM

now some of you may think its easy to write a song like this,see most great works of art have a theme that holds them together, this one doesn't,as a matter of fact i had, a great deal of trouble ending it, as a matter of fact, the first ending was like this, yes we have no bananas, we have no bananas today, and if that wasn't enough, yes we have no bananas, no bananas in scranton p.a. now iwas very proud of that ending and with much much anticipation i sang it for the guys in the group, and my brothers and thier reaction was best summed up by my brother tom who said, harry it sucks.

from 30,000 lbs of babanas on harry chapins greatest stotries live album. elektra 7E-2009

Subject: Thanks Fulurum
From: KGately
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 08:24 PM

Aha! But is there a third version, or is that just a story? I wonder. Appreciate the info.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: fulurum
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 08:31 PM

sorry forgot to include other ending, well was i was devastated,but i went back to my lonely writers garrett and decided i would try again and come up with a new ending, since it was a country & western song maybe i could write a country ending, something about motherhood this time, the song already had a truck, somethng with weeping steel guitars,wailing fiddles, and an incredible banjo part, and something with harmony sung by the la memorial choir, you'll see your part when it comes by, a woman walks into her room , where her child lies sleeping,sleeping... and when she sees his eyes are closed she sits there silently weeping, weeping... and though she lives in scranton pennsylvania,vania... she never ever eats bananas, not 1 of 30,000 lbs of bananas well the sad truth is no matter how loud or lovely you say of bananas, it doesn't alter in the least the fact that when i sang that ending for my brothers and the guys in the group, their reaction was best summed up by my brother steve, who said, no no harry, you gotta be kidding me, you really expect that to end this song? i mean its nice harry, the words are potentially harmless, the music is pleasant, but i think tom is definitly right, it sucks.

you know the rest. same song same album

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: KevinG
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 08:38 PM

Thanks again. I get it now. Ciao.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: fulurum
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 08:45 PM

oops i guess i want you to really learn this song. don't know what i did or why i did it, guess i just like to hear myself talk.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: Owlkat
Date: 30 Dec 99 - 06:53 AM

Hi hi, Alright already with the jokes. Would SOMEBODY please put up the lyrics?
Waiting sleepless in the Yukon.
Cheers, Owl.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From: Blackcat2
Date: 30 Dec 99 - 09:29 AM

Pay no heed Owlkat

- the whole song never really existed! It was all a plot of Harry's brothers Steve & Tom Chapin so they could say the word "Sucks" on an album (notice how quietly it is spoken). Most of the words that Harry sings are actually cleverly pronounced Yiddish phrases that proclaim the existence and success of Tom Chapin's children's music recording career - which exists NOW, but not then.

The tragic irony is that Harry Chapin died before his brother Tom was able to repay him by recording a song supposedly about "Peruvian children taking Llamas to Mongolia to end the decades long war between those two countries" but in reality - telling all of us that Harry really would prefer to write songs about happy, successful, contented people.

Hope this clears everything up!

Subject: Lyr Add: 30,000 POUNDS OF BANANAS (Harry Chapin)
From: Blackcat2 (from home)
Date: 31 Dec 99 - 03:23 PM

Here's my transcription of the song (it's missing some of the talking which is provided above) from "Harry Chapin Live"

30,000 Pounds of Bananas - Harry Chapin, 1974

italics are to be spoken, ALL CAPS ARE TO BE AUDIENCE PARTS

It was just after dark when the truck started down
the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Carrying 30,000 pounds of Bananas, Carrying 30,000 pounds, (I said,) of Bananas

He was a young driver, just out on his second job,
And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruit
for everyone in that coal-scarred city.
Where children play without despair in backyard slag piles
and folks manage to eat each day:
A-bout 30,000 pounds of Bananas,
Just about 30,000 pounds of Bananas

He passed a sign that he should have seen
Saying 'Shift to low gear or fifty-dollar fine, my friend.' (MY FRIEND!)
He was thinking, perhaps about the warm-breath woman
who was waiting at the journey's end.
He started down the two-mile drop,
The curving road that ran from the top of the hill.
He was pushing on through the shortening miles
that wound down to the depot.
Just a few more miles to go, and he'd go home,
and have her ease his long cramped day away.
And the smell of 30,000 pounds of Bananas
Yes the smell of 30,000 pounds of Bananas

He was picking up speed as the city spread it's twinkling lights below him,
but he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the nights delights
went through him.
His foot nursed the brakes to slow him down,
But the peddle floored easy without a sound. He said Christ! (CHRIST!)
It was funny how he named the only man who could see him now.
He was trapped inside a dead-end hell-slide
riding on his fear-hunched back was everyone of those, yellow-green!
I'm telling ya 30,000 pounds of Bananas,
Yes there were 30,000 pounds of Bananas
He barely made the sweeping curve that led into the steepest grade.
And he missed a thankful passing bus at ninety miles an hour.
And he said God, make it a dream as he rode his last ride down.
He said God, make it a dream as he rode his last ride down.
And he sideswiped 19 neat parked cars, clipped off 13 telephone poles,
Hit two houses, bruised 8 trees and blue-crossed 7 people
It was then he lost his head, not to mention an arm or two, before he stopped.

And he smeared for 400 yards along the hill that leads into
Scranton, Pennsylvania
All those 30,000 pounds (you guessed it.) of bananas.

ENDING 1 Yes we have no bananas! We have no bananas today.

(And if that wasn't enough:)

Yes we have no bananas! Bananas in Scranton, PA.

ENDING 2 - featuring the Orlando Memorial Choir -

A woman walks into a room, where her child lies sleeping. (SLEEPING)
And when she sees his eyes are closed she sits there silently weeping.
(WEEPING)
And though she lives in Scranton Pennsylvania, (VANIA)
She never . . . ever . . . eats (BANANAS)
Not one of 30,000 pounds (all together now . . . OF BANANAS)

ENDING 3

You know the man who told me about it on the bus
as it went up the hill out of Scranton, Pennsylvania
He shrugged his shoulders, he shook his head, and he said
(And this is exactly what he said)
'Boy, . . . it shore must have been something. Just imagine 30,000 pounds of bananas.'

Yes there were 30,000 pounds of mashed bananas.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 lbs. of You Know What
From:
Date: 31 Dec 99 - 03:43 PM

Hi Kevin try the following link for all HC's songs.

Mike

http://www.littlejason.com/chapin/songs/index.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 30,000 Pounds of Bananas (Harry Chapin)
From: GUEST,ysth
Date: 21 Sep 08 - 04:39 PM

"save him now", not "see him now".