Subject: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:25 PM This Challenge! speaks (ha!) for itself: That's One Scrappy Rooster! -- For 18 months in the 1940s, it seemed as if Mike the headless chicken might be immortal. Now he's being immortalized in a 4-foot metal sculpture to be stuck in a planter on a downtown corner in his hometown of Fruita, Colorado. The 300-pound replica of Mike was made using ax heads and hay-rake teeth, along with sickle blades and other cutting objects. "I made him proud-looking and cocky," said the artist, Lyle Nichols, a Fruita native. The rooster belonged to Fruita farmer Lloyd Olsen, who planned to put Mike into the cooking pot and lopped off his head at the base of the skull to leave as much of the tasty neck as possible. But Mike just fluffed up his feathers -- although he could only go through the motions of pecking for food, and when he tried to crow, a gurgle came out. But he was still alive the next morning. Olsen started putting feed and water directly into Mike's gullet with an eyedropper. Mike lived for 18 months, making it into Life magazine and the Guinness Book of World Records, and was a popular attraction until he choked to death on a corn kernel in an Arizona motel while on tour. Fruita officials dug up his story last spring when they were looking for something besides pioneers to focus on for Colorado Heritage Week. That led to the first Mike the Headless Chicken Festival. In addition to food (fried chicken) and music, this year's festival is scheduled to feature "The Run Like A Chicken With Your Head Cut Off 5K." Go For It, Challenge!rs!! -- Áine |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Amos Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:38 PM This one has very wide possibilities. The implications of the headless rooster conjure up images of ann Boleyn on the tower at midnight, and some really interesting metaphysical assertions that could be made about such an animule. And there's the booster type songs on these lines: |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: GreatGoo Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:26 PM Mike's Head Is Gone (Sung to "Poor John is Dead" from the musical "Oklahoma")
Mike's head is gone
Mike's head is gone
Mike's head is gone |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:16 PM I'll go for the cheap shot, as it is still open, and anyone who wants to add verses, jump right on in! I HAD A ROOSTER
I had a rooster and the rooster pleased me, You get the idea. Change it any way you like. Call me derivative! It's a tradition! ~S~ |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:34 PM Way to GreatGoo!! I can tell that you're a Contender! That's a great song -- and I love the parody on Poor John Is Dead! Amos -- Ah come on, you can spare a few minutes for ole Mike! You've a good start there -- come on and finish it!! Praise -- You've got a great start there, too! So, just refer to the paragraph above addressed to Amos... You guys are really wonderful Challenge!rs! I can't wait to see what the others come up with!! *BG* -- Áine |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 13 Apr 00 - 04:29 PM Greatgoo's song is really a parody of "Poor Jud is Dead,", not "John". Which is irrelevant. It's a great idea! Dave Oesterreich |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: MMario Date: 13 Apr 00 - 04:55 PM Mike the Cock - to the tune of "Anne Bolyn"
In Fruita Colorado, one fine night |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:40 PM Mike The Knife (Tune: Mack The Knife; with intense apologies to Kurt Weill and Bertol Brecht!) Oh the knife was sharp and swift, dear And ole Mike's head toppled off Well, he jumped up and tried to crow, dear But all that came out was a cough! Ole Farmer Lloyd was just amazed, dear When Headless Mike he got up and walked That ole lightbulb glowed bright above him He could use Mike to make a buck! First he hauled Mike up to the college, dear Where the profs there pronounced him 'real' Into Life mag, then to the Guinness book That just increased Mike's appeal! In Arizona - a cheap motel room Poor ole Mike's doom, it was sealed When he choked on a big kernel Farmer Lloyd fried him in corn meal! Now Headless Mike's name it was lost, dear More than fifty years had gone by When the mayor of Fruita C-O Had a brainstorm, that's no lie! Now old Mike has his own party And a race named after him Farmer Lloyd spins in his grave, dear His chance to cash in is pretty slim! Henny Penny, Foghorn Leghorn Fry up crispy, nice and brown Oh the line forms on the right, dear Now that Mike is back in town! |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:43 PM MMario -- Wunnerful, wunnerful song! My favorite line: But by God, that headless rooster could emote!. Great stuff -- my goodness, the things you guys can do with a chicken! *BG* I'm impressed!! -- Áine |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: sophocleese Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:45 PM Alas poor Mike I knew him well... |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Hyperabid Date: 14 Apr 00 - 04:49 AM Well what about this for a first go... Headless in Honolulu To the tune of If – Bread / E.Gates
If you open up the news today you'll find a sight to see
Let all this fame and fortune pass me by
I survived the trip to supper as an amputee most strange
But in the end my life – it was snuffed out (Mushy synthesiser bit to end with singer staring earnestly into camera) Hyp |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: MMario Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:07 AM "the things you guys can do with a chicken"? My Dear, it's all in the seasoning...and always moist heat, never dry...
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Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Hyperabid Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:13 AM MMario I still think rhyming throat and emote takes the all time golden cow chip award for ingenuity under fire! Good song m8! Hyp |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:26 AM MMario -- You're absolutely right about the seasonings . . . My favorite recipe for chicken is called 'Stupid Chicken'. See, you can even do wonderful things with a 'dumb' one! Hyp -- Very droll, my dear, very droll. Said I couldn't wear a tie -- this evokes some very strange pictures in my mind . . . Well done! -- Áine |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Hyperabid Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:32 AM I could start a new politcal campaign... Better Droll tha Dole... Hyp |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Spider Tom Date: 15 Apr 00 - 01:55 AM Here's another for the song challenge this one is
FRUITA ROOSTA'
The fowl yard, screamed in silence,
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Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Amos Date: 15 Apr 00 - 02:45 PM Wow ... that's downright classic, Spider Man! Great workup -- just great! A |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Mbo Date: 15 Apr 00 - 06:53 PM Spidey--I keep tellin' ya...MUDCAT RADIO, MAN!! --Mbo
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Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Bradypus Date: 15 Apr 00 - 07:23 PM Excellent, Spider Tom!
To the Tune of 'When I'm Sixty-Four', by Lennon and McCartney
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Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 15 Apr 00 - 11:47 PM Positively brilliant, Bradypus! Dave Oesterreich |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 16 Apr 00 - 10:37 AM Way to go Spider Tom and Bradypus!! Ring that bell! You guys are great -- I like chicken pie! -- Áine |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Áine Date: 17 Apr 00 - 10:12 AM **********************THE WINNERS (WHO USED THEIR HEADS!)******************* Well, I was certainly impressed with the entries in the headless chicken contest! Congrats, Cudos and Thanks again to everyone who entered a song -- You all are definitely getting good at this -- The new Challenge! will be coming up later today, so stay tuned -- and it will positively be a change of pace... -- Áine
Winners of the Golden Cow Chip Award with Harp Ribbon: |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: katlaughing Date: 14 Jul 00 - 08:23 AM Don't know how I missed this one, BUT, Tom, I used to live in Fruita, Colorado!!! As always...I love your songs!! LMAO!!! |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Jack the Sailor Date: 27 Aug 01 - 10:42 PM This is of course not my first shot at this one. I also wrote of poor mike in one of those combo challenges. But Of course, such a positive roll model deserves a song of his own. I Can Get On Without My Head B.J. Chicken
I Can Get On Without My Head
So I just did me some talkin' to old Lloyd
But I'm on TV Now
My neck ain't the same without a head
It won't be long till Letterman he stupid pets me Big finish with trumpets!!!!!!! |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Aidan Crossey Date: 30 Aug 01 - 06:11 AM What is it with Song Challenge! and fowl? This one's to the tune of "Galway Bay".
You've heard no doubt of Nell Flaherty's Drake |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: SharonA Date: 30 Aug 01 - 02:27 PM Mike and his head, reunited in the hereafter... I love a story with a happy ending! |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: MMario Date: 30 Aug 01 - 03:30 PM ssshhhhhhhhh! Look - do you really want to upset TGG with implications she has a fowl fetish? Besides, pigs and monkeys have both had multiple appearences |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: SharonA Date: 30 Aug 01 - 03:44 PM Toilets and animal poop, too, of course... |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: Jack the Sailor Date: 30 Aug 01 - 04:09 PM Fowl are just funny. I am sure that is why Aine uses them!
Ducks are funny |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: SharonA Date: 19 Nov 01 - 12:31 PM Challenge!rs, I've just gotta tell ya: Last night I watched a tongue-in-cheek documentary on television, on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), called "The Natural History of the Chicken." There were some factoids about chickens and several "heartwarming" stories... including the story of Mike the Rooster! They showed Mike's picture (with his head in a jar), a picture of Floyd and Clara Olsen, a view of the Olsen farm, newspaper clippings about Mike and postcards and photos of the places Mike had toured. They also showed a few of the hate-mail letters the Olsens had received about keeping Mike alive! They interviewed Lloyd's grandson as well as several of Lloyd's old friends (who referred to him as Oley). No reference to the 5K race, however. They showed poor Lloyd and Clara's grave so, alas, they're not around to enjoy our songs about them. According to the documentary, they didn't enjoy much of an income from Mike's celebrity, either (just enough to pay for a tractor and to pay off part of their land), though apparently they had expected to make a real "killing" from the non-killing. BTW, their version of Mike's death is that he frequently coughed up mucus and would gag on it until it was removed with an eyedropper; on the night of his demise, his promoter had forgotten to bring along the eyedropper and, when Mike gagged on his mucus, he died before another eyedropper could be found. If you don't get a chance to see this documentary, you can order a VHS tape of it from PBS (their phone number for orders is 800-PLAY-PBS). It's amusing enough, and it was fun to see one of Áine's Challenge!s featured!!! |
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 22 From: kendall Date: 22 May 03 - 07:35 PM Alas, poor Pullet, I knew him. I TOLD YOU NOT TO CROSS THE ROAD!! |
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