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Song Parodies -> "What’s In The Tenny?"
Original Song Title:
"Cat’s In The Cradle"
(MP3)Original Performer:
Harry Chapin
Parody Song Title:
"What’s In The Tenny?"
Parody Written by:
Merry & Pippin
The Lyrics
Beguiled to hike just the other day
‘Cus sun had unfurled an’ the rain is away
For there were trails to catch, on hills to play
I reached for sneaks: found they housed a stray
‘Cus there was squeaking from inside it and as it grew
I said "I've got a scary shoe, man
You know I've got a scary shoe."
Now a-what’s in my tenny? – a bewildered tune
Little must be for to fit in a shoon
Wending want to go, shod, in dale or glen
And see me a canyon wren
I wanna go but then again...
I upturned tongue, thrust it out the way
I peered deep in the ball, dark, could not what say
That had creeped in my shoe; I head outside way
I up-plopped the shoe, then shook: naught did lay
On that walked walkway, unrevealed; me chagrined
Frowned. What’s gonna be within? yeah
I know it’s gonna be quite grim...
Now a-what’s in the tenny; sure there’s nil to fear
Lacings I loosed and within I did peer
Furry looking dark ‘twig’ with claw on end
Starting to suspect it then
I know what is my ‘footwear friend’
Yes I came to knowledge when the bugger see:
Outstretched little fangs; he just glared at me
Saw a scowly face ‘tween ear pointy; hostile
Re-shook the sneak’ but he wasn’t beguiled
What he really like did is re-burrow in far: tease
“Listen Flitter: Can you leave shoe, please?"
‘Cus a bat’s in my tenny it’s inopportune
Talking to shoe: I appear like a loon
"Will you come on out then? Will be dark soon
I need my other shoe bad
I cannot hike with just one shoe!”
Foot’s still unattired; thought I must prove ordeal
My digital thrust into the heel
A photo snapped; ah gee, hope that he don’t mind
Created quite a flash (guess now that bat is blind)
Now how to unstop the pipstrel that has tenanted shoe
‘Cus I’m sure nice talking won’t do that
I cannot prise Squeaky from shoe
And then to pinch on the toe it occurred to me
Then shown himself did he
Did fly up to a tree
No more bat in the tenny and I’m leaving soon
Lyssa* in shoe is not hard to impugn
Start my trip postponed some, by wings within
Not keen to do that again, bat
My shoe was such a good hide, then...
Photo here!
* In 1996, a new virus was discovered in Australian bats - identified as a lyssavirus. The virus is a close relative to the common rabies virus. Peregrin says: “V/C nicely, or I’ll bring a couple over to your hemisphere next time I am up that way!”
‘Cus sun had unfurled an’ the rain is away
For there were trails to catch, on hills to play
I reached for sneaks: found they housed a stray
‘Cus there was squeaking from inside it and as it grew
I said "I've got a scary shoe, man
You know I've got a scary shoe."
Now a-what’s in my tenny? – a bewildered tune
Little must be for to fit in a shoon
Wending want to go, shod, in dale or glen
And see me a canyon wren
I wanna go but then again...
I upturned tongue, thrust it out the way
I peered deep in the ball, dark, could not what say
That had creeped in my shoe; I head outside way
I up-plopped the shoe, then shook: naught did lay
On that walked walkway, unrevealed; me chagrined
Frowned. What’s gonna be within? yeah
I know it’s gonna be quite grim...
Now a-what’s in the tenny; sure there’s nil to fear
Lacings I loosed and within I did peer
Furry looking dark ‘twig’ with claw on end
Starting to suspect it then
I know what is my ‘footwear friend’
Yes I came to knowledge when the bugger see:
Outstretched little fangs; he just glared at me
Saw a scowly face ‘tween ear pointy; hostile
Re-shook the sneak’ but he wasn’t beguiled
What he really like did is re-burrow in far: tease
“Listen Flitter: Can you leave shoe, please?"
‘Cus a bat’s in my tenny it’s inopportune
Talking to shoe: I appear like a loon
"Will you come on out then? Will be dark soon
I need my other shoe bad
I cannot hike with just one shoe!”
Foot’s still unattired; thought I must prove ordeal
My digital thrust into the heel
A photo snapped; ah gee, hope that he don’t mind
Created quite a flash (guess now that bat is blind)
Now how to unstop the pipstrel that has tenanted shoe
‘Cus I’m sure nice talking won’t do that
I cannot prise Squeaky from shoe
And then to pinch on the toe it occurred to me
Then shown himself did he
Did fly up to a tree
No more bat in the tenny and I’m leaving soon
Lyssa* in shoe is not hard to impugn
Start my trip postponed some, by wings within
Not keen to do that again, bat
My shoe was such a good hide, then...
Photo here!
* In 1996, a new virus was discovered in Australian bats - identified as a lyssavirus. The virus is a close relative to the common rabies virus. Peregrin says: “V/C nicely, or I’ll bring a couple over to your hemisphere next time I am up that way!”
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User Comments
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A classic, old school parody with lots of nice word twists. Don't see many of these around here anymore.
Scary...this is a true tale? Had to chase a few from the house, over the years.
Very nice wordplay and a pretty neat story. And after it was all said and done, we feasted:
The bat's in the ladle
From the steaming soup
Little pork fat and the soul of a boot
Tasty chewin' treat, lad, come on dig in
And you'll grin a little grin, yeah
You know you'll need a doctor then
The bat's in the ladle
From the steaming soup
Little pork fat and the soul of a boot
Tasty chewin' treat, lad, come on dig in
And you'll grin a little grin, yeah
You know you'll need a doctor then
I talk to my shoe a lot. What's wrong with that? ... and shame on you, blinding a bat, leaving him blind as a -- um, n/m. Top-notch wordplay here, and at least you're better off than some other writer who had bats in his belfry.... can't get those suckers out. 555
Thanks Patrick - we try! :)
AFW: True story it is - happened late August. Did you click on the photo?
Warren - I'm just glad I wasn't the meal - I started to put my foot in, and then he squeaked.
Max - glad you caught the joke on the blinded reference - heh heh.
AFW: True story it is - happened late August. Did you click on the photo?
Warren - I'm just glad I wasn't the meal - I started to put my foot in, and then he squeaked.
Max - glad you caught the joke on the blinded reference - heh heh.
Re:
A photo snapped; ah gee, hope that he don’t mind
Created quite a flash (guess now that bat is blind)
Isn't in fact true that the bat was Blinded By The Light? ... We all expect a full follow-up, to that OS, by Thursday. ;-D
A photo snapped; ah gee, hope that he don’t mind
Created quite a flash (guess now that bat is blind)
Isn't in fact true that the bat was Blinded By The Light? ... We all expect a full follow-up, to that OS, by Thursday. ;-D
Thanks everyone. Maxwell, you really have got bats in the belfry if you think by Thursday we can produce a song on request! What with time zone differences taking out half a day, and then my being at work for another half a day before I see if Merry has written to me, then at least another half day before the reply is received...you start to get the idea. And that's just so we can start arguing about stuff :)
methinks maxwell was slyly pointing you to this:
http://www.amiright.com/parody/70s/harrychapin33.shtml
http://www.amiright.com/parody/70s/harrychapin33.shtml
Yes, I know. That sly devil.
The Caped Crusader meets his comeuppance at the hands of the Pincher. 'Tenny' is a new one on me. Tennis shoe? Ten-sizer?
Nice to see 'bugger', that great old mild expletive that actually means so much more. My grandfather used to get buggered after mowing the lawn, but only after he retired. Whenever it happened, he had to 'put his head down for five minutes' and then he felt 'good as gold'.
Nice to see 'bugger', that great old mild expletive that actually means so much more. My grandfather used to get buggered after mowing the lawn, but only after he retired. Whenever it happened, he had to 'put his head down for five minutes' and then he felt 'good as gold'.
As Merry is US, it's common for "tennis shoe" , though usually seen in the plural: "I'm going informal; just wearing tennies."
And no, it's Pippin, not Merry, who has the "Ten-sizer". ;-D
AFAIK, in the UK, to get buggered was to get sodomized....
And no, it's Pippin, not Merry, who has the "Ten-sizer". ;-D
AFAIK, in the UK, to get buggered was to get sodomized....
Lifeliver tells it straight! I have been buggered many many times in my life. Way more than I care to remember! And every time, afterwards, the lawn looked perfect :)
The funniest part of this is that the word in question was written by Merry! Of course, Merry used it as a noun, but verb or adjective use is more common. I have taught her well :)
The funniest part of this is that the word in question was written by Merry! Of course, Merry used it as a noun, but verb or adjective use is more common. I have taught her well :)
Fiver and Liver - thanks for stopping by!
Only ever heard 'bugger' used as a noun when I was growing up: "look at that little bugger!" Usually referring to a cute child, puppy, etc. Something small and cute, but acting semi-obnoxiously. I am sure I heard grandpa say it, and perhaps Uncle Bert.. :)
Only ever heard 'bugger' used as a noun when I was growing up: "look at that little bugger!" Usually referring to a cute child, puppy, etc. Something small and cute, but acting semi-obnoxiously. I am sure I heard grandpa say it, and perhaps Uncle Bert.. :)
LL used it as a "passive" (so to speak) verb, hence the discussion. He mows the lawn, and this is the gratitude he gets? (Agree on US-age)
@ TT, Meriadoc British speakers use the noun 'bugger' this way too. i.e. pesky thing or person. You're right Tommy, it means sodomize, but it's also still used in socially acceptable general parlance in passive form as just feeling tired or dysfunctional, hence the double-entendre: Grandpa used to get buggered WHILE mowing the lawn sometimes, and, more often than not, while helping me with house maintenance, especially if he had to go up a ladder.
You may also be told to go to buggery, which is presumably the place where all the ancient Sodomites went. And the modern ones too, I guess.
You may also be told to go to buggery, which is presumably the place where all the ancient Sodomites went. And the modern ones too, I guess.
favorite line: "Not keen to do that again, bat" hahaha- it's GREAT!
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