11 Comments
Jul 24Liked by Joseph Bottum, Sally Thomas, Joseph Bottum

I seem to recall that in some earlier versions line 3 is not "little raccoon" but "big baboon."

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Almost universally "big baboon" now. But, as I said in the discussion, the "little raccoon" is the earlier phrasing.

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Jul 24Liked by Sally Thomas

When I saw the title, this tune immediately plopped into my brain and is now a raging earworm. Lots of lyric changes here, too.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3EmqLX7GE

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The Tex Ritter version is already linked in the piece—along with the Captain Kangaroo version!

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Jul 24Liked by Sally Thomas, Joseph Bottum, Joseph Bottum

Oops! So they are! I had thought that maybe I learned the tune—which Tex Ritter gets right—on Captain Kangaroo, but apparently not.

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Jul 24Liked by Sally Thomas, Joseph Bottum

Children need a good does of life, in a fun and safe place. Neither nursery rhymes nor fairly tales really need to be abridged for their benefit. It is for their benefit that they were written in the first place, or so some have thought.

Thoroughly enjoy your Wednesday poems, it is a fun re-enactment of "Anything can happen day".

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Jul 24Liked by Sally Thomas, Joseph Bottum

Yes I imagined that was the reason. I thought it would be rude to respond to the offering of the day by saying ‘Is Clive James still in cooyright?’ 😐

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Jul 24Liked by Sally Thomas, Joseph Bottum

No offense to this poem or any other Wednesday poem. I always like the Wednesday poem. I would like to mention that two very funny poets are Clive, James and Craig Brown.

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Jul 24·edited Jul 24Author

Both still in copyright, alas. James's "The book of my enemy has been remaindered" has always been a favorite.

https://www.clivejames.com/the-book-of-my-enemy-has-been-remaindered.html

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A lovely piece.

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Jul 24Liked by Sally Thomas, Joseph Bottum

Thanks for the early morning smile. Now back to sleep.

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