Grow Write Guild #9: The Weird Al

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I’ve been saving this prompt idea for a time when we could all use something a bit silly and dumb and with this hot muggy weather and the early July holidays behind us, I think the time is now.

This idea came to me when my dog Molly was outside chasing the squirrels that invade my garden daily. I was reminded of a Weird Al song that I used to hear on the Dr. Demento show as a kid called “Squirrels” that was a parody of the Beastie Boys “Girls.” [Oddly enough I can’t find any reference to it online.]

Changing the lyrics to songs is a fun and creative game, and even though the result is cheesy, the exercise can help break blocks. Here’s a short one off the top of my head, an ode to my garlic harvest (sung to the tune of “Mandy” by Barry Manilow). [Sadly (or not), I wrote more but lost it when my browser crashed!]:

Oh garlic, you grew and you gave without taking. And I ate you today, Oh, garlic, you’re tasty, but my gut just can’t take it. But you’re great anyway. Oh, garlic…

Grow Write Guild Prompt #9: Change the lyrics of a song to reflect your relationship with a particular plant or food crop.

The Grow Write Guild is a creative writing club for people who love to garden. Everyone is welcome to participate! Click over to the Grow Write Guild FAQ to learn more about it.

Gayla Trail
Gayla is a writer, photographer, and former graphic designer with a background in the Fine Arts, cultural criticism, and ecology. She is the author, photographer, and designer of best-selling books on gardening, cooking, and preserving.

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13 thoughts on “Grow Write Guild #9: The Weird Al

  1. I don’t know if this is what you were thinking of, but I found this YouTube link to a song called Squirrels . :)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y–CnIWYXbE

    • That’s it! and it is not by Weird Al and definitely doesn’t sound like it either. The last time I heard it I was about 13 years old so I guess my memory didn’t hold up well in this case!

  2. Presenting, to the chorus of the Abba song “Fernando”:

    Tomato!
    “I sure hope the summer sun will shine
    Upon your vine,
    Tomato!
    When you’re hanging there you look so sweet,
    It’s you we’ll eat,
    Tomato!
    All the salsas you have helped us make
    Could fill a lake,
    Tomatooooooo!”

  3. What about Rhubarb, sung to the 1974 song, Feelings, as sung by Morris Albert

    Rhubarb, nothing more than rhubarb ,
    wanting to taste you, rhubarb right noooooow.
    sugar, sweetens up your red stalks
    trying to remember my, rhubarb piiiiiiies.

    Rhubarb, for all my life I’ll eat you.
    I wish I’ve never met you, plant
    You’ll Never Come Again.

    rhubarb, wo-o-o rhubarb

  4. Hi Gayla,
    this was fun xxxxx
    my contribution is on my blog…
    Here comes the peas to be sung to The Beatles Here comes the Sun…
    xxxxNicolax

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