Hmmm, a quiet week it seems. Hard to let this challenge pass with no entry, though I've had my problems, too. I still need a final verse . . . . . . . . HELP!
Anyway, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a dime dated 1991 and unsure what I was doing at the time, Googled the year for all it's events and looked for a connection. And it hit me pretty quick. I was part of a small group of "celebrity" chefs chosen to cook a thank you dinner for the benifactors of a charity event. Among the guests were to be Audrey and Ted Giesel (Dr. Seuss). Really wonderful people who I had had the opportunitiy to meet briefly on a few other occassions. Unfortunately, just prior to serving dinner, we recieved a call from Audrey that the Good Dr. Seuss had passed away. Thus, the basis for the unfinished song.
Green Ham and Eggs
Green ham and eggs that's what's for dinner
and if it doesn't suit you I hope you'll reconsider
cause there's nothing better for your appetite
When the green ham and eggs are cooked just right
just right, just right
there will be lots of people there with whom you can share
so dress your self just right and please comb your hair
and did I tell you that you shouldn't be late
cause the dinner starts at 7 and we won't wait
we won't wait, we won't wait
There'll be people like you including The Who
the Cat in the Hat, and Bartholomew
there's a special guest who I'm sure you will know
if I tell you who he is I'm sure you'll want to go
want to go, want to go
his wife said he could come and she would let him loose
and if you haven't guessed by now it's the good Dr. Seuss
he's getting on in years but he loves to have fun
and he loves his green ham and eggs well done
well done, well done
even the best plans, those plans at their best
something happens and it turns into a mess
suddenly your speechless and you don't know what to say
life turns another direction and it goes another way
another way, another way
Kind of hard to do something that is silly and sad.
A Dr. Seuss song should be silly and funny but the cause of him missing his dinner is sad.
Here's my stab at it:
Alas, the good doctor will not be here by seven
(or I'm sorry to say our good doctor won't be here by seven)
Nor (or Not) by eight, nine, ten, or even eleven
He will miss this dinner one hundred percent
For the doctor was called to his final engagement (or event)
Final event, final event
One suggestion for:
his wife said he could come and she would let him loose
How about:
his wife said he could come for she had no excuse or
his wife said "Of course we'll be there. No need for an excuse."
Maybe flip lines 3 and 4 so ends with 100 percent, 100 percent?
Green ham? Can you make that, Chefie? I would think green eggs would be easier . . . use turtle eggs?
I like it a lot. And I can relate to Dr. Seuss.
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Thanks Ken,
Some real possibilites to work with from your suggestions. Appreciate it!
Neil
Got another one (aren't you glad you asked :roll: )
No matter how we cook his eggs with green ham
even if we omelet the eggs with canned Spam
Cooking our best and cooking with all our might
The doctor will not have green ham and eggs tonight
Not ever, no, never
KR2
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Hey Chefie,
Thanks for stepping up to the plate and tackling the assignment.
That's a tough one, like Ken said. Maybe you could take the verse where you inform the listener that Dr. Suess has died and make it into a bridge with different line lengths or different music or even a different tempo. That way the sad and silly are cleanly separated. You could then going back to a final silly verse as a celebration of his life.
Just a thought,
Rob
Ice cream is a dish best served cold.
Hail to the Chef!
I think you've done a pretty good job on what was, to my mind, a tough assignment. You've found a great topic, fitted it nicely into your life, and it is - to my mind - a really nice tribute to a wonderful man. I'm sure if he was alive he'd appreciate the sentiments.
I do like KR2's suggestions for a final verse - it'd be nice to credit him as co-composer if you eventually use some of his ideas.
And to KR2 - you come up with some good ideas, and some good fixes for troublesome lines - 'bout time you got some REAL songs written!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Wow! Great help you guys! Here's a possible keeper with some great ideas from my co writer Ken;
Green Ham & Eggs
Green ham and eggs that's what's for dinner
and if it doesn't suit you I hope you'll reconsider
cause there's nothing better for your appetite
When the green ham and eggs are cooked just right
just right, just right
there will be lots of people there with whom you can share
so dress your self just right and please comb your hair
and did I tell you that you shouldn't be late
cause the dinner starts at 7 and we won't wait
we won't wait, we won't wait
There'll be people like you including The Who
the Cat in the Hat, and Bartholomew
there's a special guest who I'm sure you will know
if I tell you who he is I'm sure you'll want to go
want to go, want to go
his wife said he could come and she would let him loose
and if you haven't guessed by now it's the good Dr. Seuss
he's getting on in years but he loves to have fun
and he loves his green ham and eggs well done
well done, well done
even the best plans, those plans at their best
something happens and it turns into a mess
suddenly your speechless and you don't know what to say
life turns another direction and it goes another way
another way, another way
Twas a phone call we received just before seven
Seems the good Dr. Seuss, he was called to heaven
and though we worked hard to cook his favorite just right
The good Dr. would be feasting elsewhere that night
that night, that night
So we raised our glasses and had ourselves a toast
to a man who made us laugh, the man we loved most
who taught us how to read on many a lively quest
and we wished him a peaceful and well deserved rest
deserved rest, deserved rest
Great idea with the toast, Neil.
I was going with the seven and heaven rhyme too but as I was typing "not making it by seven,
the 8, 9, 10, & 11 fell into place . . . . and he was a children's book author so I kept it.
That was fun.
I look forward to seeing your lyrics because . . . dunno why . . . . just because.
KR2 and out
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Okay, through the secret realms of GN, Ken has suggested another line that too good not to add. And so I'll do so, do so, do so.
Change that last verse to read;
So we raised our glasses and had ourselves a toast
to a man who made us laugh, the man we loved most
Who made reading fun with a rhyme and a jest
so we wished him a peaceful and well deserved rest
deserved rest, deserved rest
I'll drink to that!
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
