Och Aye Sings the Blues



Och Aye Sings the Blues is a poem from The Recorded Poems of Och Aye the G'Nu.

Credits

 * Audio Engineer: Jeff McCormack
 * Jimmy Barnes: Poetry Reading
 * Jackie Barnes: Percussion, Sound Effects and Vocals
 * Jeff Fatt: Piano and Animal Noises
 * Additional Noises by Paul and Murray

Poem
The wind was blowing cold, the sky was grey, not blue. The bears slept in their caves dreaming the winter through. The wild dogs had their wooly coats and everybody knew. That winter was upon them, except for young Och Aye the G'Nu.

He loved the sunshine on his back as warm as cheese fondue. Where came from it was always warm, the cold wind never blew. It made him feel a wee bit sad, so all that could do. Was raise his voice up to the sky and Och Aye sang the blues.

His voice it trembled as he sang a song heartfelt and true. He touched beast that heard him sing from mouse to cockatoo. The panda swayed and sang along while eating his bamboo. And each and every heart felt sad when Och Aye sang the blues.

He wailed and screamed then whispered low, SHHH!, sang every note he knew. The strangest thing then happened - he started dancing, too! He jumped so high into the air, he touched the sky! He flew! It really was a sight to see when Och Aye sang the blues.

The keepers thought he sounded sick OH! and hoped he would pull through. The more he sang and danced he felt the better his voice grew. He brayed and honked and squeaked and squawked through every song he knew. It sounded like a symphony when Och Aye sang the blues.

Then every beast that shared the zoo joined the singing, too. A penguin honked, a monkey squealed and hopped with Kangaroo. They kept the bear for all to sing with noises pure and true. They raised their voices loud and clear when Och Aye sang the blues.

The antelopes jumped, the elephant bumped, the zebras marched in twos. The snake let out the loudest hiss, the warthog wrote reviews. UNBELIEVABLE! The tiger spread the word around ROAR! so that everybody knew. It was like a party going on when Och Aye sang the blues.

They sang all night, "A-ha" 'til morning light, "A-ha" and then the sound subdued. 'Twas time to sleep, shh! and rest their feet and rest their voices, too. AHH! When they opened up gates next day and let all the people through. A massive crowd soon gathered round HOORAY! while Och Aye sang the blues.

So when you come to Glasgow take some time to see the zoo. And if you come in winter tome, your dreams just might come true. So when it's cold, come past the chimps and past the caribou. And join the crowds who clap and cheer HOORAY! when Och Aye sings the blues.