This afternoon when I was setting up for our elementary afterschool program at church I grabbed a CD to play in the background while we were eating our snack. I picked a Christmas CD that a friend of mine made, with songs from the perspective of each character in the Sunday School pageant. I totally forgot that it has a song on it about the indignity of playing the donkey when the narration is from the KJV (which refers to donkeys by a name that children are taught not to say).
The children, who never pay attention when I’m trying to get them to learn lyrics, of course picked this one up right away. They loved it. They didn’t catch that it was about a kid being embarrassed, they just gleefully shouted the chorus.
I’m imagining supper tables all over town tonight – children singing, parents asking where they learned that song, and the answer – “Pastor Dana played it for us at church today!”
::hides under bed and never comes out::
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I don't know. If kids want to sing a song about mules, that doesn't seem so bad.
Or was it burros?
I'm sure it'll be okay, Dana. It's funny to them BECAUSE they already know it can be a naughty word. I'm sure it'll be a learning experience for most of them.
My grandmother used to sing a song about Amsterdam that went something like this:
Amster Amster Dam Dam Dam!
It was fun. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I’m actually finding this hilariously funny , except when I think about facing their parents in church tomorrow night .
Posted by Kavon (Member # 6038) on :
Explain what happened, and if they are still mad, then tell them to develope a sense of humor. I'm sure that will be a great thing to say to them. Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Flip them off. Posted by Kavon (Member # 6038) on :
Oooo, I like that idea better.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
Oh, Dana, I could totally see how kids would be WAY more interested in the verboten song rather than the usual. *laughs*
As a parent, I might be surprised the first time I heard my son singing it, but would find it funny rather than offensive. And I might up my estimation of your gutsiness.
FWIW, I've always appreciated gutsiness in my own children's pastor. I used to tell the kids stories at our midweek service. Of course, they loved the bloodiest ones best, especially if it had cannibals and sword fighting. I know that several parents complained after those stories were told, but my pastor stood up for the stories...they were true, and not gratuitiously gory. Same as your song...in context, ass is *not* a bad word. Posted by jexx (Member # 3450) on :
Feign complete ignorance.
"What do you mean ? It's a song about an ass. Yes, I know what 'ass' means, it's covered in the Bible. Mary rode her ass to Nazareth! Why are you turning red???"
Come on, Dana, you're a pastor, I know you can put on a worthy performance!
*grin*
I understand your mortification. I just think it's funny because it didn't happen to ME! hee! Good luck!
Posted by ana kata (Member # 5666) on :
The Animaniacs CD has a great song about Lake Titicaca you might want to teach them next.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
dana, you could start explaining about the talking ass in Numbers. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I should probably mention that the chorus, which one kindergartener left singing at the top of his lungs goes:
"I'm an ass, I'm an ass. I am not a donkey, I am not a mule. I'm an ass, I'm an ass. I'm an ass!"
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
...can I get a copy of this song?
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
Bob-i LOVED that song. although I confess...for quite some time, i had no idea why the verse before Ampster Ampster Dam Dam Dam went "i must not say that naughty word" I just liked the noise of it
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
*laughing*
Dana, that's got to be a great song. What CD is it on?
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Dana, that's a great lyric!!!
Toretha, I'd forgotten that bit about "I mustn't say that naughty word."
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
Nywahhaah.. Oh, man, that's funny. But I don't think that anyone will be altogether TOO offended by it. And if they are, apologize nicely and go on with your life. It was a simple mistake. It's not as if you were playing something offensive on purpose.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I was thinking some more about this. Maybe you could just start a sing-along during services some Sunday in the near future. I wouldn't do it actually ON Christmas, but soon. Just start singing this song and when the chorus comes up, yell:
C'mon everyone. You know the words.
And then belt out the chorus.
Hey. It's not like you purposefully taught them the words. Just the darn sponge-like minds of human children.
Sheesh!
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Hee hee - the song Bob referred to is the "3 jolly fishermen"
This is what I remember of it:
There were 3 jolly fishermen, There were 3 jolly fishermen, Fisher, fisher, men men men Fisher, fisher, men men men There were 3 jolly fishermen
The first one's name was Abraham.. Abra, Abra, ham ham ham...
The second one's name was Isaac...
The third one's name was Jacob...
They all sailed off to Jericho..
They should have gone to Amsterdam, They should have gone to Amsterdam, Amster, Amster, Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! Amster, Amster, Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! They should have gone to Amsterdam
Oh do not say that naughty word, Oh do not say that naughty word, Naughty, naughty, word word word Naughty, naughty, word word word Oh do not say that naughty word
*** These were the words as printed in the lyrics to Wee Sing - don't you think the inclusion of the last verse just made the singing of the naughty word that much more appealing?
Posted by ana kata (Member # 5666) on :
The words of Lake Titicaca, for those of you who are interested.
Lake Titicaca, oh Lake Titicaca It's between Bolivia and Peru Lake Titicaca, oh Lake Titicaca With waters tranquil and blue. Oh Lake Titicaca, yes Lake Titicaca Why do we sing of its fame? Lake Titicaca, yes Lake Titicaca 'Cause we really like saying its name! Titicaca!
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
jeniwren & mac (and anyone else who is interested) the CD is called Manger Stranger by Doug Peters. It’s not available online, but I know he’s got some left, so if you want one I can send you his contact info.
Edit: On second thought, if you send me your address I'll get you a copy. I was feeling bad that I missed out on the Hatrack gift exchange.
My favorite song on it is the song of the cow:
“I try not to be fussy I try not to be rude but I’m skeptical of dinner guests who sleep right in my food.”
I'm not really worried that anyone's going to be angry -- all the parents have a sense of humor. It's more the jokes and teasing I've set myself up for.
[ December 24, 2003, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: dkw ]
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
It's kinda like when one of my kids was in middle school -- and the band director insisted on showing the video "Mr. Holland's Opus" to the class one week.
He totally forgot about the part where Mr. Holland's deaf son gets angry and (using sign language) signs to his dad "asshole". Of course, as sixth graders do, they spent the rest of the day going around "signing" that to everyone they pass in the hall.
I don't think the poor band director ever lived that down...
Farmgirl
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
DKW, if someone realy complains, you can always think to yourself,
quote:"They're an ass, They're an ass. They are not a donkey, They are not a mule....
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
The old, old wee sing lyrics from about 20 years ago, did "Amster Amster, shh, shh, shh" but didn't have the last verse in there. PArents must have gotten upset with even that much!
AJ
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
What you say doesn't work, Dan -- or I should say -- the song isn't right. You can't say they aren't a donkey if they are an ass. Because a Jackass IS a male donkey (and a female is called a Jenny) and of course, a mule is a cross between a Jack and a mare(female horse)...
FG
[ December 24, 2003, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: Farmgirl ]
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Thanks FarmGirl. I was wondering what the differences were.
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, except when I think about facing their parents in church tomorrow night ![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
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