Abracadab Lyrics

Ding Dong Howdy
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words and Music © Doug Haywood

I pulled into Cowtown Saturday night
and a little bitty boy helped me putting up the light
to my Medicine Wagon and my Seein’ all Screen
He said it was the best thing that he’d ever seen
He said, “What are you doing?”
“Abracadab!”
“What’s your name?”
“Ding Dong Howdy!”
“And the best old time that you’re ever gonna have
is with Ding Dong Howdy and Abracadab!”
O-oh Abracadab, O-oh Ding Dong Howdy
and the best old time that you’re ever gonna have
is with Ding Dong Howdy and Abracadab!

I opened up my show
I sold about a case of my home brewed , “Whoops!”
and I was staring in the face
of a big old sheriff with a waxed mustache
he showed me his badge and then he took away my cash
He said, “What are you doing?”
“Abracadab!”
“What’s your name?”
“Ding Dong Howdy!”
“And the best old time that you’re ever gonna have
is with Ding Dong Howdy and Abracadab!”
O-oh Abracadab, O-oh Ding Dong Howdy
and the best old time that you’re ever gonna have
is with Ding Dong Howdy and Abracadab!

Now they were heatin’ up tar, they brought along feathers
I said, “ Wait a minute, I can even change the weather!”
Went into my wagon and presented them a cane
pointed at the heavens and it started pouring rain
They said, “How'd you do that?”
“Abracadab!”
“What’s your name?”
“Ding Dong Howdy!”
“And the best old time that you’re ever gonna have
is with Ding Dong Howdy and Abracadab!”
O-oh Abracadab, O-oh Ding Dong Howdy
and the best old time that you’re ever gonna have
is with Ding Dong Howdy and Abracadab!

Most Valuable Player
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
words & music © Minnie O’Leary

I know a kid, used to play on my team
the Most Valuable Player I know
That player wasn’t the best at the game
but to me that kid looked like a pro

Chorus:
Played hard, played fair
Treated other kids with care
and no matter what the scoreboard said
that kid came out a winner
always won the game

We had some games where nothing went right
and we would be badly behind
But that kid kept trying and never gave up
until we were all out of time

Chorus:

Some of us kids think the referee hates us
so once in a while, why not cheat?
But that kid would always play buy the rules
even though we might get beat

Chorus:

Now some of us teammates would make a mistake
by kicking the ball the wrong way
but that kid would never give us a hard time
Just say, “Good try! that’s okay!”

Chorus:

So any time that I play on a team
I want that kid on my side
I know that I can play that way too
It’s finally time that I tried

I’ll play hard I’ll play fair
I’ll treat the other kids with care
and no matter what the scoreboard says
I’ll come out a winner, always win the game

On The Bus
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words by Bob Reid and Clara Kralj's class at Elma G. Bradley School
Music by Bob Reid
Copyright © Bob Reid 1985

At three o’clock when school is out I step onto the bus.
Me and the other kids we start to raise a fuss.
The bus driver says, “Quiet!”
and then she starts to write.
“If you kids don’t settle down, I’ll be writing citations all night!”

On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
One’s a warning! Two is trouble! Three you’re out the door!

Now sometimes we get out of hand and she has to stop the bus.
She walks all the way to the back and then she threatens us.
She asks, “Who’s been tracking mud all up and down the seats?”
Then she stops and looks at me and at my muddy feet.

On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
One’s a warning! Two is trouble! Three you’re out the door!

As we drive down Amesti road We all hear a splat.
The bus driver says, “Oh No!” We just got a flat!”
Then she gets out to check it out and to change the tire.
Then we all hear a shout cause the spare isn’t there.

On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
One’s a warning! Two is trouble! Three you’re out the door!

Then she gets back on the radio and tries to get us another bus.
But everybody’s busy, No one can come for us.
So we all take our bubblegum that she won’t let us chew.
And we fix that tire ‘til it works just as good as new.

On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
On the bus (We’re on the bus)
One’s a warning! Two is trouble! Three you’re out the door!

The Shirt Song
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
words & music © Tom Hunter

It’s a shirt my grandma gave me for my birthday just last year
It was a little too big for me to wear the sleeves came down to here
But now it fits me pretty good and I’m really getting big
and it’ll be okay when it gets too small, cause we’ll give it to another kid

Chorus:
It’s a tie dye shirt a red plaid shirt a short sleeve long sleeve shirt
It’s a pull over tee shirt
button up the back shirt
Hand me down brand new shirt

You can always tell where I’ve been by looking at my shirt
The gravy’s from last night’s dinner and this here’s just plain dirt
The Catsup came from David’s house, the ice cream’s from the store
And I know it’s time to wash off my shirt when there’s no room for anymore

Chorus:

Well my mom says you can tell a lot
by the shirt’s that people wear
So sometimes I look pretty good
and sometimes I don’t care!
The funniest shirt I ever saw had flowers on the front
Buttons and zippers all over the place and on the back was an elephant

Chorus:

There are shirts I wear to get dressed up and shirts I wear to play
and some of them I really like and some are just okay
The buttons come off now and then, the tail won’t stay tucked in
But my brand new shirt’s my favorite one no matter what shape it’s in

Chorus:

Turkey in the Straw
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Public Domain

Well I had a little chicken and she wouldn’t lay an egg
So I poured hot water up and down her leg.
Well the little chicken cried and the little chicken begged
and the darned old chicken laid a hard boiled egg.

Well I had a little monkey and his name was Tiny Tim
And I put him in the bathtub just to see if he could swim.
And he drank up all the water and he ate up all the soap
And he tried to eat the bathtub but it wouldn’t fit down his throat.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor called the nurse
and the nurse called the lady with the alligator purse.
Well the monkey ate the doctor and the monkey ate the nurse
and the monkey ate the lady with the alligator purse.

Did you ever go fishing on a hot summer day
and you’re sittin’ on a rail and the rail gives away?
With your hands in your pockets and your pockets in your pants
Watchin’ the fishes do the Hoochie Kootchie dance.

Did you ever go huntin for a fat bull frog
and you find one sittin’ on a bumpety log.
And you yell, “Here’s a frog!” and the frog says, “Nay!”
“I’m a little green birdie with my feathers washed away!”

Well I walked around the corner and I walked around the block.
And I walked right in to a donut shop.
And I pulled up a donut out of the grease.
And I handed the lady a five cent piece.
She looked at the nickel
She looked at me.
She said, “This nickel is no good, you see!”
“It’s got a hole in the middle, all the way through
and I said, “There’s a hole in your donut too!”

Foolish Questions
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words by William Lee
Music by A. Baldwin Sloane

Now you’ve all heard the Foolish Questions
And you’ve no doubt wondered why
Some person will ask a Foolish Question
and expect a sensible reply
Like when you take your girl some candy,
Say maybe just after tea
The first thing she’ll ask is
“Is that for me?”

Foolish Questions! You might as well reply
“No I bought this candy for your Ma or Pa!” or “It’s for some other guy!”
“I just thought you’d like to see it, Now I’m gonna take it away.”
Now wasn’t that a Foolish Question?
You’ll hear ‘em every day

Now then there’s this fellow
who is always hanging around the place
He watches you take your shaving brush
and start to lather up your face
And as you give the razor a preliminary wave
This fellow will walk up to you and ask,
“Are you gonna shave?”

Foolish Questions! Your answer is, I hope,
“Nope! I’m not prepared for shavin’, I just like the taste of soap!”
I kinda like to take the shaving brush and paint myself up this way
Now wasn’t that a Foolish Question? You’ll hear ‘em everyday!

Now then there’s this fella who meets you on your way
And asks you why your all dressed up and listens while you say
That you just been returning from the funeral of poor old brother Ned
“Is Ned Dead?”

Foolish Questions! You hang your head and moan,
“No, he thought he’d have the funereal now and die later on.”
“Ned was always so original, he would’ve wanted it that way.”
Now wasn’t that a Foolish Question? You’ll hear ‘em everyday!

Now suppose the elevator guy should forget to close the door
And you should tumble down oh say forty-seven floors
And when you reach the bottom and you’re lying there inert
Some fool will come walking up and ask, “Are you hurt?”

Foolish Questions! Your dying words are,
“No! I was in an awful hurry and that elevator’s just too slow
“Usually saves a lot of time, You know, Coming down this way
Now wasn’t that a Foolish Question? You’ll hear ‘em everyday!
Now I was walking across the playground I had my ball and I had my net
I was thinkin’ about spikin’ and I was planning how to set
And this fellow walks up to me, he was kinda slim and kinda tall
He looks at what I was carrying and he asks, “Are you gonna play volleyball?”

Foolish Questions! I looked at him and laughed I said, “Nope! I’m goin’ huntin’
“I’m gonna catch me somethin’ wild!”
“I’m gonna wrap it in the net and beat it with the ball, I’ve caught a lot that way!”
Now wasn’t that a Foolish Question? You’ll hear ‘em everyday!
That was a Foolish Question? You’ll hear ‘em everyday!

The Pelican Song
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words by Bob Reid & Connie Green's 4th grade class
Music by Bob Reid
copyright © Bob Reid 1985

Chorus:
Flying through the mist
Diving down for fish
People like to stare
at the Pelicans in the air

I go down to the beach
where I get sandy feet
Watching the Pelicans fly around
Without the slightest sound

Chorus:

They fly South to nest
They don't fly East or West
Watchin' their babies hatch
Thinkin' of the fish they'll catch

Chorus:

Living by the sea is not as easy as it used to be
Why don't people care about the Pelicans in the air?

Chorus:

Water
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words & music © Bob Reid 1985

Water, Water Everywhere and not a drop to spare
Water in the ground, Water in the air
Though it may evaporate it never goes away
It snows on top the mountain, melts and flows into the bay

Animals need water, People need it too
Keep it clean for me and I’ll keep it clean for you (2x)

Now you can take a shower in it, You can wash your hair
You can wash your clothes or wash your teddy bear
Really clean water is gettin’ kinda rare
If we want to keep it, People have to care!

Animals need water, People need it too
Keep it clean for me and I’ll keep it clean for you (2x)

Now water is rain, Water’s a flood
Water turns dirt into mud
Sometime water’s blue, Sometimes water’s green
Sometimes water’s dirty and sometimes water’s clean

Animals need water, People need it too
Keep it clean for me and I’ll keep it clean for you (2x)

Now they say the ocean’s filling up with stuff like DDT
It shows up in the fish and then in you and me
If we drink too much of it we’ll wind up in bed
If we drink enough of it we may wind up dead!

Animals need water, People need it too
Keep it clean for me and I’ll keep it clean for you
Animals need water, People need it too
Keep it clean for me and I’ll keep it clean for you(3x)

Pac-Man Fever
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words by Bob Reid and Bob Levy’s 4th grade class
Music by Bob Reid
copyright © Bob Reid 1985

I’ve got a pocketfull of quarters and I walked down to the arcade.
(Arcade! Yeah the Arcade!)
Put a token in the slot Now I’ve really got it made.
(Got it made! Yeah got it made!)
Both fingers on the buttons and I started blasting away.
(Blast Away! Yeah, Blast away!)

Chorus:
I’ve got Pac man Fever (Pac Man Fever)
With both hands on the lever (Hands on the lever)
Tempest Shock (Tempest Shock)
I love Centipede Rock

I’m gettin’ pretty hot so I did a flip-flop.
(Flip-flop! Yeah a Flip-flop)
I’m gettin pretty good at rolling the old score up
(And up and up and up!)
I’m not gonna stop until I get my initials at the top
(At the top! Yeah, at the top!)

Chorus:

I got here this morning and I’ll be here ‘til tonight
(Tonight! Tonight! Tonight!)
My eyes are gettin’ glassy and my minds not workin’ right
(Workin’ Right! Yeah Working right!)
I’ve gotta get out of here if it takes all of my might
(All my might! Yeah, All my might!)

Chorus:

A Place in the Choir
From Bob Reid With Abracadab
Words & Music© Bill Staines

Chorus:
All God's Critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low Some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got now

Listen to the bass it's the one on the bottom
when the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus
moans and groans with a big to-do and the old cow just goes moo

Chorus:

The dogs and the cats they take up the middle
While the bullfrog croaks and the cricket fiddles
The donkey brays and the pony neighs
And the old coyote howls

Listen to the top where the little bird sings
on the melody with the high notes ringing
The hoot owl hollers over everything
And the jay bird disagrees

Chorus:

Singing in the night time singing in the day
The little duck quacks and he's on his way
The possum ain't got much to say
And the porcupine talks to himself

It's a simple song of living sung everywhere
By the fox and the ox and the grizzly bear
The grumpy alligator and the hawk above
The sly raccoon and the turtle dove

Chorus:

Walk Don't Run
'Cause fallin' ain't fun
When you run in the hall people might fall
When you run in the field the grass is your shield
It's safer for us all when we walk in the hall

I was runnin down the hall and I slipped on a pickle
It didn't hurt much but it sure didn't tickle
The next day I ran and I bumped into a man
The man fell into garbage can

Walk Don't Run
'Cause fallin' ain't fun
When you run in the hall people might fall
When you run in the field the grass is your shield
It's safer for us all when we walk in the hall

I was racin' down the corridor wishin' and a hopin'
As I ran through that a door wouldn't open
Just then a door becoame the opposite of closed
I smashed into the door and I busted up my nose

Walk Don't Run
'Cause fallin' ain't fun
When you run in the hall people might fall
When you run in the field the grass is your shield
It's safer for us all when we walk in the hall

Now it's plain to see it isn't safe to run on cement
or you might be wondering where your teeth up and went
I know sometimes it's difficult to keep from runnin' fast
But it's hard to run the bases with your leg in a cast

Walk Don't Run
'Cause fallin' ain't fun
When you run in the hall people might fall
When you run in the field the grass is your shield
It's safer for us all when we walk in the hall

Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Traditional (3rd verse by Mike Jones 3rd grade class)

Chorus:
Ice cream, cold cream, benzine, gasoline,
Soup beans, string beans, floatin’ all around
Spongecake, beefsteak, mistake, stomach-ache
Cream puffs, earmuffs many to be found
Silkhats, doormats, bedslats, democrats
cocobell, doorbells beckon you to dine
Meatballs, fishballs, mothballs, cannonballs
Come on in! The chowder’s fine!

Won’t you bring back, Won’t you bring back,
Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder
It was tuneful every spoonful made you yodel louder
After dinner Uncle Ben
used to fill his fountain pen
From a bowl of Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder

Chorus:

Won’t you bring back, Won’t you bring back,
Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder
From each helping you’ll be yelping for a headache powder
If you had it where we are
You might find a Datsun Car
In a bowl of Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder

Chorus:

Won’t you bring back, Won’t you bring back,
Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder
What a winner, after dinner, a chef could not be prouder
After flying overhead
The flies would all drop dead
from smelling some of Mrs’ Murphy’s Chowder

Chorus:

Won’t you bring back, Won’t you bring back,
Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder
You can stack it,You can rack it all along the larder
The plumber died today
They embalmed him right away
In a bowl of Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder

Chorus:

The Whale Song
From Bob Reid with Abracadab
Words by Bob Reid and Phil Olivier’s 6th grade class
Music by Bob Reid
copyright © Bob Reid1985

Chorus:
When you feed your dog
Put powder on your eyes
Color on your lips
Somewhere a whale cries.

For years they have been slain as they’ve wandered through the sea
They’re dragged up to the beach and they lie there helplessly.

Chorus:

You can go to the beach anytime you want to se’em
But if some people get their way you’ll have to go the museum.

Chorus:

Sometimes it is said that a whale is better dead.
But I know that’s not true, cause whale have feelings too!

They say that human beings have a well developed brain.
But if we kill the whales, They’ll think we’ve gone insane

Chorus: