Songs Featuring Creatures #1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nellie

"Nellie the Elephant packed her trunk
And said goodbye to the circus
Off she went with a trumpety-trump
Trump, trump, trump"

Written in 1956 by Ralph Butler and Peter Hart, this was a children's favourite for many years. Little did we realise that the next generation (and some of us too!) would be pogo-ing to it. According to Wikipedia, this song can be used to give the correct timing for CPR. This is presumably the original, as doing it to the Toy Dolls would probably kill both the resuscitator and the patient. All the wrong answers are fictional elephants.

Answer: Captain Beaky

"The bravest animals in the land are Captain Beaky and his band
That's Timid Toad, Reckless Rat, Artful Owl and Batty Bat
They march through the woodlands singing songs
That tell how they have righted wrongs"

This was written by Jeremy Lloyd, better known as the author or co-author of successful sitcoms including 'Allo 'Allo!', 'Grace and Favour', 'Are You Being Served?' 'Vampira' and 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'.

Answer: David Cassidy

This was released (in the UK at least) on a single with 'Daydreamer' in 1973. I'm afraid this was not his finest hour, although it did reach number one. All the wrong answers had posters on my wall (I was a teenager, though). David Cassidy is still going strong in 2008 as an artist, actor and horse owner.

Answer: The elephant

"But it's already been well over a year
And just in case you're interested you might like to hear
How everybody's doing down at the City Zoo
Without you

Well the monkeys forgot ya and the hippo forgot ya
And so did the kangaroo
But me and the elephant, we still remember you
Me and the elephant, we'll never forget you"

Aww! The song was also recorded by Kenny Starr and Bobby Goldsboro in 1977.
Gene Cotton got 1,554 votes when he ran for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2001, losing to Republican Glen Casada.

Answer: Polar bear

"My wife and my children were coming from Greenland
To be by my side in the zoo;
Belinda's my wife, and the eldest's called Bernard,
And Billy, well he's only two.

I know on the ship there were hundreds of people
And I know the iceberg's not yours...
The polar bear's eyes held the start of his teardrops
And he covered his face with his paws.

Have you got any news of the iceberg?
My family were on it, you see;
Have you got any news of the iceberg?
They mean the whole world to me."

I defy anyone to listen to this unmoved! Les Barker is a comedian on the British folk circuit and the Mrs Ackroyd Band consists (in 2008) of him, Alison Younger, Hilary Spencer and Chris Harvey.

Answer: Engelbert

"The King and Queen were speechless
(And I'm sure they're speechless now),
Engelbert the Elephant
Made a very lovely bow,"

A lovely song about an elephant that was invited to a formal dance by the King and Queen.
"And the dance he did along the road is talked about today!". From the album 'Going to the Zoo'; Tom Paxton also wrote a children's book about Engelbert.

Answer: Richard Digance

Richard Digance (who released an album called 'Working Class Millionaire') is a very talented British folk singer. I was unable to find the lyrics of 'Beaver the Believer' on the Internet, so from memory:
"Beaver Believer was swimming one day
His family were talking but he'd nothing to say
When all of a sudden he hit on a plan
Decided to build an incredible dam".

I used to know all the words (never get stuck next to me at a party!) All the wrong answers are or were British folk singers.

Answer: Gorilla

"'I'm going to lose it last' he cried
Swinging lissomly out of his cage
Referring of course to his chastity,
He was just at the difficult age"

Unfortunately the encounter was with a (male) Petty Sessions judge! Georges Bressons died in 1981 but his song "Le Gorille" lived on in Jake Thackray's version. Sadly, we lost Jake Thackray (who I was lucky enough to see live) on Christmas Eve 2002.

Answer: Boo

"Me and you and a dog named Boo
Travellin' and livin' off the land
Me and you and a dog named Boo
How I love being a free man"

Lobo was born in 1943 as Roland Kent Lavoie and is an American singer-songwriter who had several 70s hits, including "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" and "I'd Love You to Want Me".

Answer: No name

"I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain"

Despite the double negatives of the chorus, the song reached number three in the U.K. charts and number one in the U.S. for three weeks in March/April 1972. I hope you've enjoyed this journey through songs that celebrate our furry friends. All feedback welcome.