As a child I received the LP record Captain Burl Ives' Ark as a present. The current version on CD has completely different songs. There were a number of unique songs on this album that I've never heard anyplace else. This is the one I remember best, and the words as I remember them.
As an adult, I sang this to my kitty, Montana Wildhack. She would sometimes growl when I got to the part about giving his animals nothing to eat. Now I sometimes sing it to my mice. They don't seem concerned with this abuse, probably because there are no mice at risk.
Old Doctor Wango Tango
(sung as a slow bassey dirge)
Old Doctor Wango Tango, had a long red nose,
and Old Doctor Wango Tango always wore green clothes.
And Old Doctor Wango Tango had a thin horse Sam.
He had a dog named Bowser, and a cat named Touser,
and a black crow Flippity Flam Flam Flam,
and a black crow Flippity Flam.
Old Doctor Wango Tango, lived on a biscuit a day,
and Old Doctor Wango Tango got very thin this way.
And Old Doctor Wango Tango, gave his animals nothing to eat,
but it would come to pass, they would find a blade of grass,
or a crust or a bone without meat meat meat,
or a crust or a bone without meat.
Old Doctor Wango Tango, rode to the top of a hill,
and Old Doctor Wango Tango found a wind very cold and chill.
Away blew Old Doctor Tango (swish).
Away blew his thin horse Sam (swoosh).
Away blew Bowser (swish), and away blew Touser (swash).
And the black crow Flippity Flam Flam Flam,
and the black crow Flippity Flam. (3 second pause) (swoosh).
You can see a list of all the songs and hear short clips on Åke's
website.
