This song is by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann. It was written in 1964. Man, I miss the Muppet Show. Like Looney Tunes, it was ostensibly for children. I was one of those children and while I liked it, I didn't 'get' at the time that the producers were really entertaining themselves. There's nothing like this in the media now - it's all about selling something. I feel privileged to predate that attitude.
"You can do such a lot with the wompom You can use every part of it, too! For work or for pleasure It's a triumph! It's a treasure! Oh, there's nothing that the wompom cannot do!" @fredriklarsson8105
I was surfing round the internet, on a Sunday evening, and I came upon this vid from a show of old There was man in a bowler hat, and paper on his arm And he was a puppet... so I was told He was looking a creature, with two horns and some hair, And even thought it was a puppet too I thought it was a buffalo, but then some saw my comment... ...and replied...
“He’s a puppet representation of a g-nu!” He’s a g-nu, he’s a g-nu, (And it’s g-nice to k-now this clip’s on CZcams, too!) He’s a g-nu, what more can I tell you? Well, he’s a g-nother Jim Henson muppet, yes, that’s true! He’s a g-nu, spelt G-N-U. And I still think that this song is still a classic, too! And let’s all, for one last time, at least, Acknowledge this grand, g-nice old beast And g-no, g-no, g-no.....he’s still a g-nu! 😁👍
I do! Just listened to their cd 3 times today! Well to be honest there was nothing else in the car...but still love it. Now I'll have that song stuck in my head for the next 57 years,
"The purpose of satire, it has rightly been observed, is to strip away the veneer of cozy half-truth and mealy-mouthed hypocrisy that has served us so well for so long, and our job here is to put it back again." Michael Flanders (1922-1974)
I wrote a less sad version of the verse to show my friend. What can I say, I'm just a softie. ..."And I had to share my bedroom with a lot of cuddly toys, which my landlady was fond of at the time. Among the merry animals reclining on the shelf was a cheeky little face I thought I knew..." then it's just the same as the usual song.
Marvellous song, so funny , but just as marvellous is the way it reminds one of how it's mankind (not God as far as we can tell) who has given names to thousands and thousands of the things in the world. Allowing us to talk to each other about these things or even write funny songs about them.
Hearing this song reminds me of a certain Shel Silverstein poem: "I saw an old gnome take a gknock at a gnat who was gnibbling the gnose of his gnu/ I said, "Gnasty gnome, gnow stop doin' that! That ol' gnat ain't done gnothin' to you!"/ He gnodded his gnarled old head and said, "'Til gnow I gnever gknew that gnocking a gnat in the gnoodle like that was gnot a gnice thing to do."
Actually a lot of their humour is satirical, though a lot gentler that a most satire that we're used to today. As Mr Flanders himself put it- "The purpose of satire, it has been rightly said, is to strip off the veneer of comforting illusion and cosy half-truth. And our job, as I see it, is to put it back again." And of course there are a lot of good old fashioned puns, understatement and irony. Wonderful (and very British) humour.
Didn't Flanders include the clause ",,,that have served us so well for so long'''" in that quote? Certainly, as you observe, gentler than most satire we hear today. This song is a great comment in the Shavian tradition. Ghoti and chips, anyone?
@@helenday5031 Was it not Shaw who mocked English language spelling with its non-standard consonant sounds and uncountable silent letters by spelling _FISH_ as _GHOTI_ with the _GH_ sound from _rough_ , the _O_ sound from _women_ , and the _TI_ sound from _nation_ ? This song pokes fun at silent letters and words that, by the conventions of silent letter usage, should have them. Incidentally, It was Shaw, who on first meeting with Harpo Marx when Harpo had hastily covered up from all-over sun-bathing, reached out as if to shake hands and quickly pulled away the towel.
I like the fact that the British chap goes to bed in his bowler and monacle, and especially with his umbrella.
It's standard practice for us
This song is by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann. It was written in 1964. Man, I miss the Muppet Show. Like Looney Tunes, it was ostensibly for children. I was one of those children and while I liked it, I didn't 'get' at the time that the producers were really entertaining themselves. There's nothing like this in the media now - it's all about selling something. I feel privileged to predate that attitude.
I read in his biography that Henson spent much of his life making sure that puppets were not just for children. Pretty sure he succeeded -
Finally someone compares the Muppets and Looney Tunes
As a fan of both Flanders and Swann and the Muppets, I am astounded that I had never seen this before.
Me, too!!
Hear, hear!
I was pleased to find it thirteen years ago, and I appreciate @Helenday5031 recalling it to my memory today. @@BadWebDiver
@fredriklarsson8105 Flanders and Swann were among the finest commentators, not only on British culture, but also on humanity at large.
"You can do such a lot with the wompom
You can use every part of it, too!
For work or for pleasure
It's a triumph! It's a treasure!
Oh, there's nothing that the wompom cannot do!"
@fredriklarsson8105
British guy: "Well, I'm not getting any sleep here tonight."
I was surfing round the internet, on a Sunday evening, and
I came upon this vid from a show of old
There was man in a bowler hat, and paper on his arm
And he was a puppet... so I was told
He was looking a creature, with two horns and some hair,
And even thought it was a puppet too
I thought it was a buffalo, but then some saw my comment...
...and replied...
“He’s a puppet representation of a g-nu!”
He’s a g-nu, he’s a g-nu,
(And it’s g-nice to k-now this clip’s on CZcams, too!)
He’s a g-nu, what more can I tell you?
Well, he’s a g-nother Jim Henson muppet,
yes, that’s true!
He’s a g-nu, spelt G-N-U.
And I still think that this song is still a
classic, too!
And let’s all, for one last time, at least, Acknowledge this grand, g-nice
old beast
And g-no, g-no, g-no.....he’s still a g-nu! 😁👍
@@johnrowley5833 you be the chap this time...
I ain't a buffalo, I'm Mr. Noisy!
A perfect match for the Muppets.
"I'm gnot an elf, I'm gnot a goblin, I'm a gnu. and you've been gnued!"
I do! Just listened to their cd 3 times today!
Well to be honest there was nothing else in the car...but still love it.
Now I'll have that song stuck in my head for the next 57 years,
Hi Jeremy, glad you have still 46 years of Gnu Song ahead of you. 🙂
@@perlalagadeon2807 hopefully even more than that! Had forgotten about it though, but now it's back 😜
😉
Hi Jeremy, glad you still have 44 years of Gnu Song ahead of you. 🙂
Oh.....The gnu-manity!
"The purpose of satire, it has rightly been observed, is to strip away the veneer of cozy half-truth and mealy-mouthed hypocrisy that has served us so well for so long, and our job here is to put it back again." Michael Flanders (1922-1974)
Yay for Flanders and Swan!
The Muppet show also did "A Transport of Delight", also by Flanders and Swan
The song alone is brill and makes me titter but this video goes very nicely with it and adds further to the humour.
That Gnu is so cute.
well, g-now, that was g-nice. hee hee.
G-not to be confused with my g-neiss natural stone kitchen countertops.
Richard Hunt using the Don Music/Gillis Fraggle/Wild Impresario voice once again.
Looks like the second g-nu was g-not so lucky.
G-no, he was g-not. Pity, he seemed rather g-nice. ;)
I wrote a less sad version of the verse to show my friend. What can I say, I'm just a softie.
..."And I had to share my bedroom with a lot of cuddly toys, which my landlady was fond of at the time. Among the merry animals reclining on the shelf was a cheeky little face I thought I knew..." then it's just the same as the usual song.
1:29 Animal killer!
What a classic😂
this is richard hunt singing.
The nicest work of nature is crummy!
@Raggamechababy I miss old F & S (esp the song about the spider in the bath)
Hardly anyone knows about Flanders and Swann anymore. :-(
I am seven years late to this party. My favorite F&S is "Slow Train." Or the "Second Law of Thermodynamics." Or "All Gaul." I could go on and on.
My favourite is Ill Wind, and of course Madeira M'Dear.
Armstrong + Miller know... ;)
I love the one about the crafty elephant in the nursing home.
I'm always am amazed when I learn of a new mammal. Tell ya what. Look up an okapi.
2:34 His room is haunted!
you really gnouhgt to know a whose wa who X)
It’s hard to tell if the audio is out of sync with the video or if the puppeteers are just a little off :-)
@human20freedom
Not much, what's a-gnu with you?
I believe I had someone send me that before
Marvellous song, so funny , but just as marvellous is the way it reminds one of how it's mankind (not God as far as we can tell) who has given names to thousands and thousands of the things in the world. Allowing us to talk to each other about these things or even write funny songs about them.
mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo im a Gnuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!
Amanda Terry On Gnoo Gnoo Gnoo Gnu
Here at 244,799 views. Arch by the way.
Lol 😅
What’s the point of the Muppet Show on Disney+ when Brooke Shields and Chris Langham are not on there with the rest of the series?
Brooks Shields is because of copyright with the song We're off to See the Wizard and Chris Langham did illegal stuff so this won't be released.
Pointless brought me here.
Same
The way gnu looks at man when he says "it's a helk" is priceless! 😂😂😂
"I hain't a helk..." LOL
Hearing this song reminds me of a certain Shel Silverstein poem:
"I saw an old gnome take a gknock at a gnat who was gnibbling the gnose of his gnu/ I said, "Gnasty gnome, gnow stop doin' that! That ol' gnat ain't done gnothin' to you!"/ He gnodded his gnarled old head and said, "'Til gnow I gnever gknew that gnocking a gnat in the gnoodle like that was gnot a gnice thing to do."
Actually a lot of their humour is satirical, though a lot gentler that a most satire that we're used to today. As Mr Flanders himself put it-
"The purpose of satire, it has been rightly said, is to strip off the veneer of comforting illusion and cosy half-truth. And our job, as I see it, is to put it back again."
And of course there are a lot of good old fashioned puns, understatement and irony. Wonderful (and very British) humour.
I heard this song about 27 years ago and I still remember it!!!
This put such a smile on my face! Loved it. :D
Come on, Disney, release the rest of the series so we can watch the episodes these classics were released with!
A total gnu-sens
I love ❤️ this Gnu Song I am a Gnu
Flanders and Swan...
And then the lovechild of the gnu and that green generic muppet was born sometime later-
Luigi, I think you just described The Great Gonzo. ;)
And coded emacs.
Didn't Flanders include the clause ",,,that have served us so well for so long'''" in that quote? Certainly, as you observe, gentler than most satire we hear today.
This song is a great comment in the Shavian tradition.
Ghoti and chips, anyone?
Bravo sir! :)
What does that mean please: "Great comment in the Shavian tradition"? "Shavian" means of GB Shaw doesn't it? So how is this song like his work?
@@helenday5031 Was it not Shaw who mocked English language spelling with its non-standard consonant sounds and uncountable silent letters by spelling _FISH_ as _GHOTI_ with the _GH_ sound from _rough_ , the _O_ sound from _women_ , and the _TI_ sound from _nation_ ?
This song pokes fun at silent letters and words that, by the conventions of silent letter usage, should have them.
Incidentally, It was Shaw, who on first meeting with Harpo Marx when Harpo had hastily covered up from all-over sun-bathing, reached out as if to shake hands and quickly pulled away the towel.
GNU is a recursive acronym, stands for GNU is not unix
oh, shut up.
Similarly, it's understood that Benoit B. Mandelbrot's middle initial is actually an abbreviation of "Benoit B. Mandelbrot".
oh nice
@human20freedom "Gnu" is another word for Wildebeest.
Because of the sounds they make
Lovejoy brought me here.
The '80s detective / antiques show?
i find it annoying
You just have no sense of humor.
klaise ᴖᴥᴖ I like it.
We can't all like the same thing.
That was 5 years ago, i like it now