A Whale of a Tale! [1]

[the_gneech]

o/`
[chorus]
Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads
a whale of a tale or two
'bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved
on nights like this
with a moon above
a whale of a tale and it's all true
I swear by my tattoo!

There was Mermaid Minnie
met her down in Madagascar
she would kiss me
anytime that I would ask her
Then one evenin' her flame of love blew out
blow me down, and pick me up
she swapped me for a trout!

(chorus)

There was Typhoon Tessie
met her on the coast of Java
when she kissed me
I bubbled up like molten lava
Then she gave me the scare of my young life
blow me down, and pick me up
she was the Captain's wife!

(chorus)

Then there was Harpoon Hannah [2]
had a look that spelled out "danger"
my heart quivered
when she whispered "I'm there, stranger"
Bought her trinkets that a sailor can't afford
and when I'd spent my last red cent
she tossed me overboard!

(chorus)

Then there was Harpoon Hannah [3]
had a face that made you shudder
lips like fish-hooks, and a nose just like a rudder
Since I kissed and held her tenderly
there's no sea monster big enough
to ever frighten me!

Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads!
A whale of a tale or two
'bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved
on nights like this with the moon above
a whale of a tale and it's all true
I swear by my tattoo!
o/`

-The Gneech

[1] Al Hoffman (music) and Norman Gimbel (lyrics)
[2] This verse not used in the movie; it appeared on a record release.
[3] She musta had something, 'cause he went back to her!

Comments

[level-head.livejournal.com]

I know the song well, at least in the version from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It is the very first movie that I remember seeing in the theater.

Are both versions of "Harpoon Hannah" on the release? They seem somewhat contradictory, as if in alternate universes.

Or when the look "spelled out danger," there was a typo. ];-)

===|==============/ Level Head

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

The version in 20,000 Leagues had the Harpoon Hannah with a nose like a rudder, while the tie-in record release of the song had the Harpoon Hannah who had a look that spelled out "danger." Not sure why the switch, unless maybe the filmmakers wanted to emphasize the idea that Ned Land wasn't afraid of sea monsters.

-The Gneech

I love that song from "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea"

[grizzly47.livejournal.com]

Only time I've ever hear Kirk Douglas sing!

Looking at the third stanza you're right! I was never aware of that, and yet, I've heard this version of the third stanza before.

NEMO is a palindrome - OMEN spelled backward!

Re: I love that song from "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea"

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

It's also Latin for "nobody."

-The Gneech

[grayalynn.livejournal.com]

I had this as a kid as teh B side on a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea little 33 album, the kind that came with a little book. Hadn't thought of it in years!

[genecatlow.livejournal.com]

There's a 10-inch LP from Columbia of songs from Disney movies that swaps the Mermaid Minnie and Typhoon Tessie verses, and has neither Harpoon Hannah verse at all. I'd have to go scrounge it out of storage to find out who the singer was (wasn't Kirk Douglas, for sure) but it had some nice orchestral arrangements for the music.