Never Play Music Right Next to The Zoo

Lyrics

I went to a concert when I was a lad No older than many of you I sat with my sister, my mother, my dad At a band shell right next to the zoo The soft summer air was so balmy and sweet And the program was running so long That I found myself falling asleep in my seat Despite all the music and song All at once the conductor erupted with rage! A band of wild animals was storming the stage! Oh, children! Remember! Whatever you may do Never play music right next to the zoo They'll burst from their cages Each beast and each bird Desperate to play all thе music they've heard Thе lions and the elephants The bears and the raccoons Will steal away the trumpets The flutes, and bassoons Replace the musicians and chase them away Then they'll sit in the band shell and play The monkeys played fiddle The bison the bass The percussions were manned by the camel The yak played the sax until red in the face A surprisingly musical mammal The bonobo played oboe The ferret the flute The jackal attacked the bassoon The hippo had chosen the tuba to toot By the light of the silvery moon Siberian tigers, Mongolian goats A superabundance of bestial notes! Oh, children! Remember! Whatever you may do Never play music right next to the zoo They'll burst from their cages Each beast and each bird Desperate to play all the music they've heard The lions and the elephants The bears and the raccoons Will steal away the trumpets The flutes, and bassoons Replace the musicians and chase them away Then they'll sit in the band shell and play As the animal orchestra filled up the air With chaos, confusion, and clatter The audience calmly continued to stare As if nothing was the matter I trembled with terror, suppressing a scream While my parents just sat there enraptured Oh, how I wished it was only a dream And the creatures all safely recaptured But since, by the minute I'd grown less afraid I decided to sit back and watch while they played They finished, and each put his instrument down Then bowed and descended the stage Each shed his tuxedo, or evening gown And hurried back home to his cage Then each reminisced, so grateful and glad So full of contentment and pride My mother meanwhile, strolled away with my dad But my sister remained by my side She tugged on my sweater and spoke in my ear "YOU'D BETTER WAKE UP OR WE'RE LEAVING YOU HERE!" Oh, children! Remember! Whatever you may do Never play music right next to the zoo They'll burst from their cages Each beast and each bird Desperate to play all the music they've heard No, never play music right next to the zoo And pay strict attention to rule number two Bear it in mind for the rest of your days: Don't fall asleep when an orchestra plays