Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  



The Pets

Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1960 Schroder Music Company, renewed 1988. This song originally had no chorus, but a group of New Zealand children recorded it with a chorus added by their teacher, Jack Davidson. Malvina liked the addition and started singing the song with his chorus. The new version, dubbed "The Pets II," was copyrighted in 1966 by Schroder Music Company.


I have a doggie, his name is Dolally,
O Dally Dolally so faithful and true.
He lives upon flipfloppers, gollywhoppers and sodapoppers,
And that makes him hop around like grasshoppers do.

Chorus:
We love our pets, yes we do, we do.
When they go (Woof! Woof!)
They're talking to you.

I have a kitty, her name is Miss Feedle Faddle,
O fit feedle faddle, foot feedle faddle, fair as a rose.
She lives upon livers, and mousey come hithers,
And that's why she slithers wherever she goes.

(Chorus) (Meow! Meow!)

I have a birdie, his name is MacMurdie,
O wing-feather and tail-feather and top-feather so bright.
He lives upon prinkles, and pink periwinkles,
And that's why he twinkles from morning till night.

(Chorus) (Tweet! Tweet!)

I have a donkey, his name is Old Klonkey,
O hip hoppity, klip kloppity, all over town.
He lives upon thistles, and tin penny whistles,
And that's why he whoops like a merry-go-round.

(Chorus) (Eeaw! Eeaw!)

I have a barnacle, his name is McGonigle,
O wish washery, slish sloshery, under my boat.
He lives on the boring of old teakwood flooring,
And when he is snoring he can't sing a note.

We love our pets, yes we do, we do.
When they go (Snore)
They're sleeping, of course!


Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
---- Tweedles and Foodles for Young Noodles: Children's Songs
---- Little Boxes and Other Handmade Songs
---- There's Music in the Air: Songs for the Middle-Young

Other place(s) where the music to this song appears:
---- Sing Out!, Volume 10(2) (1960), pp. 22-23

Malvina Reynolds recording(s) on which this song is performed:
---- Artichokes, Griddle Cakes, and Other Good Things
---- Funny Bugs, Giggleworms and Other Good Friends

Recordings by other artists on which this song is performed:
---- Marcia Berman: Sings Malvina Reynolds' Rabbits Dance and Other Songs for Children (B/B Records B/B 112, 1985)
---- Jack Davidson and the Little Singers of Mt. Roskill: You Can't Make a Turtle Come Out (45 r.p.m. e.p., Kiwi Records EA-113)
---- Jack Davidson and the Little Singers of Mt. Roskill: You Can't Make a Turtle Come Out (45 r.p.m. single, Cassandra Records CS-10, 1968)
---- Jay Ungar and Lyn Hardy: A Place to Be (Gentle Wind GW1006, 1981)


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