blathering nonsense (about) lyrics

This is it, folks. The one you've all been waiting for. The LAST one. We're up to BNL's last released album, so we've reached the end of the road for the bnl project, which signifies the end of a thirteen-week period in which no one but me reads my blog on Wednesdays. That's cool, because this has been just so much fun to do for myself. Not that I'm a dork or anything. Whatever.

Anywhooo... for our last installment, we'll look at BNL's first-ever children's album, Snacktime!, which is requested on the kitchen cd player by actual other people than me in our household! We ordered it, I believe, through BNL's former merchandise carrier, and got a package deal for the CD plus a hardcover book that includes all the lyrics and page after page of wacky Kevin Hearn drawings. I enjoy having the book because it gives me another excuse to sing BNL songs to my kids, and these are a little more appropriate to lull them off to sleep with than say, a song about robbing a bank.

As with all the other 12 albums, it's not that easy to choose the top songs on this one. Unfortunately, some of my faves don't seem to have any videos to link to, so you'll just have to go out and get the album to listen to I Don't Like (a fabulous back-and-forth-banter kind of song with Steve and Ed and a whole lotta laughs), Louis Loon (Red's surefire favorite- beautiful music and lyrics that was listened to all the time during our bird study), Humungous Tree, and Bad Day (a perfect song from a kid's perspective about a really cruddy day). All of those would be in contention for the top spots in this post if they had links, but alas... So instead, let's call out the very first Tyler-sung song to appear in one of these posts-- Allergies is really quite funny, and certainly relatable to many sneezy kids. Another one we love is Pollywog in a Bog, and I get kids all clamoring to see my teeny laptop screen when I pull up the video. And then there's The Ninjas. Oh yes, people, this one is a loved one by me for reasons that I shouldn't necessarily share publicly. You'll just have to watch that video to find out what they're singing all about... and if you know me (and my unfortunate gatrointestinal makeup), you'll understand why this one makes me laugh each and every single time.

Let's skip right ahead and go to the top pick, shall we?

Album: Snacktime
Year of Release: 2008
Song: Raisins
Words & Music by Ed Robertson

Raisins come from Grapes
People come from Apes
I come from Canada
I came in first place
In a nonexistent race
To rebuild the Parthenon

The Parthenon's in Greece
Or was it in Grease 2
I can't keep my movies straight
When I make mistakes
I use a lot of salt
Cause salt makes m'steaks taste great

I don't want to be a bother
But I think the phone's for you

I've got orange pants
I wear them when I dance
But I don't get out that much
You are just too loud
I passed you in a crowd
Thank you and keep in touch

I don't speak Chinese
Not even words like "Please"
"Thank you", or "how are you"
But I can parle Francais
I parled a bit today
It seemed like the thing to do

I don't want to be a bother
But I think you're in my seat

You've got to admit that those are some clever lyrics, right? I love that they have basically created a song here that has no real subject, but is really just a bunch of strung together wordplays. Add a catchy tune, and you've got some good clean fun. Just like the entire album, truly. The kids love it, and I may have popped it in the cd player once or twice just for me, too.

My little attempt at recording what I love best about my favorite former-fivesome from Canada is in these 13 posts- the bnl project. I don't know about you, but I for one had a blast.


Off to sing poorly to my family's displeasure,