Since My Canary Died - The Smothers Brothers

Since My Canary Died Lyrics

(Jerry Bock/Sheldon M. Harnick)
(DICK SPEAKING)
As you could see, we--we're in need of a song with some direction and some meaning.
We need a song with some depth, some substance to it.
And I think we can best do this by singing a love song.
And we--we have one, that we think fills the bill.
It's about two individuals whose love--whose love is, genuine, unselfish, and true.
Powerful, and yet, the relationship was severed.
Severed suddenly, tragically, and most permanently.
(TOM) That's too bad!
(DICK) Yet you know--
(TOM) A thing like that.
(DICK) Yet you know through the lyrics of this song that . . .
A love as great and as powerful as theirs will last and last and last forever.
(TOM) That's true. They will last forever.
(DICK) That's right.
(TOM) And the lyrics of these songs, telling so poygnantly, and so powerfully.

(DICK) "Poignantly" is the word . . . poignant.
(TOM) So poignantly and powerfully.
These lyrics were originally a poem.
Written by one of America's most-beloved poemists.
One--
(DICK) Eh, uh, Wait a minute, what did you say?
(TOM) One of America's most-beloved poemists.
(DICK) That is not right. You know its--the word isn't "poemists."
(TOM) No I don't.
(DICK) Well I was trying to give an introduction for a serious song.
(TOM) Well that's uh--
(DICK) Well why do you do that?
(TOM) Well I--
(DICK) if you're in doubt Tommy, don't just, say the word and--and wait for the consequence.
Ask me.
(TOM) What is the word for--for--for one who writes poems?
(DICK) Its a--its a, poet writer.
(TOM) A poet writer???
(DICK) Hehe--yeah!
(TOM) Boy! You're as dumb as I am!
G-g-good thing I didn't ask him a couple other questions I had in mind . . .hehe!
(DICK) Alright! The word happens to be "poet."
Now use it.
(TOM) This was originally a poem, serially . . .
This was orig--this was originally a poem written by one of America's . . .
most-beloved poets . . .
The wonderful Jack Freeze.
Frost--Jack Frost!
(DICK) ROBERT FROST!
(TOM) ROBERT FROST!
(DICK) Yeah.
(TOM) We put this song to music.
We put this beautiful song to music, this beautiful poem to music to one of the world's . .
Most-beloved, classical works . . .
The beautiful Clyde Dabussy's "Clan Legrume."
Clyde Dabussy's "Groom Dagroom."
Clyde Dabussy's "Cloom Naboom." . . . . .
(TOMMY SINGING, DICK ON BACKING VOCALS)
Oo-oo-oo-oo-oooo, Oo-oo-oo-oo-oooo
Aaah-aah, ah-ah-ah-ah
I feel so lonely and cold
Bitter and old
Since my canary died.
His cheery warble is still
Gone is the trill
Since my canary died.
He'll never know - oh
I loved him so,
Though he was moulting
And looked revolting
I drink much more than I should
I'm just no good
Since my canary died.
Mmn-mmm, Oo-oo-oo-oo-oooo
(TOMMY SPEAKING) Oh my canary!
My life is so empty without the--your sweet song echoing through my house.
That cat!
I know you're somewhere up in bird heaven.
Flying around up there in bird heaven.
I miss you canary!
How do you like bird heaven?
I took the cat . . . and I threw him down!
But he--but he always lands on his feet!
But I--I threw him down once, my sweetheart . . hehe!
Ten stories! . . .hehe!
Landed on his feet . . . hehe!
Sure got flat though . . heh!
Went down to see how he was and I saw him waddling up the stairs going "quack, quack, quack." Hehe!
(SINGING)
I know he flies
In Paradise
Instead of tweeting
He dropped a greeting
Hehe! . . . all over the cat! . . heh!
I sit alone in my flat
I just killed my cat
Since my canary died . . . . .
[APPLAUSE TO FADE]
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Lyrics submitted by Doug Hoyer.