I Guess That's Why They Call it the Zoo

[mrmeadows]

I have come to learn that Al might have performed a short concert-only song called "I Guess that's Why they Call it the Zoo", which I'm guessing was a parody of Elton John's "I Guess that's Why they Call it the Blues". However, I can't find lyrics for this anywhere!



Anyone got the skinny?



Also, is it known exactly which Prince song Al had originally wanted to parody? I heard once (I forget where) that it was a parody of "When Doves Cry" called "When Eggs Fry", but something tells me that isn't true.



Meadows

[CatraDhtem]

I have come to learn that Al might have performed a short concert-only song called "I Guess that's Why they Call it the Zoo", which I'm guessing was a parody of Elton John's "I Guess that's Why they Call it the Blues"

It was actually just part of a radio jingle for a Houston station's "Morning Zoo" programming block. You didn't miss anything.

[Dr_Dad]

I have come to learn that Al might have performed a short concert-only song called "I Guess that's Why they Call it the Zoo", which I'm guessing was a parody of Elton John's "I Guess that's Why they Call it the Blues". However, I can't find lyrics for this anywhere!

Anyone got the skinny?

Sure do, Mr. M!!

"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Zoo" is NOT a concert-only song, but instead a 1985 12-second short tune Al specifically wrote as a promo for a radio station. It was indeed a parody of Elton John's song "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" from his 1983 album "Too Low For Zero". The radio station was Houston-based 93Q KKBQ-FM [whose morning team was known as "The Q Morning Zoo

The album -- and thus the song -- is very hard to locate, though [of course] both Elvis and Bermuda have copies. The usual Al lyric sites such as alsongs.com, Yankovic!, Hotel XVR27, and Jeff Morris' rec.music.dementia page all unfortunately turn up negative for IGTWTCITZ lyrics. A sideline note -- KKBQ-FM and the Q Morning Zoo are still around after 18 years ... but the station is now country, not Top 40, and all vestiges of 1985 are long since turned to dust ....

Also, is it known exactly which Prince song Al had originally wanted to parody? I heard once (I forget where) that it was a parody of "When Doves Cry" called "When Eggs Fry", but something tells me that isn't true.

Meadows

Actually, Al mentions the potential Prince parody on the commentary for the 2002 DVD release of "UHF", just as "Money For Nothing / Beverly Hillbillies" comes on screen. He relates how his Beverly Hillbillies parody was originally supposed to be put to the tune of Prince's 1984 hit "Let's Go Crazy" -- but we all know where THAT idea went :mad: . Some of the lyrics for the Prince parody were quoted by Al himself on the commentary track, and are as follows:

"But I'm here to tell ya / There’s something else / Syndication! / A world of never-ending residuals / Where you can watch the reruns, day ... and night / So when you call up that bank in Beverly Hills ..."

which parallels the original lyrics that

"But I'm here 2 tell u / There's something else / The afterworld / A world of never ending happiness / U can always see the sun, day or night / So when u call up that shrink in Beverly Hills ..."

Hope dat helps!!!





Dr. Dad

[Elvis]

"I Guess that's Why they Call it the Zoo"

Well there you go. You've already typed out the lyrics without realizing it.



Dave

[27-77]

actually, the lyrics are:
"Hello, this is "Weird Al" Yankovic, and I guess that's why they call it the zoo.

[Big Spoon]

Nice bump.

[Bruce the Duck]

Damn! For a minute there, I thought Dr. Dad had come back to us!

[Keir]

I remember seeing the 93Q Morning Zoo LP about a year or so ago. At the time I thought it was too expensive, but I haven't seen one since. I'm betting now I'd pay whatever it was that I thought was too much then.

[flusher5]

theres another morning zoo greatest hits LP with almost the exact cover, I almost paid $10 for, until I realized it was the wrong one, I wonder what came first.

[Bruce the Duck]

It really isn't worth paying anything for the Morning Zoo clip.