♫ Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog … ♫ (Redux)

Posted on November 4, 2022 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

Now, before you tell me that the title of this song is not what I just said it was, I know that. The actual title is Joy to the World, but … I did not wish you to glance at it and think, “Aw heck, Filosofa is starting early with the Christmas songs.” I am not and it is not. Anyway, a lot of people think that Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog is actually the title of the song. (Not naming any names here … heh heh)

First off … I am not a huge Three Dog Night fan, but I always liked this song. Why? It stirs something, gets the feet stomping and the mouth singing, even if slightly (largely) off-key. Why am I playing it tonight? Because it is silly. Because it is happy. Because it gets the feet stomping and takes our mind, just for a few minutes, out of its dark hole. Or maybe just because it mentions wine.

The song was written by Hoyt Axton, a folk singer from Oklahoma. You may remember him from the movie Gremlins. He also wrote songs that were covered by the likes of Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, BJ Thomas, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, Jonathan Edwards, and Anne Murray. As for Joy to the World … some have tried to give it a religious connotation, but Mr. Axton says differently …

“Jeremiah was an expedient of the time. I had the chorus for three months. I took a drink of wine, leaned on the speaker, and said ‘Jeremiah was a bullfrog.’ It was meaningless. It was a temporary lyric. Before I could rewrite it, they cut it and it was a hit.”

Religious interpretations rarely take into account that Axton was more of a hell-raiser than a student of the Bible: He was a heavy drinker and pot smoker with a passion for fast cars, women and motorcycles. By the time he wrote Joy to the World, he was twice divorced with hundreds of speeding tickets on his record.

Three Dog Night didn’t think much of this song when they recorded it, tacking it on to the album because they needed one more song to complete it. The song ended up being a massive hit and stayed six weeks at #1 on the US Hot 100.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I give you … JEREMIAH!!!

Joy to the World
Three Dog Night

Jeremiah was a bullfrog
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him a-drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine
Singin’

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

If I were the king of the world
Tell you what I’d do
I’d throw away the cars and the bars and the war
Make sweet love to you
Sing it now

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

You know I love the ladies
Love to have my fun
I’m a high life flyer and a rainbow rider
A straight shootin’ son-of-a-gun
I said a straight shootin’ son-of-a-gun

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the world
Joy to you and me

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

I want to tell you
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls

Songwriters: Hoyt Axton
Joy to the World lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

♫ Your Song ♫

Posted on January 3, 2019 by jilldennison under Political commentary

Hey Friends! I’ve been ranting ’til my chest aches and I’m in the mood for me some Elton John tonight, what do you think?

Written, as are most of Elton’s songs, by Bernie Taupin, the song came to life in October 1970 as the B-side to Take Me to the Pilot. Both songs received airplay, but Your Song was preferred by disc jockeys and replaced Take Me to the Pilot as the A-side, eventually making it to number eight on the Billboard chart. The song also peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart, as well as charting in the top 10 in several other countries.

Your Song was first released by American rock band Three Dog Night in March 1970 on their third studio album, It Ain’t Easy. John was an opening act for the band at the time and allowed them to record it. They did not release it as a single as they wanted to let John, then an upcoming artist, have a go with it.

In 1998, Your Song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2004 the song was placed at number 137 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, as well as in its 2010 list.

Your Song
Elton John

It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside
I’m not one of those who can easily hide
I don’t have much money, but boy if I did
I’d buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but, but then again, no
Or a woman who makes potions on a traveling show
I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do
My gift is my song, and this one’s for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple, but now that it’s done
I hope you don’t mind
I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well, a few of the verses, well, they’ve got me quite cross
But the sun’s been quite kind while I wrote this song
It’s for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do
You see, I’ve forgotten if they’re green or they’re blue
Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean
It’s yours are the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen

I hope you don’t mind
I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is, now you’re in, you’re in, you’re in, you’re in the world

Songwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton John
Your Song lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

♫ Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog … ♫

Posted on October 25, 2018 by jilldennison under music

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I give you … JEREMIAH!!!