Togo Goes Song Writing

In my last story, I told you how I had adapted a song to better tell my story and connect with my readers. It was so much fun that I told Daddy I wanted to become a song writer.

So he sat me down at his computer and suggested I write some lyrics. Frankly, that didn’t go so well.

Daddy said it might be easier with the “Nashville Experience.” According to Daddy, practically every one who wants to write songs for a living moves to Nashville at some point, works in a restaurant, and thus finds inspiration to write country-western songs.

“And what about those individuals who didn’t find inspiration?” I asked.

“Oh,” Daddy replied, “they just move back home with the best recipes for biscuits and fried chicken you can imagine.”

That’s when Daddy left me along with my creative urges. But the only urges I had by then involved eating biscuits and fried chicken. Distracted, I started punching keys at random on Daddy’s computer and it began playing a song by some fellows that called themselves the Beatles.

Photo by Minha Baek on Unsplash

The tune was catchy and it had an outstanding sing-along chorus. So I decided I would just adapt it, too. It was originally titled “Yellow Submarine.” But everyone knows that submarines aren’t yellow.

Ladies and gentlemen, the worldwide debut of “Yellow Tangerine.” You can listen to the music and sing along here. Just don’t look at the pictures. They will just confuse you and mess up my song.

YELLOW TANGERINE

In the town where I was born
Lived a dog who really talked
And he told us of his life
And his love for tangerines.

So we walked up to the store
And found a clerk who wasn't mean
And we sat down in the aisle
And ate yellow tangerines

Now, we all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.
We all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.

Photos by Joey in Kenya (not the zoo)

And our friends are dreaming too.
Many more of them live at the zoo.
And the band begins to play . . .

Togo and his recorder

We all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.
We all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.

As we live a life of ease
Every one of us has all we need
Sky of blue and lawns of green
Eating yellow tangerines.

We all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.
We all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.
We all dream of a yellow tangerine
a yellow tangerine, a yellow tangerine.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Tangerines aren’t yellow. Daddy says I can claim poetic license on that one since submarines aren’t yellow either. But I’m not hiding behind any poetic license.

This is poetic justice. And, if you didn’t catch it in the song, I’m the dog who talked.