Bill Shontz   The Day I Read A Book

My Books
Some people say that books
Are merely words on pages,
But I know better,
Oh I know better than that.

Of the ages gone by.
Oh I just love my books,
my books, my books.
My books are magic doors to adventure
That I can enter, oh I can enter.
My books are very special to me,
And I’ll tell you why:

I can have my own detective agency
With my best friend Nancy Drew
(“You’re a very Hardy boy”)
I can solve the toughest murder mystery
while unraveling every clue. (The butler did
it in the bathroom with a plunger!)

I can be old Tarzan back in jungle times
As I shout my mighty call (“ah-ah-ah-ah”)
I’m the very best at swinging on the vines
And I never ever fall.
(Whoops, who greased the grapevine?)
My books, my books, my books.

I can be a far out handsome surfin’ dude
And I’m in love with Betty Lee
(I love you my darling).
But she loves Brad and Brad loves Sue
and Sue’s in love with me.
(Oh I love you my darling).

I can be a cave man with a stone age axe
and a very hairy chest
(Ooga-booga, ooga-booga, ooga-booga).
When Tyrannasaurus Rex attacks
I will stand up to the test:
A. Swing my axe and get him mad
B. Jump on his back and choke him
C. Scream and run away
C!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaah


My books, my books, my books,
oh I just love my books,
oh I just love…
My books, have worlds
between their covers
and every letter says
“Let me take you there.”
Books are like a ticket to a fantasy,
I can fly away, I just love them.
I just love my books, my books
My books, my books
Oh I just love my books,etc.

MR. SUN AND MRS. MOON

In a far away land called Africa, a long, long
time ago,
the Sun and Moon lived on the earth.
They were man and wife you know.
They invited their friend Water to come and pay a call.
“My people won’t all fit “ he said
“Your house is much to small.”
And so they built a bigger house they swore
would fit them all.

The water people came to call, in two’s and
three’s and four’s.
Plankton, shrimp, and frogs, and snails came
flowing through the door.
They started filling up the house and
Covering the floor.
“Come in, come in” said Mr. Sun,
“There’s room for many more!”

Chorus:
“Come in, come in,
there’s lots and lots of room
Come in,” said Mr. Sun.
“Come in,” said Mrs. Moon.

Eels and urchins, seals, and crocs,
turtles, fish and snakes,
crabs from underneath the rocks
and otters from the lakes,
reached to the second story
and the house began to shake.

“Come in come in,” said Mr. Sun,
“This house will never break.”
(chorus)

Jelly fish and octopi, sea creatures by the ton.
The great white shark, the great blue whale,
they were the last to come.
“The house is full , there’s no more room,”
cried Water, “You must run”.
So out onto the roof climbed Mrs. Moon and Mr. Sun.
(chorus)
Oh my, a bad thing happened then,
It was the very worst.
The house began to overflow
And suddenly it burst!!!!!
Mr. Sun and Mrs. Moon,
In order to stay dry,
Lifted like two big balloons
And floated to the sky.

This is a tale from Africa,
I read it in a book.
And if you don’t believe me,
Go outside and take a look.

Look up, look up
You’ll see them there on high.
Mr. Sun and Mrs, Moon are living in the sky.
Look up, look up
“We’re here for everyone.”
“Good night,” says Mrs. Moon.
“Good Day,” says Mr. Sun.

TOMMY HOOK
I went to school in Martinville,
Where noone ever read.
The yearly, statewide “Smart School Quiz”
Filled the town with dread.
The contest day was drawing near,
No volunteer was found,
To represent our school against
the other schools around.

The principal said
“Hasn’t anyone here cracked a book?”
The only one to answer “Yes” was a kid
named Tommy Hook.
The cafeterialaughed and roared, when
Tommy raised his hand.
The principal ignored them, He said,
“Tommy you’re the Man!”

Chorus:
Read, read, read.
That’s all that Tommy did.
Read, read, read.
He was a readin’ kind of kid.

On contest day, the finest schools had sent
Their brightest crowd.
Private prep was favored;
They were confident and proud.
They even called us “Moronville”.
They laughed and then they looked,
When in walked their worst nightmare,
That kid called Tommy Hook.

The host asked all the questions to the
Schools from every town.
The teams that answered most correct
Moved to the next round.

Finally it was Tommy’s turn
And everybody groaned;
Sure that like in years gone past,
We’d loose and all go home.

When Tommy stepped up to the mike,
He gave a little sigh.
We thought he was a goner,
Then to everyone’s surprise…

He answered all the questions-
He knew factors, roots and primes,
Dictionary definitions, all the words
And all the rhymes.
He knew physics and astronomy,
Beethoven and Bach,
Animal taxonomy and the price of every stock

Chorus:

Private Prep andMartinville
Had wound up in a tie.
The lightning round was fast and tough.
Their team was first to try.
They answered thirty questions,
A smug look in their eye
Then Tommy stood up by himself
And let the answers fly.

He knew every super hero,
He knew every movie star,
Every sport card stat and record fact
And every model car.
He could name the head of state of every
Country on the map,
The average yield a springtime maple tree
Would give in sap.
He answered every question
To a count of thirty one.
Before he even took a breath-
Tommy Hook had won!!!

That fateful day I found a wayto learn
And to succeed.
I just crack a book like Tommy Hook
and read and read and read.

STRENGTH OF BLUE HORSES
Tell me the story again and again
Here by the campfire bright.
“listen more closely,” his grandfather said,
“And we’ll add a new knot tonight.
One on the counting rope
For each time the tale’s told
Of how you were born with no strength
And no sight.
I’ll tell you the story”
The wind hollered ‘boyee’
It was a brave and dark night.

“Down from the mountains,
two wild blue horses
came thundering over the plains.
I held you high as the horses passed by.
They stopped, you took hold of their manes.
It was then I knew that you would not die
Because you had the courage
And strength to remain.
Great spirit’s forces,
Strength of Blue Horses,
That’s why we gave you the name.”

Chorus:
Strength of Blue Horses,
You brave Indian boy,
On your pony named rainbow you’ll fly.
The tale that your grandfather
Told you was true,
Life doesn’t always turn out as you choose,
But it’s not about whether you win or you lose.
What matters is how hard you try.

NARRATION:
And Strength of Blue Horses grew.
And as he grew he learned about the world
Through his other senses, like his sense of
taste and touch and by listening to the
feelings in his heart. One day his
grandfather gave him a horse. He called it
Rainbow. A little while later there was a
Race and all the boys entered. Everyone
Thought he was crazy, a blind boy entering
a race. But he did and he came in third.
And even though he didn’t win he gained
the respect of everyone in the tribe.

Chorus:

DEWEY’S DECIMALS
(Oh) a man named Dewey made a system,
A perfect way for you to find,
Any book in the library,
look and you’re bound to see
the number’s written
right there on the spine,
in decimals. Every shelf you find has books
with decimals ordered in a line.

Point 0476, point 0477,
point 478, point 479

Chorus
Oh Dewey’s Decimal System
works just fine for me.
I find every book that I am trying to read,
in the card catalogue at the library.
Oh Dewey’s Decimal System
works just fine.
Oh Dewey’s Decimal System
works just fine.
Point 476, point 477, pont 478, 479

100's are philosophy.
“What is 1 doing here?”
200's are religion.
“2 believe is something dear.”
The 3's are social sciences,
behavior that’s allowed.
In systems of society,
remember, “3's a crowd.”
400's are 4 languages, 4 ever they’ll survive.
500's are the sciences,
“Hey Einstein slap me 5!”
The Sixes: science, technical,
it’s what we make and fix.
Mechanical, electrical,
remember fix and 6.
(Chorus)

700's hold the many arts,
and 7 Wonders, too.
800's are for literature,
cre-8-ted just for you.
Want history? Geology?
GO excavate a mine.
Yea, dig some rocks
and artifacts, or just look in the 9's
(chorus)

IF YOU COULDN’T READ

If you couldn’t read.
The mailman brought
a contest letter months ago
I asked my friend to read it, he said
“Man you’re really slow.
You didn’t sign this letter
by the deadline as agreed,
and you lost a million dollars!”
Gosh I wish I’d learned to read.

Bridge:
I never got a license
‘cause I failed the written test.
I still don’t know the difference between
North, South, East and West.
The greatest thoughts in history,
have all remained a mystery to me.
“Who you?” Indeed!

Spoken:
My teacher asked me if I ever read Plato.
I said “Yeah and I have blue Playdough
and green Playdough and it squishes.”
That’s not right is it? NO!

If you couldn’t read.
I took a bus trip for a holiday vacation
The man said “Check your ticket
to confirm your destination.”
The driver proudly said “We’ve reached
Alaska with great speed.”
But I was going to Miami.
Gosh I wish I’d learned to read.

Bridge instrumental:

Spoken:
My teacher asked if I knew
the works of Edgar Allen Poe.
And I said “Well, if Edgar Allen had worked
he probably wouldn’t have been po’.”
That’s not right is it? No I didn’t think so.

If you couldn’t read.
I had to go real bad,
down at the shopping center.
The restroom signs were up,
I had to guess which one to enter.
I walked into take a seat
and heard an awful scream.
“Excuse me ma’am, I’m sorry.”
Gosh I wish I’d learned to read.

Bridge:
I can never find my friend’s
phone number in a book.
When I sign a contract
I’d undoubtedly get took.
The greatest thoughts in history,
have all remained a mystery to me.
“Who You?” “Indeed”.

Spoken:
My teacher asked
what I think about Socrates.
I said, “Well, I think you need ‘em for
football and I know you need ‘em for golf,
but I don’t rightly think you need soccer
tees. That’s not right is it? No!
If you couldn’t read.
I finally got a job for which I’m qualified.
“No need to read,” the boss said,
“All you gotta do is ride.
Hop in this car, you’ll hit that wall with
devastating speed.
You’re a crash test dummy!”
Gosh I wish I’d learned to read.

DIDGERIDOO

Under the Eucalyptus tree,
There sat an Aborigine
Picked up a hollow log and blew.
Out came the sounds of the didgeridoo.

Blow, blow, blow.
Blow on your didgeridoo

Back in the days of early dreams,
lived the creator Byamee.
He made the earth and the sky of blue.
Blew out his song on the didgeridoo.

The Mopoke’s an Owl,
he hoots at the moon.
Late at night you can hear him croon.
The Mopoke’s call sounds
much like “Hoo!”
Here’s how it sounds on the digeridoo.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Merry, merry king of the bush is he.
Waking the world with his laughing tune.
Here’s how it sounds on the digeridoo.

Out in Australia’s back country
The dingo dog runs wild and free.
Barks at the sun and howls at the moon.
Here’s how it sounds on the didgeridoo.

READ A BOOK

I read a story ‘bout a merry Pied Piper.
He went to a village called Hamelin Town.
I twas filled with rats,
so he made them an offer
“Once I play my flute
there’ll be no more rats around.”
So he played his flute,
the rats followed him away.
The town folk were excited,
but decided not to pay.
The piper warned them
“Fools if I play my flute again.
It won’t be rats that follow, it will be your
precious children!” Ah ha ha ha ha
Do you know what happened then?
Did the children follow the piper?
Were the townfolk
sorry for being so greedy?
Was that the end of Hamelin Town?
Chorus
I’m not going to tell you,
if you want to know the end
Pick it up take a look,
its’ fun to read a book. (3x)
If you want to know the end
pick it up take a look

A Big Friendly Giant,
took Sophie to a land where
‘Wiz” popping kid
gobbling giants hid away
“I just love little chiddlers,”
B.F.G. said to Sophie
So they helped the English Army make a plan to save the day.

Once the giants finished eating
they’d be sleeping mighty sound
and would never hear the helicopters as
they hovered ‘round.
They’d tie them up, and haul them off
and drop them all in pits.
But if the giants woke too soon,
they’d eat them all like kid-bits!
Do you know what happened then?
Did the giants wake up and eat the army?
Did the Big Friendly Giant get captured?
Did Sophie get thrown into the pits?
(chorus)
Some big bullies chasin’
after Jeremy Thatcher.
He ran into a magic shop for safety,
it was fate.
He found a dragon’s egg,
told the owner he would hatch her.
He said he’d bring the Dragon back in
June and not be late.
So he hatched the egg
and suddenly he knew
that no one else could see it ,
but my how it grew.
It chased the bullies off
and caused some troubles too.
Still, through it all they stayed best friends
But it grew and grew and grew!

Do you know what happened then?
Did the dragon grow too big
to get back to it’s own world?
Did Jeremy get the dragon back on time?
(chorus)

IMAGINE THAT!

I’ve got a good idea,
a brand new story book idea,
right here in my head.
Imagine that, imagine that.
I’m going to write it down,
each twist and detail that I’ve found,
right here in my head.
I can do that, imagine that,
And when I’m finally through, everyone
around will say it’s an original sensation
‘cause it came right down through my

Chorus:
Imagination is magic, creation,
is inside and out of me.
Imagination is magic,
it’s part of the heart of me.
Make believe is believing in what you
make - make no mistake.
Imagination is magic,
creation is magic
and yours is magic too,
Imagine that.

I’ve got a vision here,
a picture perfect vision clear,
right here in my head.
Imagine that, imagine that.
Taking up pen and ink,
I’ll draw each detail that I think,
right here in my head.
I can do that, imagine that.
And when it’s hung to view, everyone in
town will say it’s a creative inspiration
‘cause it came right down through my
(chorus)

I’ve got a melody, a snappy, happy
melody, right here in my head.
Imagine that, imagine that.
And I’m gonna play it for you
(Break)
You can write a book, or paint a
masterpiece.
You can play a snappy tune,
do anything you can conceive.

‘Cause your imagination is magic.
Creation is inside and out of you.
Imagination is magic,
so do what you want to do.
Imagination is magic,
it’s inside and out of you.
(I believe in magic)
Imagination is magic,
it’s inside and out of you
‘Cause yours is magic too,
imagine that.
Imagine that. Imagine that!