Thursday 14 June 2018

My Top Ten Dinosaur Songs (Volume One)



As there's a new Jurassic Park World movie out this week, it seems an appropriate time to dust off a Top Ten that's been sitting in the cupboard for a while now.

This is part one though... next week, I'll do tens songs about specific dinosaurs (or at least ones that mention specific dinosaurs). I have a fair few pterodactyls, brontosauruses and (obviously) T-Rex, but your suggestions are welcome.

In the meantime, special mention must obviously go to... Dinosaur Jr, The Last Dinosaurs, Brontosaurus Chorus, Jurassic Five and... Marc Bolan.


10. We Are Scientists - Dinosaurs

They are scientists, so obviously they understand natural selection.

9. King Crimson - Dinosaur

Because if I didn't include this, somebody would be complaining.

I'm a dinosaur, somebody's digging my bones

8. The Stills - Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs as a metaphor for the end of a relationship, presumably.

7.  Hank Williams Jr. - Dinosaur

He is a dinosaur - and proud of it!

6. Low - Dinosaur Act

God bless the Mormons. At least they're not Creationists.

See also Matthew Sweet - Dinosaur Act - not the same song.

5. Emmy The Great - Dinosaur Sex

Speaking of evolutionary theory...

And dinosaur sex led to nothing
And maybe we will lead to nothing
And dinosaur sex led to nothing
But we will lead as far as we can lead

4. King Missile - Dinosaurs

I wanna know
About the dinosaurs
I don't know about the dinosaurs
I wanna know about the dinosaurs
Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs

Make up your mind, guys.

Beyond that indecision, this is proper mental. Hence: very good.

3. Weird Al Yankovich - Jurassic Park

Want another reason to love Jimmy Webb? He had final approval on this glorious MacArthur Park parody... and he thought it was hilarious.

Someone let T-Rex out of his pen...

2. Johnny Cash - Dinosaur Song

The wonder of Johnny Cash - he could even make kids' songs sound cool.

One was called Diplodocus
One was bigger than your school bus
One was called a Triceratops
Three horns to stop anything that hops

See also Dinosaur Pet by Neil Sedaka, sung to the tune of Calendar Girl. Obviously.

1. Was (Not Was) - Walk The Dinosaur

Well, it had to be really, didn't it?

Boom boom, acka-lacka-lacka boom!



Any more dinosaurs in your collection? (And no, I don't count Bob Dylan.) Specific dinosaurs would be welcome for next week.


12 comments:

  1. Walk The Dinosaur is fab and a great choice but I am shocked and saddened that there is no sign of the greatest dinosaur song in the history of Planet Earth...David Attenborough must be devastated!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbwi6Ix0S18

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aha! Did you read the rules? That's an excellent suggestion for next week!

      Delete
    2. I thought the rules had gone by the board when I saw that Weird Al "Jurassic Park" song...

      Delete
  2. 'Hit & Run' by Super Furry Animals could conceivably qualify for both this and part 2 of this Top Ten (not to mention the Hot 100 Countdown in a few weeks). '...Previously to this I had no adventure, Life was just a Jurassic lark...' '...Pterodactyls flying round my attic, They were incubated by the boiler...' '...Will the dinosaurs come back and haunt us?, I've a bet down fifty-to-one...'
    Do I get triple points?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very good as ever.

    It's not a song, but I discovered when I wrote about Jona Lewie's kitchen song that he started out as Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs. Maybe you all know that but news to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jona Lewie wrote their big hit "Seaside Shuffle" - reached #2 in the UK charts back in 1972.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B12TV8hW8es

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    2. Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs was formed out of a 1960's blues band called Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts. Jona Lewie was in that band too.

      I first heard of Brett Marvin from a sampler album I bought way, way back in 1969 - "Son of Gutbucket"

      Delete
  4. (Probably) obvious suggestion for Part 2:
    The Move - Brontosaurus

    ReplyDelete
  5. How about a dinosaur-based monster?

    Blue Oyster Cult - Godzilla

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  6. I bloody love dinosaurs.
    One of the quirkiest little artwork jobs I had was to come up with dinosaur design ideas for a well-known soft toy company. They went for my Pterodactyl and my Parasaurolophus. I was so chuffed!
    As for songs, can't top these!

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  7. The songs are great, but seeing the cover of Stoneage Romeos makes my day.

    ReplyDelete

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