The Lumberjack Song

Monty Python

About The Lumberjack Song

"The Lumberjack Song" is a comedy song by the comedy troupe Monty Python. The song was written and composed by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson. It first appeared in the ninth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "The Ant: An Introduction" on BBC1 on 14 December 1969. The song has since been performed in several forms, including film, stage, and LP, each time started from a different skit. At an NPR interview in 2007, Palin stated that the scene and the whole song were created in about 15 minutes, concluding a day's work, when the Python crew was stuck and unable to come up with a conclusion to the barbershop sketch that preceded it. On 14 November 1975, "The Lumberjack Song" was released as a single in the UK, on Charisma Records, backed with "Spam Song". The A-side, produced by Python devotee George Harrison, was recorded at the Work House studio in London on 3 October 1975 and mixed at Harrison's Friar Park home the following day. A year later this single was reissued on 19 November 1976 as the first half of the double single release Python On Song. This version of the song has never been released on CD, although a remix containing alternate vocal takes from the session was included on the compilation album Monty Python Sings. 


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"Well the weather for the whole area
Will continue much the same as the past few days
Temperatures seventeen centigrade, that's forty-nine Fahrenheit
Winds will freshen later tonight to south-west force six or seven
And there will be showers sometimes heavy in many
Oh sod it, I didn't wanna do this
I don't wanna be a weather forecaster
I don't wanna rabbit on all day about sunny periods
And patches of rain spritting from the west
I wanted to be
A lumberjack!
Leaping from tree to tree
As they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia
The giant redwood
The larch
The fir 
The mighty Scots pine
The lofty flowering cherry
The plucky little aspen
The limping Roo tree of Nigeria
The towering Wattle of Aldershot
The Maidenhead Weeping Water Plant
The naughty Leicestershire Flashing Oak
The flatulent Elm of West Ruislip
The Quercus Maximus Bamber Gascoigni
The Epigillus
The Barter Hughius Greenus
With my best buddy by my side
We'd sing, sing, sing"

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day

He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatory
On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea

He cuts down trees, he eat his lunch
He goes to the lavatory
On Wednesdays he goes shopping and has buttered scones for tea

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day

I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wild flowers
I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars

He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps
He likes to press wild flowers
He puts on women's clothing and hangs around in bars

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day

I cut down trees, I wear high heels
Suspendies and a bra
I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear Papa

He cuts down trees, he wears high heels?
Suspendies and a bra?

He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day

He's a lumberjack and he's OK
Sleeps all night and he works all day

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Monty Python

Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) was a British surreal comedy group that created Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and impact, spawning touring stage shows, films, numerous albums, several books and a stage musical as well as launching the members to individual stardom. The group's influence on comedy has been compared to The Beatles' influence on music. more »

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Written by: TERRY JONES, MICHAEL EDWARD PALIN, FRED TOMLINSON

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Background Information
"The Lumberjack Song" was first introduced on December 14, 1969 in the ninth episode of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" during its first series.
Songwriters
The song was written by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson.
Parody Tune
The song is a parody and used as a comic device to spoof the stereotype of the typical lumberjack profession, one of the great symbols of rugged masculinity.
Musical Composition
The song starts as a slow, soothing melody and changes to a brisk chorus, which adds to the humor and absurdity of the lyrics.
Iconic Singers
The original version of the song was sung by Michael Palin, accompanied by the Fred Tomlinson Singers.
Audience Participation
During live performances, "The Lumberjack Song" is often sung with crowd or audience participation, with the audience joining in on the chorus.
Numerous Versions
The song has been recorded in numerous versions, over the years, in multiple languages and on various albums.
Controversy
Despite its humor, the song has faced criticism for its portrayal of cross-dressing and has been a point of discussion in studies of gender and sexuality.
Legacy
This song has achieved iconic status and is one of Monty Python's most celebrated sketches.
Influence
It was referenced multiple times in popular culture, including in television shows like "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy."
In Popular Opinion
In a BBC poll in 1999, "The Lumberjack Song" was voted the best comedy song of all time.
Concert Performances
The song was regularly performed at Monty Python's live concerts, including at the Hollywood Bowl in 1982.
Album Inclusion
"The Lumberjack Song" is part of the music album "Monty Python's Previous Record" released in 1972.
Single Release
The song was released as a single in 1975 making it to No. 75 in the UK Singles Chart.
Music Video
A music video for "The Lumberjack Song" was filmed in 1975 featuring a lumberjack who dreams of being a girly nightclub dancer. The music video further contributes to the wacky humor of the song.

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