ROOTY TOOT TOOT FOR THE MOON

(by Greg Brown)

Lui Collins

[LC 1st verse]
The whole kit and caboodle is 
  in disrepair
There's no where to go that's not here
Little captains and cuckoos from 
  here to Timbuktu
Are counting their dough in the mirror

[LC Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot for the moon
It's the biggest star I've ever seen
It's a pearl of wisdom, a 
  slice of green cheese
Burning just like kerosene, 
  burning just like kerosene









[LC 2nd verse]
He was just some young white kid trying to 
  sing tough and black
With gravel and spit in his voice
He laughed at the things we do, the 
  radio laughed too
I held up my arms to rejoice

[LC Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot ...

[LC 3rd verse]
You know all of us are primates, 
  some of us were classmates, 
Some of us were lovers in the Fall,
There were periods of blondness, 
  periods of fondness, 
Periods that never came at all.

[LC Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot ...

[LC 4th verse]
So God bless motorcycles and 
  far out heavy trifles
You know you can't memorize Zen,
Hang your hat on your nose, don't 
  hide in your clothes
Kiss a moose, begin to begin

[LC Alternate Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot for the moon
It's the biggest moose I've ever seen
It's a pearl of wisdom, a 
  slice of green cheese
Burning just like kerosene, 
  burning just like kerosene





Michael Johnson

[MJ 1st verse]
The whole kit and caboodle is 
  in disrepair
There's no where to go that's not here
Little captains and cuckoos from 
  here to Timbuktu
Are counting their dough in the mirror

[MJ Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot for the moon
It's the biggest star I've ever seen
It's a pearl of wisdom, a 
  slice of green cheese
Burning just like kerosene, 
  burning just like kerosene









[MJ 2nd verse]
He was just some young white kid trying to 
  sing tough and black
With gravel and spit in his voice
He laughed at the things we do, the 
  radio laughed too
I held up my arms to rejoice

[MJ Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot ...












[MJ 3rd verse]
So God bless motorcycles and 
  far out heavy trifles
You know you can't memorize them
Hang your hat on your nose, don't 
  hide in your clothes
Smile at someone, begin to begin

[MJ Chorus]
Singing rooty toot toot ...





Greg Brown

[GB 1st verse]
The whole kit and kaboodle is 
  in disrepair
I know where to go -- It ain't here
Little captains and coo coos from 
  here to Timbucktu 
Are countin' their dough in a mirror

[GB Chorus]
Rooty toot toot for the mo-ooon
It's the biggest star I've ever seen
It's a pearl of wisdom, 
  slice of green cheese
And it's burnin' just like kerosene, 
  burnin' just like kerosene

[GB 2nd verse]
You're gonna hop in your old Ford and 
  strap on your new sword
Wait for the good Lord to return
If you got --?-- your honey, life can 
  be pretty funny
If you've got money, you've got money to burn









[GB Chorus]
Rooty toot toot ...












[GB 3rd verse]
So God bless motorcycles and 
  all the other trifles
Ah you know you can't memorize Zen
Hang your hat on your nose, do not 
  hide in your clothes
Kiss somebody, Begin to begin

[GB Chorus]
Rooty toot toot ...

recording: Lui Collins (live) [YouTube]

recording: Michael Johnson (1973) [YouTube]

recording: Greg Brown (1988) [YouTube]

notes: Notes on Greg Brown from Richard Pinney [Greg Brown dot org]