the skunk song

One of the first songs I wrote which I still play... started while reading Aesop's Fables around 1974.

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The Skunk Song (psychoanOWLysis)

I want to tell you a story about a friend of mine
he was having himself a real tough time
he was feeling low and he couldn't get to sleep
because he smelled so sour and he wanted to smell sweet
but there was a reason he stunk
that was because he was a skunk
now they say a skunk smells his own smell first
well he always did but he thought it was the worst

and soon he started hating himself
and he decided to seek professional help
yes he was almost in a state of paralysis
when he went to see the owl for some pyschoanowlysis
now Mr. Owl tried out the best of his knowledge
that he'd learned from his father and picked up in college
but when my friend the skunk rose up off that bench
he was still in the grips of that horrible stench

yes he was really in a rut
so he bought a big bottle of essence de peanut
and he rubbed it on his body till he filled every pore
and lo and behold he didn't stink any more
oh he was so happy just strutting down the trail
everybody mistook him for a peanut with a tail
no longer could the animals recognize his scent
and he was trampled to death by a hungry elephant

now that's a lesson we all should learn
if you're a fire you're made to burn
if you're a sponge you're bound to drink
and if you're a skunk you're made to stink
one ain't three and three ain't two
you can't be me and I can't be you
the only thing we can hope will save us
is to learn to sing with the voice God gave us

you got one life you ain't got nine
so let me in yours and I'll let you in mine
and when we sing lets sing differently
cause if we're all the same there'll be no harmony
yes that's a lesson to understand
you can't clap with just one hand
if you're an eye you're made to wink
but if you're a skunk you'd better stink


all lyrics/music copyright 2003 randy sutherland
from the CD 'the sky starts at your feet'