Wreck of a Record

**Wreck of a Record** is the twenty-eighth episode of *Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales.* In this episode, Tennessee Tuxedo, Chumley, and Baldy form their own folk band for Stanley Livingston's music show.

## Story

Stanley shows Flunky his new posters that had arrived, advertising his big show with singing stars. Flunky says that there are rumors already spreading around the zoo about the show, especially at Tennessee's quarters where he, Baldy, who reluctantly dresses up as a girl, and Chumley have a song that they rehearse. However, when they take it to Stanley, he throws them out and wants performers with hit records.

Tennessee and Chumley visit Mr. Whoopee who teaches them about phonographs, and that singers have record labels. Tennessee and Chumley go off to find one, though ignoring something important from Whoopee. When they come back after getting thrown out by every record label they go to, Whoopee tells them that singers travel one place to another before a label picks them up. That's what the trio does. The day of the show, Stanley still refuses to put them in, saying that if he put Tennessee in any show, he'd have to eat his hat. Luckily, the trio gets their wish when the show's crowd demands the three to be put on stage, and Stanley also eats his hat.

## Lyrics

These are the lyrics to Tennessee, Chumley, and Baldy's song:

*Abracadabra, chango-rango-ree*

*If I recite these words just right, their magic may change me*

*Abracadabra, chango-rango-ree*

*But if I do, then I ask you - which animal should I be?*

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Chumley: An elephant, an elephant, that's what I could be. And when I go-a traveling, I would have my trunk with me.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Tennessee: A turtle, yes, a turtle, yes, that's what I could be. And then wherever I might go, I'd take my house with me.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

*Abracadabra, chango-rango-ree*

*If I recite these words just right, their magic will change me*

*Abracadabra, chango-rango-ree*

*But if I do, then I ask you - which animal should I be?*

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Chumley: A tall giraffe, a tall giraffe, that's what I could be. And then I see over everything, then watch the ballgames free.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Baldy: A zebra, yes, a zebra, yes, that's what I would be. But I'd paint extra stripes then play checkers right on me.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Tennessee: A monkey, yes, a monkey, yes, that's what I could be. Then I'd go swinging by my tail and still have my hands free.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

*Abracadabra, chango-rango-ree*

*If I recite these words just right, their magic will change me*

*Abracadabra, chango-rango-ree*

*But if I do, then I ask you - which animal should I be?*

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Baldy: A walrus, yes, a walrus, yes, that's what I could be. And with my teeth outside my mouth, I'd brush them easily.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Chumley: A penguin, yes, a penguin, yes, that's what I could be. Then I could say "I will not fail", 'cause I'd be Tennessee.

*Oh, which one should I be?*

Stanley: A Billy goat, Billy goat, that's what I could be. Because a goat would love the chance to eat my hat for me. But it won't taste good to me.

## Trivia

* The crowd is taken from The Hunter cartoon *"The Stolen Spoon Saga",* although with changes to the characters.