Gitarzan - Ray Stevens, 1969

He's free as the breeze
He's always at ease
He lives in the jungle and hangs by his knees
As he swings through the trees
Without a trapeze in his B.V.D.s
He's got a union card and he's practicing hard
To play the guitar - gonna be a big star
Yeah he's gonna go far
And carry moonbeams home in a jar
He ordered Chet's guitar course C.O.D.
Makes A and E and he's working on B
Digs C&W and R&B and me and the chimpanzee agree
That someday soon he'll be - a celebrity
Get it, get it, get it.


Gitarzan, he's a gitar man
He's all you can stand
Give him a hand, gitarzan


He's got a girl named Jane
With no last name
Kinda homely and plain
But he loves her just the same
Cause she kindles the flame
And it drives him insane
When he hears her sing
She really does her thing
It's her claim to fame
Come on sing one Jan


Baby, baby, oh baby
Baby, oh baby


They've got a pet monkey who likes
To get drunk and sing boogie woogie
And it sounds real funky
Come on your time boy
Sing one monkey


Lets hear it for the monkey
On Saturday night they need some excitement
Jane gets right and the monkey gets tight
And their voices unite
In the pale moonlight
And it sounds all right
Yeah, it's dynamite, it's out of sight
Lets hear it right now


Baby, baby oh baby, baby
Shut up baby, I'm trying to sing


Get it, get it, get it

(Repeat Chorus)

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Although Ray Stevens had success with more serious songs like Everything is Beautiful (1970) - for which he won a Grammy, and Mr. Businessman (1968), he will be forever remembered for his comedy hits such as The Streak, and my favourite, Gitarzan. His forte was definitely as a musical comedian - winning the Music City News Comedian of the Year nine times. He even managed a minor hit in 2002, called "Osama Yo' Mama"...

Ray Stevens was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980.

Here is a later performance of his Grammy-winning song, Everything is Beautiful. I'm pretty sure this isn't supposed to be funny...