# I don't understand these Far Sides. Is it because I'm not American? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221 "2005-02-03T18:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/1 "2005-02-03T18:53:23Z")
After a recent trip to Mom and Pops, I returned home with a much-read (and read, and re-read) copy of The Far Side Gallery 5. Now, most of these comics I can understand, and I soon guffawed my way through most of the book. However, a few of them just seem to blow by me. I don’t know whether it’s because I’m approaching the joke from the wrong angle or something, or whether there’s some significant piece of pop culture that I should know in order to understand the funny bits. With some, I can hazard a guess, but it would still be great to get an explanation for these (even though explaining the joke ruins it, I know…). So: 1. Two men stand in front of a display case filled with flowers. One of the men, who’s wearing a Hugh Hefner-type dressing gown and smoking a pipe, is pointing at three small petals in the center of the display case. The caption is: _“And here’s the jewel of my collection, purchased for a king’s ransom from a one-eyed man in Istanbul. … I give you Zuzu’s petals.”_ 2. A calf, then a cow, constantly tripping over things and getting stuck in fences. The last one is the cow running out of a burning barn. The caption: _The life and times of Lulu, Mrs. O’Leary’s ill-fated cow._ I’m guessing this has to do with the “cow kicked over a bucket” legend about the Chicago fire…? 3. A team of writers sit in Studio 2 with pens and writing pads in front of them. One of them is enthusiastically waving his hands and saying “Hey! How’s this?–Endora puts some kind of curse on Darren, and no one can figure out what the heck is happening until Samantha catches on!” Another writer thinks “I like it.” The caption: _The writers for “Bewitched” sit down to their weekly brainstorming session._ Was this story line used extensively in that show? 4. Three frogs sitting under some reeds or whatever you call that stuff that grows on the edge of ponds. These are obviously the bums, the lowlifes of frogdom. Paper bags with bottles, etc. The caption: _“Yeah. I remember Jerry. Good friend of mine. … You know, I never understood a single word he said, but he always had some mighty fine wine.”_ Okay, that’s it for now. Any help greatly appreciated. [Well whaddyaknow? I found pictures of almost all of them.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0836204255/ref=sib_dp_bod_fc/104-3178160-1867130?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S001#reader-page) The first one is the bottom left one on page 11. The second one is the bottom right one on page 13. The third is on page 14, again bottom right. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/2 "2005-02-03T18:59:29Z")
Well, you’ve essentially explained #2 and #3 yourself. (It was a lantern that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was supposed to have knocked over, thus starting the Chicago fire.) #4 is a reference to the Three Dog Night song “Joy to the World,” which begins: > [@Hoyt Axton via Three Dog Night](#): > > Jeremiah was a **bullfrog** , > He was a good friend of mine, > You know, I never understood a single word he said, > But I helped him drink his wine! > And he always had some mighty fine wine! I don’t get #1 either. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/3 "2005-02-03T19:02:29Z")
I’m not sure about the first one, but the other three are pretty easy. The cow one is, as you surmised, from the old legend about Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicking over a lantern and starting the Chicago fire. That was a fairly frequent story line for _Bewitched_, although it wasn’t always Endora placing the curse (I think pretty much all her relatives had multiple goes at that one), and from time to time the victim was someon other than Darrin. The last one is from the Creedence Clearwater Revival song. “Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine. Never understood a single word he said, but I helped him drink his wine. He always had some mighty fine wine.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/4 "2005-02-03T19:03:30Z")
1. I think this is just a joke on collecttor who spend a lot of money on things with oninherhent value. 2. yes, “Mrs. O’Leary’s cow” is the creature who started the Chicago fire by knocking over a candle with her tail, according to legend. 3. “Was this story line used extensively in that show?” Oh my goodness. _Yes_. 4. “You know, I never understood a single word he said, but he always had some mighty fine wine” is a line from the song [Joy to the World](http://www.guitarboard.com/t/three-dog-night/unknown-album/joy-to-the-world.php), also known as “Jeremiah was a bullfrog”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/5 "2005-02-03T19:06:02Z")
Yup, it’s becuase you’re not American. #1:_It’s a Wonderful Life_ the ultimate feel-good Christmas movie. (Spoiler, but who really cares?) Jimmy Stewart had a daughter named Zuzu, and had “fixed” the rose her teacher gave her by removing the broken petals and putting them in his pocket. Later in the movie he was shown what life would be if he had never been born, and the petals were gone. He realizes his life was worth living because of the love he had for his kids. #2: You were correct. Back in the day when big buildings were made out of wood, a cow in the Chicago area kicked over a kerosene lamp. The resulting fire destroyed most of Chicago. #3: Well, I think that plotline was used in about 1/2 of the episodes. The others centered around a spell gone wrong. #4: Great song! Covered by a couple good artists, CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival) being the greatist. Here’s a lyrics clip: Jeremiah was a bullfrog Was a good friend of mine I never understood a single word he said But I helped him a-drink his wine And he always had some mighty fine wine ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/6 "2005-02-03T19:08:13Z")
Dang, that’s some kind of simul-post ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/7 "2005-02-03T19:08:40Z")
The same gag as # 3 was also used on _Friends_, where Joey, Phoebe and Chandler are _Three’s Company_, and Pheobe asks which episode it is. Chandler says “It’s the one where there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding.” and Phoebe says; “Oh, change it, I’ve seen that one.” Punch line: They’re _all_ like that. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/8 "2005-02-03T19:11:58Z")
Here’s a link to a silly [midi](http://www.angelfire.com/nj/linkapoolzamedia/images/bullfrog.mid) file of Joy to the World. Once the tinkly stuff starts, that’s where Biffy’s lyrics start. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/9 "2005-02-03T19:14:44Z")
I’m surprised to see a couple of people (and, on Googling, some online lyric sites) attributing “Joy to the World” to Creedence Clearwater Revival. No, they never recorded the song. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/10 "2005-02-03T19:17:52Z")
Could somebody please tell me exactly _where_ **CCR** recorded “Joy To The World?” I think you are all thinking of **Three Dog Night**. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/11 "2005-02-03T19:18:05Z")
Sure, explain four \*easy \*ones! But what about **Cow Tools** , huh? Can you explain \*that \*one? _ **Well?** _ ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/12 "2005-02-03T19:24:27Z")
[Zuzu’s petals.](http://akvalley.com/xmas/wonderful/zuzuptls.shtml) Not that I understand the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/13 "2005-02-03T19:41:14Z")
> [@kung fu lola](#): > > The same gag as # 3 was also used on _Friends_, where Joey, Phoebe and Chandler are _Three’s Company_, and Pheobe asks which episode it is. Chandler says “It’s the one where there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding.” and Phoebe says; “Oh, change it, I’ve seen that one.” > > Punch line: They’re _all_ like that. Actually they should have said “It’s the one where this really hot babe is throwing herself at Jack, and he’d love to go for it but if they get caught Mr. Roper will realize he’s not gay and evict him.” ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/14 "2005-02-03T19:41:24Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > Sure, explain four \*easy \*ones! But what about **Cow Tools** , huh? Can you explain \*that \*one? _ **Well?** _ [Cow tools](http://www.salon.com/people/portfolio/1999/12/21/larson/older4.html) From Prehistory of the Far Side: > [@](#): > > The “Cow tools” episode is one that will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. A week after it was published back in 1982, I wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and die. > > Cows, as some Far Side readers know, are a favorite subject of mine. I’ve always found them to be the quintessentially absurb animal for situations even more absurd. Even the name “cow,” to me, is intrinsically funny. > > And so one day I started thinking back on an anthropology course I had in college and how we learned that man used to be defined as “the only animal that made and shaped tools.” Unfortunately, researchers discovered that certain primates and even some bird species did the same thing—so the definition had to be extended somewhat to avoid awkward situations such as someone hiring a crew of chimpanzees to remodel their kitchen. > > Inevitably, I began thinking about cows, and what if they, too, were discovered as toolmakers. What would they make? Primitive tools are always, well, primitive-looking—appearing rather nondescript to the lay person. So, it seemed to me, whatever a _cow_ would make would have to be even a couple notches further down the “skill-o-meter.” > > I imagined, and subsequently drew, a cow standing next to her workbench, proudly displaying her handiwork (hoofiwork?). The “cow tools” were supposed to be just meaningless artifacts—only the cow or a cowthropologist is supposed to know what they’re used for. > > The first mistake I made was in thinking this was funny. The second was making one of the tools resemble a crude handsaw—which made already confused people decide that their only hope in understanding the cartoon meant deciphering what the _other_ tools were as well. Of course, they didn’t have a chance in hell. He goes on to describe the confusion and chaos that reigned. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/15 "2005-02-03T19:47:31Z")
The joke in #1 is a reference to _It’s a Wonderful Life_. [Linky](http://akvalley.com/xmas/wonderful/zuzuptls.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/16 "2005-02-03T21:29:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Could somebody please tell me exactly _where_ **CCR** recorded “Joy To The World?” I think you are all thinking of **Three Dog Night**. No, I wasn’t thinking of Three Dog Night. I can almost never remember who did what song, so I was taking [seeklyrics.com](http://seeklyrics.com)’s word for it. They’ve got it listed as a CCR song. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/17 "2005-02-03T22:13:08Z")
> [@Little Bird](#): > > #2: You were correct. Back in the day when big buildings were made out of wood, a cow in the Chicago area kicked over a kerosene lamp. The resulting fire destroyed most of Chicago. The cow has recently been exonerated of any blame. Current thinking is that it was a drunken reporter who started the fire, and then passed the blame onto the cow to clear himself. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/18 "2005-02-03T22:57:21Z")
[Zuzu’s petals](http://www.zuzu.com/iawl-wallb.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TitoBenito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@TitoBenito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TitoBenito)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/19 "2005-02-04T01:59:39Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > No, I wasn’t thinking of Three Dog Night. I can almost never remember who did what song, so I was taking [seeklyrics.com](http://seeklyrics.com)’s word for it. They’ve got it listed as a CCR song. Its Three Dog Night. [http://launch.yahoo.com/track/851547](http://launch.yahoo.com/track/851547) ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221/20 "2005-02-04T05:30:50Z")
If you ever watch the beginning of _The Big Chill_, Kevin Kline is giving his kids a bath and they are singing the lyrics to _Joy to the World_. Good song! Ah, yes! Easter break…the spring of 1971…Daytona Beach…zzzzz [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-these-far-sides-is-it-because-im-not-american/288221.md?page=2)