# "One-Ton Tomato" and other ruined songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363 "2006-08-26T21:54:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/101 "2006-09-01T02:23:07Z")
[QUOTE=Eve] I ws in the Shop-Rite this morning and the PA system was playing “Guantanamera.” Ever since, I have been humming, “One-ton tomato . . . I eat a one-ton tomato . . . One-ton tomaaaaato . . .” [/QUOTE] I first heard that from Mike Nesmith, in his first video parody, _Elephant Parts._ Could he be the originator or just an echoer? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/102 "2006-09-01T05:53:39Z")
> [@](#): > > I always wanted to hire a jug band, dress up like Minnie Pearl, and sing Emily Dickinson to the tune of Yellow Rose of Texas: I’d call my show “The Cow-Belle of Amherst.” I’m so glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read that. Thanks, Eve. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/103 "2006-09-01T06:47:05Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] The “John Henry” thread just reminded me of all the songs the Smothers Brothers have ruined for me—songs I can never again hear without thinking about what Tom & Dick did to them. [/QUOTE] In their “Purple Onion” album (early 60s), they did a song about boatmen titled “Dance, Boatman, Dance.” The refrain went like this: _Boatman dance, boatman sing, boatman do 'most ev’rything. Dance boatman dance, dance boatman dance._ I gave it something of a sexist twist: _Boatman dance, boatman sing, boatman can’t do anything. Dance boatman dance, pull down her pants._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/104 "2006-09-01T08:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] Leprosy…I’m not half the man I used to be All my skin is falling off of me Oh, how did I Get leprosy? [/QUOTE] I knew there was another part but I couldn’t remember it. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![jamesban1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e57/32.png) [@jamesban1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jamesban1)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/105 "2009-10-27T18:13:32Z")
From a college music course, I remember Mozart’s In the Closet and It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, No It’s Mozart (movements from Mozart’s 40th Symphony). But there was one I can’t remember for Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/106 "2009-10-27T18:24:47Z")
You’ll need to ask louder. They’re three years away. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363/107 "2009-10-27T18:33:33Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **jamesban1**. In general we prefer that people not revive threads this old, but rather start a new thread (with or without a link to the old one). You might benefit from looking at the threads in ATMB (About This Message Board) about rules and etiquette here. Feel free to start a new thread and ask your question in it. twickster, Cafe Society moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-ton-tomato-and-other-ruined-songs/370363.md?page=5)