# Songs that recap previous verses **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720 "2020-05-13T15:39:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/1 "2020-05-13T15:39:22Z")
On Todd Rundgren’s “Something/Anything?” album he has a song called _“Piss Aaron”_ where he and his daddy reminisce about kids they knew in school. The first verse is about Piss Aaron, the second verse is about Dumb Larry, and the third verse is about Chuck Biscuits. At the end he recaps: _Chuck Biscuits, they always caught him eatin’ in the class Dumb Larry, they always caught him smokin’ in the john Piss Aaron, they always caught him pissin’ in the hall_ Another example is Lucinda Williams’ _“Changed the Locks”_ where she recaps all the previous verses describing how she’s trying to avoid her ex. _I changed the lock on my front door I changed the number on my phone I changed the kind of clothes I wear I changed the kind of car I drive I changed the tracks underneath the train I changed the name of this town_ ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/2 "2020-05-13T16:11:54Z")
[Chad Gadya (Passover song)](https://www.haggadot.com/clip/chad-gadya-english) > [@](#): > > Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came a cat and ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came a dog and bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came a stick and beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came fire and burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came water and quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came the ox and drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came the butcher and slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came the Angel of Death and killed the butcher, that slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. > > Then came the Holy One, Blessed be He and slew the the Angel of Death, that killed the butcher, that slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/3 "2020-05-13T16:30:03Z")
This one takes me back: Eddy Arnold’s [The Horse in Striped Pajamas](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YjZ812ASdn4&t=26s) as sung by Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Greenjeans. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/4 "2020-05-13T16:59:05Z")
Gaelic Storm has a song on their most recent album called “[Damn Near Died in Killaloe](https://youtu.be/BAKG7cE8K50),” wherein the verses detail the various hijinks that happen to a wedding guest in Ireland. The chorus successively adds a line about each episode. Eventually the final chorus: > [@](#): > > Well, I did survive in Killaloe > My liver fried in Killaloe > And I lost my pride in Killaloe > Got locked outside in Killaloe > With a furry tie in Killaloe > No clothes had I in Killaloe > I crashed my ride in Killaloe > The knot was tied in Killaloe > He kissed the bride in Killaloe > Got ossified in Killaloe > We damn near died in Killaloe (It’s pronounced “kill-a-loo”) ---
**Author:** ![FastDan1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fastdan1/32/427_2.png) [@FastDan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FastDan1)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/5 "2020-05-13T17:05:37Z")
Does this count? 🙂 Parked Out by the Lake by Dean Summerwind I’m still parked out by the lake Eighty miles from Santa Fe And I’m sittin’ here just parked out by the lake If you’re wonderin’ where I parked I’m out parked by the lake It’s the lake that’s eighty miles from Santa Fe And I’m parked out by the lake … ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/6 "2020-05-13T17:42:40Z")
[Moderating] A reminder to post only brief excerpts from songs, unless they’re in the public domain. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/7 "2020-05-13T17:45:57Z")
Children go where I send thee How shall I send thee? I’m gonna send thee six by six Six by the six that couldn’t get fixed Five by the five couldn’t get by Four by the four that stood at the door Three by the Hebrew children Two by Paul and Silas One by the little bitty baby Who was born, born, born in Bethlehem Six by the six, couldn’t get fixed Five by the five that couldn’t get by… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/8 "2020-05-13T18:01:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > A reminder to post only brief excerpts from songs, unless they’re in the public domain. Hehe. “Chad gadya first appeared in a Haggadah printed in Prague in 1590, which makes it the most recent inclusion in the traditional Passover seder liturgy.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/9 "2020-05-13T18:03:12Z")
Has anybody here seen my old friend Bobby, Can you tell me where he’s gone? I thought I saw him walkin’ up over the hill With Abraham, Martin and John. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/10 "2020-05-13T18:04:21Z")
Duplicate created by the board itself. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/11 "2020-05-13T18:14:16Z")
Yeah, **ThelmaLou** , I figured that one was probably OK. 😃 And I’ve heard much the same patter from an old shaggy-dog story I learned at camp once, except there, each successive item was called upon to punish a previous item for not doing as requested: “Cat, cat, kill rat; rat won’t gnaw rope; rope won’t hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite piggy; piggy won’t cross style; and I shan’t get home tonight” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/12 "2020-05-13T21:35:17Z")
Billy Joel’s [Piano Man](https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS866US866&sxsrf=ALeKk029XBZe9uhLaS3bnrM_SJ4h102T0Q%3A1589405342607&ei=nma8XrrTJI63tAbCqYRY&q=piano+man+lyrics&oq=piano+man&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgcIABAUEIcCMgUIABCRAjICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgcIABAUEIcCMgIIADICCAA6BAgAEEc6BAgjECc6BAgAEEM6BQgAEIMBULGEAljykgJglrECaABwAXgAgAF6iAGLB5IBAzQuNZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=psy-ab) He starts out with the regular crowd shuffling in, then goes to detail each of the regulars, and comes back around to it being a pretty good crowd for a Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/13 "2020-05-13T23:46:30Z")
“The house that jack” built must be one. This is the last verse fom a parody of that in “The Space Childs Mother Goose” by Frederic Windsor This is the Space Child with Brow Serene Who pushed the Button to Start the Machine That made with the Cybernetics and Stuff Without Confusion, exposing the Bluff That hung on the Turn of a Plausible Phrase And, shredding the Erudite Verbal Haze Cloaking Constant K Wrecked the Summary Based on the Mummery Hiding the Flaw And Demolished the Theory Jack built. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/14 "2020-05-21T08:54:10Z")
I know an old lady who swallowed a fly. Ahh, do the rest of it yerselves. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/15 "2020-05-21T11:45:41Z")
Would this song meet the thread’s criteria? [The Court of King Caractacus by Rolf Harris with lyrics - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ogEqCOEyl0) ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/16 "2020-05-21T14:27:12Z")
Dream Theater’s album _Octavarium_ is not a concept album, but each of the eight songs have a loose theme about cycles and coming full circle. “Oct” for eight, “octave” for returning to the starting point, and so on. The final track, “Octavarium,” clocking in at around 25 minutes, has a verse near the end that recaps _the entire album_ - two or three lines for each song, including “Octavarium” itself. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/17 "2020-05-21T16:13:25Z")
How about the granddaddy of all repetitive verse songs, _The Twelve Days of Christmas_? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/18 "2020-05-21T19:02:53Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I know an old lady who swallowed a fly. > > Ahh, do the rest of it yerselves. Was thinking of this one and The Twelve Days of Christmas. Don’t know why I bought five golden rings. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/19 "2020-05-23T13:04:01Z")
There was a song I heard many years ago on local blues radio program that was like this, but I don’t know the song or the artist. Pretty sure it was a live track, and it had to do with the parts of a tree (leaves on the tree, tree has roots, roots in the ground… something like that.) Any help? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720/20 "2020-05-23T13:18:09Z")
There’s also an old song called “Green grown the rushes” that has the same sort of count-and-repeat structure as “The Twelve Days of Christmas”: _Twelve for the twelve apostles Eleven for the eleven who went to Heaven Ten for the ten commandments_ and so on [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-recap-previous-verses/853720.md?page=2)