BUTTER RUM CARTOON - the Song

My beautiful wife, Micki, has finally talked me into putting this online. More than once, I’ve mentioned the Butter Rum Cartoon on this site. It began as a poem I wrote intentionally making no sense but sounding good, yet the recipient of the only existing copy was thrilled about how deep it was and she analyzed its profound meaning. Later, the Butter Rum Cartoon was merely words written on two T-shirts worn by my Army buddy and me, and when asked by a store clerk what it was, we were dumbstruck for a moment; then I said, “A state of mind.” I created a logo for the BRC which you can see in the right column of this screen. Somewhere along the line, decades ago, I wrote a song called the Butter Rum Cartoon. It sounded good to me at the time, but since then, after the first verse, it seems to me kind of silly. Nevertheless it does have a tune that’s pretty neat, and I’m able to pound it out on a keyboard. Micki, for years, has been trying to get me to share this song, but I’ve always poo-pooed it. Last night, with the last quote in this paragraph, she finally convinced me to let you read the whole thing. When I complained how silly it is, Micki said, “But that’s how we all were then.” She said that it’s our story. She read over it and said, “This is us.” Finally she said: “Yes, it’s simple and silly, and that’s why I married you.”

In the Butter Rum Cartoon

Venturing upon Mount Higgins
With my dog and hunting bow,
Saw a lady in a river
So I went down to say hello.

She was nude with fair complexion,
Bathing ‘til her skin did shine,
After talking ‘bout the mountains
She consented to come be mine.

Chorus:

   In the twilight
   In the midnight
   In the morn and afternoon,
   In the tipi
   In the meadow
   In the Butter Rum Cartoon.

Venturing into the village
With my dog and hunting bow,
Saw some friends I knew from school days
Mentally a long time ago.

They were taxed and heavy laden
With the burden of mankind,
After talking ‘bout the mountains
They left all of their woes behind.

Chorus

Venturing down to a neighbor
With my dog and hunting bow,
Brought for him organic carrots,
He got angry and told me to go.

I reminded him of freedom,
Something he had never had,
So he did not want my carrots,
Something free just made him mad.

Chorus

Venturing atop the mountain
With my dog and hunting bow,
I looked high into the heavens,
Prayed to God as the wind did blow.

I could feel Him all around me,
Suddenly the wind had died,
Then I heard a soft voice saying
“Thank you, son, I’m glad you tried.”

Chorus

The video below is Dale singing the song only to let you know the tune.  It's okay to laugh.  It's a free country.

...and if you want to see Dale and Micki and their youngest son Andy singing it, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ECwV5SEghU

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For the complete contents of the Butter Rum Cartoon, click here.