Pigeon song Bobbie was writing about

[Donna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR9Qm7IXpU8  No pigeons were harmed, it was just a song of humor.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO_aoOZbT9I&feature=related  Here's one my dad used to play when I was a kid. I used to sing it with it but the song he played had "he## uv an engineer" as the lyrics. Well of course, I loved this song and always sang with it. My dad used to take me to the bathroom when I was singing and put soap in my mouth for saying He##! Well heck, if he didn't want me singing it, why play it over and over? I just don't get it. 

[Bobbie Ireland]

Donna! THANKS! I have to plug in my Little Mac (the travelling laptop) to get a look... Big Mac is now kinda wind-up and does not like anything new...

Re "wash your mouth out" - My darling Grandpa was a great man for Hell and Damn - tame in today's more knowing world, huh? He loved playing cards with his grandkids - never let us win, you know. And his speech was punctuated with the above. So I decided I would give it a go and uttered the Forbidden. My Dad heard it and was about to "get the soap" when Grandma's substantial frame heaved (hove?) into view. She saved me from my fate, saying "It is all HIS fault!" Still... for me... lesson learned!

(How did I get from Poisoning Pigeons in the Park to this? Oh. Yeah. Donna!)

[MAK]

   That pigeon song was too funny!     Thanks Donna and Bobbie.   

[MAK]

"No pigeons were harmed, it was just a song of humor. "

[Tokira]

Sorry, I do not find any humor in this song.  Unfortunately there are some people who will hear the song, performed by a popular person, and act on it.  My feeling is a bird is a bird,...pigeon or peregrine... no difference.  What the pefa does is nature and is accepted as such,  Poison is disgusting no matter if it is a pigeon or pefa or any critter.

I'd venture a guess that many of Tom Lehrer's delightfully politically incorrect song titles, taken out of context, will manage to offend someone.  That doesn't negate the fact that his wonderful satirical songs have earned their rightful place in the annals of American Humour.
Carol
who was in school in Boston in his heyday

[Donna]

I'm sorry NYC, I didn't mean to offend you.  

[Tokira]

I'm sorry NYC, I didn't mean to offend you. 

There is a lot of great humour out there, some of which may always offend someone.  With all due apologies, should the rest of us not enjoy a good laugh on occasion?  None of Tom Lehrer's, just to use one example, was malicious.  We would be a poorer people without the occasional good belly laugh.
Carol
WV

[Tokira]

I don't believe there is a person here who does think poisoning anything is funny.  You are certainly not obligated to enjoy Tom Lehrer's humour.  The fact that many of us do does not make any of us poisoners.  Good satire is always likely to offend someone.
Definition of SATIRE
1 :a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
2 :trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly
If any of us really thought poisoning pigeons was funny, would we be here among fellow animal lovers?
Carol

[MAK]

nycbird I'm very sorry your feelings were hurt. You shouldn't have erased all your posts. Your opinion means as much as the next guys. Live and let live and have a laugh along the way.   

[Kris G.]

nycbird I'm very sorry your feelings were hurt. You shouldn't have erased all your posts. Your opinion means as much as the next guys. Live and let live and have a laugh along the way.   

I totally agree with you, MAK.  I've never heard of Tom Lehrer or his songs and didn't really think it was funny either but that's just my opinion.

[anneintoronto]

Well...as everyone here knows, I lack a sense of humour.  Seriously!  So I, a bird fancier, should be very, seriously, upset by this song., especially for the following reason: I have, living in my apartment -- I mean right inside -- a baby pigeon "squab", formerly living on the balcony, until the big, bad balcony repairmen decided to come and rip his balcony to pieces.  So he is boarding in my apartment (close to the door, so that Mom and Pop Pigeon will come in and feed him!  I only include sprays of cool water in the boarding contract...). It makes me pretty darn fond of the poor maligned pigeon!  In fact, this little one is the 17th baby pigeon born and raised on my balcony and every pigeon has been a wonderful balcony mate! They all vary in colours -- they are quite cosmopolitan in their feather choices, creating amazing patterns -- well some of them are pretty funny! but don't say I told you so! -- and they are all great teachers, when it comes to the raising of a baby squab!  HOWEVER, I cannot resist any Tom Lehrer song!  He is the king of satire, if you ask me for my humble opinion, and can do no wrong, as everyone knows it is what it is -- SATIRE! Even the pigeons were standing at the door listening and they were laughing (comes out as cooing, but I'm a pigeon expert and they were laughing!!) in response to the wit!
Please everyone, relax -- it's been a hot Summer -- but Summer is ending.  Relax, while you still can!  And if a pigeon poops on your head, realize that is a true form of good luck!!  Ask Dale -- she's the authority on such matters!!

Anne C. (Toronto, ON Canada,eh!)

[Kris G.]

The pigeon reference didn't bother me at all as I knew it was satire.  Like I said, I have never heard of the man so after reading this, I listened to his songs and -just my opinion, folks- I didn't care for his songs and didn't think they were funny.

[Tokira]

Well...as everyone here knows, I lack a sense of humour.  Seriously!  So I, a bird fancier, should be very, seriously, upset by this song., especially for the following reason: I have, living in my apartment -- I mean right inside -- a baby pigeon "squab", formerly living on the balcony, until the big, bad balcony repairmen decided to come and rip his balcony to pieces.  So he is boarding in my apartment (close to the door, so that Mom and Pop Pigeon will come in and feed him!  I only include sprays of cool water in the boarding contract...). It makes me pretty darn fond of the poor maligned pigeon!  In fact, this little one is the 17th baby pigeon born and raised on my balcony and every pigeon has been a wonderful balcony mate! They all vary in colours -- they are quite cosmopolitan in their feather choices, creating amazing patterns -- well some of them are pretty funny! but don't say I told you so! -- and they are all great teachers, when it comes to the raising of a baby squab!  HOWEVER, I cannot resist any Tom Lehrer song!  He is the king of satire, if you ask me for my humble opinion, and can do no wrong, as everyone knows it is what it is -- SATIRE! Even the pigeons were standing at the door listening and they were laughing (comes out as cooing, but I'm a pigeon expert and they were laughing!!) in response to the wit!
Please everyone, relax -- it's been a hot Summer -- but Summer is ending.  Relax, while you still can!  And if a pigeon poops on your head, realize that is a true form of good luck!!  Ask Dale -- she's the authority on such matters!!

Anne C. (Toronto, ON Canada,eh!)

Perhaps it's time for me to retell the story of my Sister's Pigeon.  Cyrus was one of a clutch at a bird rehab where my Sister volunteered.  She adopted him, and he was her spoiled pet for 21 years, minus those from 5 through 12, when he was in parts unknown, and given up for lost after taking off through an opened window.  When he returned seven years later, my Sister was at work, and her husband called her to tell her Cyrus was back.  Unbelieving, she rushed home, and he flew right to her and buried his face in her neck.  He died peacefully in his sleep in her arms at 21 years old.
Carol
WV

[Bobbie Ireland]

Perhaps it's time for me to retell the story of my Sister's Pigeon.  Cyrus was one of a clutch at a bird rehab where my Sister volunteered.  She adopted him, and he was her spoiled pet for 21 years, minus those from 5 through 12, when he was in parts unknown, and given up for lost after taking off through an opened window.  When he returned seven years later, my Sister was at work, and her husband called her to tell her Cyrus was back.  Unbelieving, she rushed home, and he flew right to her and buried his face in her neck.  He died peacefully in his sleep in her arms at 21 years old.
Carol
WV
[/quote]

Carol, what a lovely tale! It's fun to think of Cyrus out there in the wide world, only to decide one day - for himself! - that he wanted to come "home". My sweet father-in-law once had a rescue pigeon called Twit (because that's exactly what he was!). He loved playing games with an old cloth over his head. When one of us would whip it off, he would go back to it and try to pick it up, bringing it to one of his fans so the game could proceed. Funny little lad. And was there ever wailing when he went to that Great Pigeon Coop in the Sky... did not last as long as Cyrus but certainly long enough for us to miss him.

[MAK]

    Great stories Carol and Bobbie.  Thanks for sharing!