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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

True colors

Flowers are Red by Harry Chapin
(Spoken)Your son marches to the beat of a different drummer, comma.
(Spoken)But don't worry,
(Spoken)We'll have him joining the parade by the end of the term

The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

Well the teacher said.. You're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me.....

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said.. It's for your own good..
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does
And they moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found
The teacher there was smilin'
She said...Painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one

But that little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see
flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen.

But there still must be a way to have our children say . . .

There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one


Thanks Harry, wherever you are!

10 comments:

Whitesnake said...

I see so many flowers in you.


That doesn't mean you gay or anything!

Alex Pendragon said...

It's nice to know I'm not the only one who remembers Harry, and perhaps misses him just as much.

anna said...

That brought a tear to my eyes and so much sadness to my heart. It happens all the time, everywhere. Personal expression is suppressed. Very very sad.

Hayden said...

I'm with Anna. It breaks my heart.

Naughti Biscotti said...

While reading that, it sounded vaguely familiar. I was most likely too young to understand it when first I first heard it. I remember being angry at the teacher for telling him to only use 2 colors when according to my crayolla box, there were at least 24 varieties. I kept thinking, "Just do what the teacher tells you to do in school and use the other colors in secret." That's pretty much how I've lived my life since then.

I never thought about the pudding from that perspective. Lights wisdom just amazes me. Give the guy some peyote and ... well... what can I say? I'm sure this can all be tied into the hairy-legged hippie.

Time said...

Whitesnake, Don't let the flowers fool you.

Michael, I shook Harry Chapin's hand after a concert years ago. Of course he was kissing my date at the time, but that's another story.

Anna,
I like the song because it is a reminder that sometimes it is okay to color outside the lines.

Hayden, We know you see flowers in a multitude of bright colors.

Lights, Obviously you don't need no education.

Shandi, Remeber that Van Gogh never felt constrained by colors. In fact, I have heard stories that he tasted his paints to experience the color more completely. Of course he was a few colors shy of a palate, but a genius nevertheless.

And ouch that you were too young to understand the words of this song when you first heard them.

Lights, Just say no and perhaps it is time to shave your legs.

Clance' McClannahan said...

I just stumbled across your blog!! I love it!
It's alway's ok to color outside the lines.
I love Harry....
Happy Day to You!

Time said...

Welcome Clance'
Hope you stop by again. I notice from your profile that you are in Boise. I was raised in Boise and went to Boise High School. Small world.

Footpad said...

Mmmmmmm. Floyd!

-- f

Time said...

FP,
Have you been hanging out at Chipolte's with Lights and Shandi?