Childhood Road Trips

The other evening, Charlie, Lily and I ate out at Fat Burger. While not the most nutritious dinner, we do this only every so often. Well, Lily spied another little girl about the same age with her father. You know how kids are at this age. There is a friend around every corner. It's wonderful and makes me kind of jealous, but it's great fun to watch. Anyway, as we left, Lily said, "Mommy, did you know her name?" I shook my head. "Her name was Catalina."

I've never met anyone named Catalina, but it evoked memories of my father and the many car trips we went on. When I was a young whippersnapper, we didn't have DVD players, iPods, iPads, smart phones, laptops, or anything else electronic that could entertain us. We had to use the old standbys: songs, games, and books. (Or sleep. If it was really long and we'd grown tired of everything else, we slept. :) )

But I digress. LOL

The girl's name reminded me of this song my father taught us called "Catalina Madelina Rubensteina Walnedina Hogan Bogan Logan was her name." Yes, that was the title, or at least that's what we thought it was. And it was a great silly song to pass the time. These are the lyrics I remember:

Chorus (sung between every verse):

Catalina Madelina Rubensteina Walnedina Hogan Bogan Logan was her name.

Verse:

1. She had twenty hairs on the top of her head. Ten were alive and ten were dead.

2. She had two eyes on the front of her head. One was purple; the other was red.

3. She had two ears like the sails on a boat. The only problem was she couldn't float.

4. She had two feet like a bathroom mat. Nobody knows how they got like that.

5. She had two hips like battleships. One stayed home while the other took trips.

6. Well, one day a truck hit Madeline. That was the end of Cataline.

Catalina Madelina Rubensteina Walnedina Hogan Bogan Logan was her name. (Whoever sang this last chorus the fasted won. :) )

You can see how this silliness would appeal to kids. We sang it until our parents wanted to duct tape our mouths shut. So, I had to look it up and see where it originated. No one seems to know, but there appear to be thousands of versions of this particular song. I don't know if my dad got it from his childhood or the Navy. Regardless, here's a link to other verses. Some are quite hilarious.

Dad also taught us some other, less kid-friendly songs he learned in the Navy. I think they were watered down a bit, though. And there was one he only taught us the first line. (sigh) That one we really wanted to know the rest of. Here's the line. If you know it, please add more:

She's a big fat turd twice the size of me. Pimples on her butt like the apples on a tree.

I told you. Not appropriate at all for kids, but, hey, this was the 70s. We had more fun back then. :)

Dad also taught us a Navy drinking song, although it might have been from his college days, called "Leland Stanford Junior Farm." It went like this:

Oh, it's beer, beer, beer that makes you want to cheer
on the farm
on the farm.
Oh, it's beer, beer, beer that makes you want to cheer
on the Leland Stanford Junior Farm.

Chorus (again sung between each verse):

My eyes are dim
I cannot see
For I have, hey, ho, not brought my specs with me.

Verse:

1. Oh, it's whiskey, whiskey, whiskey that makes me feel so frisky
on the farm
on the farm.
Oh, it's whiskey, whiskey, whiskey that makes me feel so frisky
on the Leland Stanford Junior Farm.

3. Oh, it's gin, gin, gin that makes me wanna sin
on the farm
on the farm.
Oh, it's gin, gin, gin that makes me wanna sin
on the Leland Stanford Junior Farm.

We made up a few of our own. :) Although the vodka one might be from him. :)

4. Oh, it's vodka, vodka, vodka, that makes me feel so hodka
on the farm
on the farm.
Oh, it's vodka, vodka, vodka, that makes me feel so hodka
on the Leland Stanford Junior Farm.

And it wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention this one:

5. Oh, it's tea, tea, tea that makes me wanna pee
on the farm
on the farm.
Oh, it's vodka, vodka, vodka, that makes me feel so hodka
on the Leland Stanford Junior Farm.

There were numerous songs, but perhaps they should be different posts as this one is growing by the second. LOL

Ah, well, good memories. :) Fun memories. I miss Dad, but, boy, did he see that we had great road trip memories. :)