Bullfrog
Bobby Darin Lyrics

I was sittin' by the bank on a hollow stump
The singer was sitting near a river on a hollowed-out tree trunk.

When I thought I heard me a bullfrog jump
The singer heard a bullfrog jump nearby.

Turned around and sure enough there, He sat
The bullfrog was sitting behind the singer.

He said excuse me, buddy, but I've been, Readin' your news
The bullfrog said he's been listening to the artist for a while.

And I'm sorry to say that I'm a, Little confused
The bullfrog is confused by what he's hearing.

You bein' human, well you'd know where, It's at.
The bullfrog assumes the singer knows what he's talking about because he's a human.

He said I read where this old world's, Gonna fold
The bullfrog claims that he's heard the world is going to end.

And all on account of a think called gold
The bullfrog thinks the world will end because of something called gold.

And that's somethin' hard for us frogs, To understand
The bullfrog finds it hard to understand the concept of gold.

Now you're lookin' at me like I'm, Kinda funny
The artist is surprised by the bullfrog's ability to speak.

But where I live we don't have no money, So we want to be hip to the happ'nin's, Here on land.
The bullfrog explains that he doesn't know about money and wants to learn more about the world of humans.

Now I thought I was stoned so I, Started walkin'
The artist thought he was hallucinating and started walking away.

I mean whoever heard of a bullfrog talkin', But then I realized I hadn't been grazin', In no grain
The singer finds it hard to believe that the bullfrog can talk, but then realizes he hasn't been eating any hallucinogenic plants.

So I figured I'd tell him just what I thought, 'bout how gold was sold and how gold, Was bought
The singer decided to explain to the bullfrog how gold is used as currency.

And he'd understand our world when, I explained.
The singer hopes the bullfrog will understand the concept of gold once he explains it.

I said it all started a long time ago, When the people first learned to reap, And sow
The artist explains the history of trade and cultivation.

And all that milk, And go into town and trade them for silk, So his woman she'd look sharp down at, The farm.
The artist describes how farmers would trade milk and crops for goods that would make their wives look good.

Well the bullfrog let out a belly croak, Like I'd told him some kind of a joke
The bullfrog seems skeptical or disbelieving of the singer's explanation.

And he said I think you're jivin' me my man, (what me?)
The bullfrog accuses the singer of lying to him.

I said I know it sounds kinda mystifyin', But the truth of the matter is I ain't lyin'
The artist insists that he's telling the truth, even if it sounds unbelievable.

He said now don't get upset I'm not, Agin' you
The bullfrog tries to calm the situation down.

You just go ahead, go ahead and continue, And I'll be quiet and try to understand
The bullfrog decides to listen to the artist's explanation and try to understand it.

He said I know about trees and leaves, And plants
The bullfrog is familiar with the natural world.

And milk and silk and the farmer's, Romance
The bullfrog is familiar with the human world to some extent.

But what's this thing the call supply, And demand?
The bullfrog doesn't understand the concept of supply and demand.

I said well I grow cotton and you grow corn, And you find your dungarees are all worn
The singer gives an example of how people have different needs and trade their goods accordingly.

Well this didn't work, or so we've been told, And at that time they didn't know, About gold
The singer explains that using goods other than gold as currency didn't work in the past.

So they all agreed they'd measure their, Goods in salt
A previous currency was based on salt, but it was flawed and unsustainable.

Well that idea had an early endin', 'cause they were eatin' more than they, Were spendin'
The salt currency didn't work because people were consuming more salt than they were using as currency.

And besides, whoever heard of keepin', Salt in a vault.
Salt is not a good currency because it's perishable and cannot be stored easily.

Well folks said gold was the thing to use, To pay for stuff like from ships to shoes
People eventually settled on using gold as currency.

But it weighed too much and it looked too, Good to spend
Gold is a desirable currency, but it's bulky and inconvenient to carry around.

So round about sixteen hundred and ninety, Somebody started usin' foldin' money
Paper money was invented as a more practical form of currency.

And that's the tale, my friend, from end, To end.
The artist finishes his story.

Well I thought it was a damn, Good explanation
The singer is pleased with his explanation.

I mean a real attempt at communication, And I only had me schoolin' up until the, Time I was ten
The artist is proud of his ability to explain complex concepts, considering he only had limited schooling.

But the bullfrog right before he, Hopped away
The bullfrog leaves without saying anything else.

Well I could have sworn I heard him say, Your world is still in the tadpole stage, My friend.
The singer thinks he hears the bullfrog say something profound, implying that humans still have much to learn.