Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American musician and actor with a career tha… Read Full Bio ↴Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American musician and actor with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs.

Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.

Fooba Wooba John
Burl Ives Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Saw a flea kick a tree
Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba
Saw a flea kick a tree
Fooba- Wooba John
Saw a flea kick a tree
In the middle of the sea
Hey, John, Ho, John
Fooba- Wooba, John

Saw a frog chase a dog
Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba
Saw a frog chase a dog
Fooba- Wooba John
Saw a frog chase a dog
Sitting on a hollow log
Hey, John, Ho, John
Fooba- Wooba John

Saw a snail chase a whale
Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba
Saw a snail chase a whale
Fooba- Wooba John
Saw a snail chase a whale
All around the water pail
Hey, John, Ho, John
Fooba- Wooba John

Heard a cow say meow
Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba
Heard a cow say meow
Fooba- Wooba John
Heard a cow say meow
Fooba- Wooba John
Heard a cow say meow
Then I heard it say bow wow

Hey, John, Ho, John
Fooba- Wooba John

Hey, John, Ho, John
Fooba- Wooba John

Overall Meaning

The song "Fooba Wooba John" by Burl Ives is a playful and nonsensical tune that follows a pattern of absurd occurrences. Each verse introduces a new scenario in which an unlikely event takes place, such as a flea kicking a tree, a frog chasing a dog, a snail chasing a whale, or a cow saying "meow." The repetitive refrain of "Fooba-Wooba John" ties the verses together, creating a catchy and memorable tune.

While the lyrics may seem meaningless, they are reminiscent of traditional children's songs and nursery rhymes that are passed down through generations. The use of animals in the lyrics also highlights the playful and imaginative nature of childhood. The song encourages listeners to use their imagination and embrace the nonsensical, creating a joyous and carefree atmosphere.

Overall, "Fooba Wooba John" is a lighthearted and entertaining song that celebrates the playful and imaginative nature of childhood. It encourages listeners to embrace their creativity and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Saw a flea kick a tree Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba Saw a flea kick a tree Fooba- Wooba John
Witnessed an impossible sight of a flea showing its strength by kicking a tree, followed by repeating the same phrase. Ended the recital with addressing someone called John as Fooba- Wooba John

Saw a flea kick a tree In the middle of the sea Hey, John, Ho, John Fooba- Wooba, John
Saw an even more absurd sight of a flea kicking a tree in the middle of the sea. Then again, addressed John as Fooba-Wooba John

Saw a frog chase a dog Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba Saw a frog chase a dog Fooba- Wooba John
Saw a frog chasing a dog. Repeated the phrase and addressed John with his signature phrase Fooba-Wooba John

Saw a frog chase a dog Sitting on a hollow log Hey, John, Ho, John Fooba- Wooba John
Saw the same frog and dog in a different setting of a hollow log. Then continued to address John as Fooba-Wooba John again

Saw a snail chase a whale Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba Saw a snail chase a whale Fooba- Wooba John
Saw the most preposterous of sights, a snail chasing a whale. Yet again, called out to John with Fooba-Wooba John

Saw a snail chase a whale All around the water pail Hey, John, Ho, John Fooba- Wooba John
Saw the same snail chasing the whale around a water pail. Once more signaled John with his phrase Fooba-Wooba John

Heard a cow say meow Fooba- Wooba, Fooba- Wooba Heard a cow say meow Fooba- Wooba John
Closed his eyes and heard a sound which he never heard before: a cow saying meow. Repeated the phrase and called out to John once more as Fooba-Wooba John

Heard a cow say meow Fooba- Wooba John Heard a cow say meow Then I heard it say bow wow Hey, John, Ho, John Fooba- Wooba John Hey, John, Ho, John Fooba- Wooba John
Heard the sound again and remarked about hearing it once more. Then he heard another sound from the same cow: bow wow. Ended the song by reiterating the earlier lines and addressing John with his famous phrase Fooba-Wooba John

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN FRANCIS KANE, MARK WALMSLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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