The Gnu
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"The Gnu" | |
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Song by Flanders and Swann | |
Genre | Novelty song |
Composer(s) | Donald Swann |
Lyricist(s) | Michael Flanders |
"The Gnu" (sometimes known as "A Gnu", "I'm a Gnu" or "The Gnu Song") is a humorous song about a talking
The word gnu is consistently pronounced in the song with two syllables as "g-noo", with the g clearly enunciated, and the n unpalatalised in contrast to the traditional "noo" or "nyoo". The song also plays on silent letters in other words such as "k-now" and "w-ho", and adds initial g's to various words beginning with n.
Synopsis
In the first verse, the singer is at the zoo when he meets a man who claims to know all the animals (like the habits of
Recordings
Flanders and Swann first performed and recorded this song in their revue
Legacy
The jocular mispronunciation of "g-noo" in the song has led, through familiarity, to this becoming a widespread pronunciation of the word "gnu" in English.[2][3]
Richard Stallman mentions "The Gnu" in connection with the naming of the GNU project in a 2002 interview.[4]
In popular culture
- The song is performed by a gnu and some British Whatnots in episode 519 of The Muppet Show (with guest Chris Langham).
- John Lithgow has a recording of the song on his album Singin' in the Bathtub.
- The song was the basis of the character Gary Gnu from The Great Space Coaster. Gary performed the song on one episode of the show.
- The song was adapted (with changed lyrics) for a series of 1970s animated TV adverts for Typhoo tea, featuring an anthropomorphic gnu, with the tagline "For the tea that picks you up, pick up Typhoo".
- Scottish-Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes was inspired by this song to write and record a different song, "I'm a G'Nu", for his Och Aye the G'nu children's album.[5]
References
- ^ "Derbyshire car registration letter code NU". Oldclassiccar.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "gnu, n.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ISBN 9781760983253.
- ^ "Technically Speaking - An Interview With Richard Stallman, Inventor Of The GNU OS". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
- ^ "The Wiggles & Jimmy Barnes - Och Aye The G'nu". ABC Music. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
External links
- "The Gnu" on the Flanders and Swann website