Notes

*Kookaburra is a type of bird found
in Australia and New Guinea.

**A gum tree is a name for the eucalyptus tree.
They are a dominant vegetation of Australia.

Comments

Kookaburra
(Another Well-Known Version)

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Eating all the gumdrops he can see,
Laugh Kookaburra, laugh Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be.

Kookaburra sits on the electric wire,
Tears in his eyes and his pants on fire,
Ouch Kookaburra, Ouch Kookaburra,
Hot your tail must be.

Many thanks to Hazel K. Orr for
contributing this version of Kookaburra.

Another contributor said, "When we were kids we used to add a verse to the Kookaburra song..."

"Kookaburra sits on the railroad track
Along comes a train and smashes him flat
Poor kookaburra, poor kookaburra
That's the end of that!"

Danni Derrick wa Geraldton wrote me, "This a verse we used to add...

Kookaburra sits on the electric wire
Jumping up and down with his pants on fire
Scorched kookaburra, scorched kookaburra
Gay your life must be."

Jenessa Grant wrote me...

Hi Mama Lisa,

I was looking at your page of Australian children's songs, and I wanted to add a verse to Kookaburra. I'm not Australian, so this verse may not be original to that country. My mother taught this verse to me:

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Counting all the monkeys he can see
Wait, Kookaburra wait
Kookaburra that's not a monkey, that's me!

I enjoy your site!

-Jenessa Grant

Madison, WI, USA

Thanks to all! - Mama Lisa

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Peter Morris for
contributing the first, and most traditional, version of Kookaburra.

Thanks so much!