The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Through mostly vacant streets
A baker from the outskirts of his town
Earned his living peddling sweets
From a ragged cart he dragged around
The clever fox crept close behind
Kept an ever watchful eye
For a chance to steal a ginger spice cake
Or a boysenberry pie
Looking down was the hungry crow:
"When the time is right, I'll strike
And condescend to the earth below
And take whichever treat I'd like"
The moment the baker turned around
To shoo the fox off from his cart
The crow swooped down and snatched a shortbread cookie
And a German chocolate tart
Using most unfriendly words
That the village children had not yet heard
The baker shouted threats by canzonette
To curse the crafty bird
"You rotten wooden mixing spoon
Why, you midnight-winged raccoon
You better bring those pastries back
You no-good burned-black macaroon"
The fox approached the tree
Where the bird was perched delighted in his nest
"Brother Crow, don't you remember me?
It's your old friend Fox with a humble request
If you could share just a modest piece
Seeing as I distracted that awful man"
This failed to persuade the crow in the least
So the fox rethought his plan
"Then if your lovely song would grace my ears
Or to even to hear you speak
Would ease my pains and fears!"
The crow looked down with the candy in his beak
"Your poems of wisdom, my good crow
What a paradise they bring!"
This flattery pleased the proud bird
So he opened his mouth and began to sing:
"Your subtle acclamation's true
Best to give praise where praise is due
Every rook and jay and corvidae's
Been raving about me too
They admire me, one and all
Must be the passion in my caw
My slender bill known throughout the escadrille
My fierce commanding claw!"
I got a walnut brownie brain
And molasses in my veins
Crushed graham cracker crust
My powdered sugared funnel cake cocaine
Let the crescent cookie rise
These carob-colored almond eyes
Would rest to see my cashewed princess
In the swirling marble sky
Would rest upon the knee
Where all of the visions cease to be
A root-beer float in our banana boat
Across the tapioca sea
When letting all attachments go
Is the only prayer we know
May it be so
May it be so
May it be so
Oh
A baker from the outskirts of his town
Earned his living peddling sweets
From a ragged cart he dragged around
The clever fox crept close behind
Kept an ever watchful eye
For a chance to steal a ginger spice cake
Or a boysenberry pie
Looking down was the hungry crow:
"When the time is right, I'll strike
And condescend to the earth below
And take whichever treat I'd like"
The moment the baker turned around
To shoo the fox off from his cart
The crow swooped down and snatched a shortbread cookie
And a German chocolate tart
Using most unfriendly words
That the village children had not yet heard
The baker shouted threats by canzonette
To curse the crafty bird
"You rotten wooden mixing spoon
Why, you midnight-winged raccoon
You better bring those pastries back
You no-good burned-black macaroon"
The fox approached the tree
Where the bird was perched delighted in his nest
"Brother Crow, don't you remember me?
It's your old friend Fox with a humble request
If you could share just a modest piece
Seeing as I distracted that awful man"
This failed to persuade the crow in the least
So the fox rethought his plan
"Then if your lovely song would grace my ears
Or to even to hear you speak
Would ease my pains and fears!"
The crow looked down with the candy in his beak
"Your poems of wisdom, my good crow
What a paradise they bring!"
This flattery pleased the proud bird
So he opened his mouth and began to sing:
"Your subtle acclamation's true
Best to give praise where praise is due
Every rook and jay and corvidae's
Been raving about me too
They admire me, one and all
Must be the passion in my caw
My slender bill known throughout the escadrille
My fierce commanding claw!"
I got a walnut brownie brain
And molasses in my veins
Crushed graham cracker crust
My powdered sugared funnel cake cocaine
Let the crescent cookie rise
These carob-colored almond eyes
Would rest to see my cashewed princess
In the swirling marble sky
Would rest upon the knee
Where all of the visions cease to be
A root-beer float in our banana boat
Across the tapioca sea
When letting all attachments go
Is the only prayer we know
May it be so
May it be so
May it be so
Oh
Lyrics submitted by agentlemanandaascholar
The Fox, The Crow and the Cookie Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It (most assuredly) is based on the fable of the fox and the crow. I think that the morale this song presents is one discouraging vanity. My main reasoning for this conclusion is the entire end paragraph where we see the bird, victorious over the fruit of his efforts, prideful to the point of losing everything... The fox didn't immediately take the "treat" from the bird, he just tricked him into losing it, which to me symbolizes the devil, not directly forcing us to sin, but temping us --- as remembered in the devil's tempting of Eve in the garden of Eden.... I think the line: "Every rook and jay in the Corvidae�s been raving about me too" is funny.
You're right about the song being based on the well know childrens' fable. However, I feel like a lot of people the morale of the story to be discouraging vanity or pride when i feel it most of all suggests that we are far too materialistic. The entire story revolves around people, and animals fighting over cookies and other treats which we all know are bad for us. The metaphor is that when it comes to our material possessions we squabble over them like a bunch of animals. Once the Crow is tricked into dropping the candy he see's the way in which the baker and the Fox fight over it and realizes how silly it is, so he flys away saying he's had some much candy ( things) in his life that it now makes up every part of him, for example he says he now has a brain made of brownies and molasses in his veins. He than says the line which i believe ties all this together, that if we let go of all our possessions we'd fly like a bird. <br /> <br /> "When letting all attachments go, it's the only prayer we know" may it be so...<br /> <br /> amen my brother