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.
Look at that turtle go, bro!
On a far away island of Salamasond
I said, Yertle the turtle
Was king of the pond
A nice little pond
It was clean, it was neat
The water was warm
There was plenty to eat
Until one day
The king of them all
Decided the kingdom
He ruled was too small
"I'm a ruler of all that I see
But I don't see enough
And that's the trouble with me"
With this stone for a throne
I am too low down
I cannot look down
Upon the places beyond
So Yertle the turtle king
Lifted his hand
And Yertle the turtle king
Gave a command
He ordered all the turtles
Onto one another's back
He piled them high
Into a ten turtle stack
Oh, Yertle the turtle
"The things I now rule
I'm king of a cow
I'm king of a mule"
Look at the turtle go, bro!
Then down from below
In the great turtle stack
Came a burp from a plain
Little turtle named Mack
Just part of the throne
This burpin' little turtle
Looked up and said, "I beg
Your pardon king Yertle
I've pains in my back
My shoulders and my knees
How long must we stand
Here your majesty?"
"Silence!" the king of the
Turtles barked back
To the bad burpin'
Little turtle named Mack
I'm Yertle the turtle
Oh marvelous me for
I am ruler of all that I see
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle (wow)
Yertle, Yertle the turtle (look at that turtle go)
Yertle, Yertle the turtle (bro)
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
On a far away island of Salamasond
I said, Yertle the turtle
Was king of the pond
A nice little pond
It was clean, it was neat
The water was warm
There was plenty to eat
Until one day
The king of them all
Decided the kingdom
He ruled was too small
"I'm a ruler of all that I see
But I don't see enough
And that's the trouble with me"
With this stone for a throne
I am too low down
I cannot look down
Upon the places beyond
So Yertle the turtle king
Lifted his hand
And Yertle the turtle king
Gave a command
He ordered all the turtles
Onto one another's back
He piled them high
Into a ten turtle stack
Oh, Yertle the turtle
"The things I now rule
I'm king of a cow
I'm king of a mule"
Look at the turtle go, bro!
Then down from below
In the great turtle stack
Came a burp from a plain
Little turtle named Mack
Just part of the throne
This burpin' little turtle
Looked up and said, "I beg
Your pardon king Yertle
I've pains in my back
My shoulders and my knees
How long must we stand
Here your majesty?"
"Silence!" the king of the
Turtles barked back
To the bad burpin'
Little turtle named Mack
I'm Yertle the turtle
Oh marvelous me for
I am ruler of all that I see
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle (wow)
Yertle, Yertle the turtle (look at that turtle go)
Yertle, Yertle the turtle (bro)
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Lyrics submitted by PrismPuck, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Yertle The Turtle Lyrics as written by Anthony Kiedis Michael Peter Balzary
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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the intro to this song, the 'look at the turtle go, bro' bit was done by the bands drug dealer, because they didnt have the money to pay him. he traded drugs for his few seconds of fame on this song. personally i think its pretty cool.