14 July 2009

Illustration Friday - Hollow



I had a hard time coming up with an idea for this week's word, 'hollow'!! In the end I decided to go with a hippo wallowing in a muddy hollow.

Do you remember the old Flanders and Swann song?

The Hippopotamus Song

A bold hippopotamus was standing one day
On the banks of the cool Shalimar
He gazed at the bottom as he peacefully lay
By the light of the evening star
Away on the hilltop sat combing her hair
His fair hippopotami maid
The hippopotamus was no ignoramus
And sang her this sweet serenade

Chorus:
Mud, mud, glorious mud
Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood
So follow me follow, down to the hollow
And there let me wallow in glorious mud
The fair hippopotama he aimed to entice
From her seat on that hilltop above
As she hadn't got a ma to give her advice
Came tiptoeing down to her love
Like thunder the forest re-echoed the sound
Of the song that they sang when they met
His inamorata adjusted her garter
And lifted her voice in duet

Now more hippopotami began to convene
On the banks of that river so wide
I wonder now what am I to say of the scene
That ensued by the Shalimar side
They dived all at once with an ear-splitting sposh
Then rose to the surface again
A regular army of hippopotami
All singing this haunting refrain

Chorus

(Extra verse:)
The amorous hippopotamus whose love song we know
Is now married and father of ten,
He murmurs, "God rot 'em!" as he watches them grow,
And he longs to be single again!
He'll gambol no more on the banks of the Nile,
Which Naser is flooding next spring,
With hippopotamas in silken pyjamas
No more will he teach them to sing...

Chorus

Flanders & Swann


Here's it is sung by Rolf Harris! If you can bear it, do wait for the very last clip when the audience is clapping (or fast forward) - it's worth the agony!






20 comments:

  1. Ummmm sometimes its embarrassing being Australian...Rolf! OH MY!

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  2. ummm, great painting too! (by the way)

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  3. oh your piece is wonderful!!!! and that song....how did you ever find it...LOL~~~

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  4. Love your watercolors. Your hippo is amazing, as are your france pictures. I felt like I popped in on your trip for a minute! Fabulous.

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  5. Cutest little hippo at the end of the video! Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Magnificent Hippo.. funny song. Nice work as always.

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  7. I like this lovely and relaxing hippo! You have such great watercolor skill!

    I love your landscape painting too, and all your wonderful photos, thanks for sharing!

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  8. Great watercolor of that hippo!

    And I loved your photos of France you've posted last weeks. Some views are so adorable and so typical french (and the smell of lavender...)

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  9. wow what a funny song and great water color to boot you are a great artist as well. Thanks for dropping by my ole blog and enjoying my work glaf I could make you laugh

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  10. The colors in your hippo are fabulous! Such a nice use of watercolor.

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  11. Beautiful illustration!!! Your watercolors are amazing. Lovely hippo!

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  12. this is an amzing piece of art...do you do atcs? do you wanna swap with me?

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  13. I LOVE your hippo, Caroline! And that video, lol... the baby at the end was soooo cute!!! :-)

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  14. Your hippo is fantastic, Caroline. I enjoyed the song too.

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  15. Oh how funny. I am not familiar with that song at all! It's great:)

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  16. Caroline, I love your painting! Such a sweet hippo! That song was hysterical and, you were right, it was worth waiting for the last image. So cute Your watercolor is fantastic!! :) Silke

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  17. You did a beautiful job on this painting! The colours are sublime and the hippo has a wonderful face!

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  18. OOOOH! Wonderful! a great little painting...clever take on the topic...and a terrific song and video...I will be singing it all night! LOL:)

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  19. Sorry to miss this, I really love the colours and tones. It's vibrant and peaceful!

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Thank you for passing by. I love to read your comments!

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