"Snortlefish" Rap Song

by Connie Barlow

Intended for use in the classroom, as part of the "My Universe Story" Curriculum. This song accompanies the lesson for Bead Number 11, which incorporates classroom enactment of the evolutionary parable, "Ozzie and the Snortlefish."

  • Click to LISTEN to an AUDIO of Snortlefish Rap.


    • "SNORTLEFISH RAP"

    A fish named Panderichthys — Ozzie for short
    Met a bully one day, I am sad to report.

    "Hey stupid," said the snortlefish, lookin' pretty mean
    . . . . "Yours are the ugliest fins I've ever seen."

    But Ozzie didn't listen, Ozzie kept a happy heart
    While dreaming big dreams of maybe playing a part

    In Earth's evolution from the water to land
    Which Ozzie called the not-water, as fish can understand

    Only fishy kinds of things, like playing in the ooze
    So Ozzie kept on dreaming, while the bully took a snooze.

    Let's dream . . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.

    (ALL:) Let's dream . . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.

    Ozzie dreamed of descendants who would soar and maybe fly
    . . . . Some would grow tall — a hundred fishes high.

    Maybe some would want to learn — and even explore
    What was still un-known . . . . and so much more.

    Could dreams come true? Would Ozzie's offspring succeed?
    Pteranodons then birds then bats fulfilled the airborne need.

    What about the dream of height? . . . . Could creatures grow tall?
    Diplodocus and mastodons, giraffes are far from small.

    Can any one here do a jump and kick a ball?
    Play ring-around-the-rosey and dance until you fall?

    Let's dream . . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.

    (ALL:) Let's dream . . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.

    Would there be an opportunity for growing quite wise?
    Of learning cosmic history, with telescopes for eyes?

    Could a creature, one day, arise to celebrate
    Its relationship to fossil life that it would excavate?

    From the not-water rock . . . . to learn our planet's story?
    That ancient fish preceded us — oh, yeah, now there's the glory!

    So next time you're feeling down and cannot find your way
    Remember all who came before; they're guiding us today.

    (ALL:) . . . . they're guiding us today.

    So let's dream . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.

    (ALL:) Let's dream . . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.

    (ALL:) Let's dream . . . . let's dream
    Let's dream evolution, let's dream.



    LYRICS with BEATS EMPHASIZED


    A FISH named pan-der-ICH-thys  . . . OZ-zie for SHORT
    Met a BULL-y ONE DAY, i am SAD to RE-port.

    "Hey STU-pid," said the SNOR-tle-fish, LOOK-in' pretty MEAN
     . . . "YOURS are the UG-li-est FINS I've ever SEEN."

    But OZ-zie didn't LIS-ten, ozzie KEPT a HAP-py HEART
    While DREAM-ing big DREAMS of MAY-be PLAY-ing a PART

    In EARTH's e-vo-LU-tion from the WA-ter to LAND
    Which OZ-zie called the NOT-water, as FISH can under-STAND

    Only FISH-y kinds of THINGS, like PLAY-ing in the OOZE
    So OZ-zie kept on DREAM-ing, while the BULL-y took a SNOOZE.

    Let's DREAM  . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.

    (ALL:) Let's DREAM  . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.

    Ozzie DREAMED of de-SCEND-ants who would SOAR and MAY-be FLY
    . . . . SOME would grow TALL — a HUN-dred FISH-es HIGH.

    May-be SOME would want to LEARN  . . . and E-ven ex-PLORE
    What was STILL . . UN . . KNOWN  . . . and SO much MORE.

    Could DREAMS . . COME . . TRUE? Would Ozzie's OFF-spring suc-CEED?
    Pter-AN-o-dons then BIRDS then BATS ful-FILLED the AIR-borne NEED.

    What a-BOUT the dream of HEIGHT?  . . . Could CREA-tures grow TALL?
    Di-PLOD-o-cus and MAS-to-dons, gir-AFFES are FAR from SMALL.

    Can AN-y one HERE do a JUMP and KICK a BALL?
    Play RING-around-the-ROSE-y and DANCE un-TIL you FALL?

    Let's DREAM  . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.

    (ALL:) Let's DREAM  . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.

    Would there BE an op-por-TUN-it-y for GROW-ing quite WISE?
    Of LEARN-ing cosmic HIS-tor-y, with TEL-es-copes for EYES?

    Could a CREA-ture, one DAY  . . . a-RISE to CEL-e-brate
    Its re-LA-tion-ship to FOSS-il LIFE that IT would ex-CA-vate?

    From the NOT-water ROCK  . . . to LEARN our PLAN-et's STOR-y?
    That AN-cient FISH pre-CED-ed us — oh, YEAH, now THERE'S the GLOR-y!

    So NEXT TIME you're FEEL-ing DOWN and CAN-not find your WAY
    Re-MEM-ber all who CAME before; they're GUID-ing us to-DAY.

    (ALL:)  . . . they're GUID-ing us to-DAY.

    So let's DREAM . . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.

    (ALL:) Let's DREAM . . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.

    (ALL:) Let's DREAM . . . . let's DREAM
    Let's DREAM ev-o-LU-tion, let's DREAM.



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