Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues Lyrics
Bear mountain picnic was comin' my way.
"Come along 'n' take a trip,
We'll bring you up there on a ship.
Bring the wife and kids
Bring the whole family."
Yippee!
To this bear mountain picnic.
But little did I realize
I was in for a picnic surprise.
Had nothin' to do with mountains.
I didn't even come close to a bear.
Six thousand people there,
Everybody had ticket for the trip.
"Oh well." I said, "it's a pretty big ship.
Besides, anyway, the more the merrier."
That big old boat started t' sink
More people kept a-pilin' on,
That old ship was a-slowly goin' down.
Funny way t' start a picnic.
So many people there I never saw in m' life
That old ship sinkin' down in the water,
Six thousand people tryin' t' kill each other,
Dogs a-barkin', cats a-meowin',
Women screamin', fists a-flyin', babies cryin',
Cops a-comin', me a-runnin'.
Maybe we just better call off the picnic.
All I could hear there was a screamin' sound,
Don't remember one thing more,
Just remember walkin' up on a little shore,
Head busted, stomach cracked,
Feet splintered, I was bald, naked
Quite lucky to be alive though.
I grabbed back hold of m' picnic basket.
Took the wife 'n' kids 'n' started home,
Wishin' I'd never got up that morn.
If you wanta have a picnic, that's up t' you.
But don't tell me about it, I don't wanta hear it,
'cause, see, I just lost all m' picnic spirit.
Stay in m' kitchen, have m' own picnic
In the bathroom.
What some people are gonna do f'are money.
There's a bran' new gimmick every day
Just t' take somebody's money away.
I think we oughta take some o' these people
And put 'em on a boat, send 'em up to bear mountain
For a picnic.
This song is pretty explicitly explained in the last verse - it's about people getting cheated out of their money by crooked companies.
Okay, I just love the way he says "maybe we just better call off the picnic." It makes me looooooose it, for some reason, haha.
i agree with above, this is one of my favorite dylan comedy songs. my favorite part:
"Now, I don't care just a-what you do, If you wanta have a picnic, that's up t' you. But don't tell me about it, I don't wanta hear it, 'Cause, see, I just lost all m' picnic spirit. Stay in m' kitchen, have a picnic in the bathroom."
his sarcasm is just so evident. dylan is just an expert in conveying certain feelings. brilliant.
Bob read an article (or some one showed him an article) about something like this actually happening, and he made it a song. People were supposed to go on this big picnic thing, but someone made illegitamate tickets and sold them, so WAY more people were trying to get on this boat than were supposed to, and it ended up sinking.
But man, oh man, this is one of my FAVORITE Dylan comedy numbers. Almost as good as "I Shall Be Free No. 10"!
One of the first topical songs he wrote. I love it, its so funny.
this song is hilarious! haha dylan has the best sense of humor!!
Bob Dylan hates bears.
This may have referred to the "Eastland Disaster" on July 24th 1915 at or near Chicago. It was a company picnic for the Western Electric employees and their families. The death toll was 800/850. I talked just lately to someone whose father died at this event and remembered the lyrics to the song.
I mean grandfather.
I mean grandfather.
I think this song might be about a Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre but ai may be wrong.