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Echo & the Bunnymen — Bedbugs and Ballyhoo
Album: Ballyhoo
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1004









Released: 1997
Length: 3:22
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Buffalo and bison
Bison and buffalo
Cannonball and rifle
Rifle and cannonball
That's the way the thunder rumbles
That's the way the thunder rumbles
Rumbles
Down on your knees again
Saying please again yeah yeah yeah
Kangaroo and chipmunk
Chipmunk and kangaroo
Ballyhoo and bedbugs
Bedbugs and ballyhoo
That's the way the bee bumbles
That's the way the bee bumbles
That's the way the bee bumbles
That's the way the bee bumbles
Bumbles
Down on your knees again
Saying please again no no no
No
Down on your knees again
Saying please again
Down on you knees again
Saying please again no no no
Buffalo and bison
Bison and buffalo
Cannonball and rifle
Rifle and cannonball
That's the way the thunder rumbles
That's the way the thunder rumbles
That's the way the thunder rumbles
That's the way the thunder rumbles
Rumbles rumbles rumbles
Comments (75)add comment
Maybe it's the organ, but this sounds like it belongs on the Doors eponymous album. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Morrison would've killed it...
 timmus wrote:

Really weary of Killing Moon and Bring On The Dancing Horses, so this is great to hear.  I always welcome the lesser known tracks.



Indeed, now if we could just go a bit deeper into the catalogue William? Heaven Up Here, Porcupine, Crocodiles - MANY great tracks!
 timmus wrote:

Really weary of Killing Moon and Bring On The Dancing Horses, so this is great to hear.  I always welcome the lesser known tracks.


I do wish William and alllana would play lesser known stuff from groups like echo and the bunnymen 
Really weary of Killing Moon and Bring On The Dancing Horses, so this is great to hear.  I always welcome the lesser known tracks.
 cbazinet wrote:

Just a fun song to tap your toe to.  Nice change.




I Agree!  Thanx RP!   
Will this segue into Loose Fit by the Mondays?
 sfoster66 wrote:

Word salad lyrics...

ballyhoo - great word to build a tune around!

Word salad lyrics...
 horstman wrote:


Ray Manzerak of the Doors toured with them on this Album. He was amazing.

So there is no coincidence here. Just the real thing.

Hmmm....I had no idea.  Thanks for expanding my musical trivia knowledge...
Love that piano!
 Ok_Sobriquet wrote:
Some of the most inscrutable lyrics I've ever heard!
 
I had to Google inscrutable to understand your comment. Irony?
Some of the most inscrutable lyrics I've ever heard!
I got a new laptop yesterday - first time I can really use the new web-site.  Looks GREAT
The Doors without the onerous poetry.
I ve heard a rumour from The Doors, and echoes from the bunnymen of the eighties...
 TerryS wrote:

Incorrigable..........
 
In a similar vein, sex is what she gets her coal delivered in... (bison is more cockney or 'strine' than RP - that's Received Pronunciation or Posh Talk rather than this music station...)
 fredriley wrote:
"Bison"? I thought that's what the Queen washes ones hands in :o)

I'll get me throne...

 
Incorrigable..........
 

No wonder the song sucks - anything that remotely reminds me of the Doors gets a 1 in my book

 
I guess you had to be there :^ /
 horstman wrote:


Ray Manzerak of the Doors toured with them on this Album. He was amazing.

So there is no coincidence here. Just the real thing.

 
No wonder the song sucks - anything that remotely reminds me of the Doors gets a 1 in my book
Fun song with fun lyrics! Love the 80s!

I pinged some universal resource location.
                T'was a top TLD.
 Al_Koholic wrote:
Ray Manzarek/The Doors sat in on keyboards for this song
 
S*it!!  i've been a huge fan of the Bunnymen for a looong time and i didn't know that!
No wonder it sounded a bit Doors-like  ;-)
 
Yeah, I hear Sean and Paul and there's Bez on maracas... and the rest of the Mondays....oh, wait, no, this isn't them.
Is this the same version that's on this CD?
https://www.amazon.com/Echo-The-Bunnymen/dp/B0000E2PY5
Incredible edible wordplay ... yayum!
"that's the way the bee bumbles." 

Seriously? 
Just a fun song to tap your toe to.  Nice change.
there are few EATBM songs I would not rave about...this is one...
So great that they were able to keep it going, thanks to the sublime organ of Ray! They kind of fell off a cliff after, but Siberia was good!
My first time to hear this on RP!  Excited!
 pianocomposer wrote:


I know all these songs and NO, I don't think any other song uses ballyhoo or caliope. A caliope is a carnival ride, not unlike a merry-go-round.
 
No, a calliope is the musical instrument (steam or compressed air blowing whistles) that is often associated with a merry-go-round.
 
Anyway: RIP Ray Manzarek, who played keyboards on this track. 
 horstman wrote:


Ray Manzerak of the Doors toured with them on this Album. He was amazing.

So there is no coincidence here. Just the real thing.

 
Wow, I was thinking the same thing and had no idea. How fun is that. 
Their earlier material was unique and not repetitive like this.  Plus this tune has a plodding hook. I haven't heard this in years, and by the end I knew I won't miss it. 
Great beat and drum backgroud
G R E A T 
A Classic!
 fredriley wrote:
"Bison"? I thought that's what the Queen washes ones hands in :o)

I'll get me throne...
 
{#Lol}  What's your hurry?  Here's your crown.

 Kristi wrote:
I just love this song! My fave E&tB!
Thanks, RP!!
{#Dancingbanana}
 
Me too!!  {#Dance}
"Bison"? I thought that's what the Queen washes ones hands in :o)

I'll get me throne...
 ra990 wrote:
That organ makes this sound so much like the Doors.
 

Ray Manzerak of the Doors toured with them on this Album. He was amazing.

So there is no coincidence here. Just the real thing.
That organ makes this sound so much like the Doors.
 Antigone wrote:
How I love E & TB! Such a cool, cool sound.
 
Agree; just picked up Siberia, oh man!{#Yes}
 pianocomposer wrote:
I know all these songs and NO, I don't think any other song uses ballyhoo or caliope. A caliope is a carnival ride, not unlike a merry-go-round.
 
Actually, a calliope is a musical instrument, but IS usually associated with carnivals, for some reason.

 horstman wrote:
That's an easy one. Get on the NYS Thruway at the Major Deegan Expressway and get off at exit 27 Amsterdam. Head north on route 30 a couple of miles. There are several diners that serve coffee and may let you play with your laptop. Go around back, yell "I need hashish", and watch the magic begin!
 
horstman, you never fail to deliver 
There's a little bit that keeps popping up that makes me think of The Kids in the Hall.

I just love this song! My fave E&tB!
Thanks, RP!!
{#Dancingbanana}
a_genuine_find wrote:
This comment has nothing to do with this song, but I was just looking at the MEMBERS section and seeing where my fellow listeners are, and if you scroll your mouse around to the west of Turkey, Bangledesh shows up! Way to RTP, redefining borders! Hey, while you are at it, can you relocate NY to Amsterdam, I need a coffeeshop!
That's an easy one. Get on the NYS Thruway at the Major Deegan Expressway and get off at exit 27 Amsterdam. Head north on route 30 a couple of miles. There are several diners that serve coffee and may let you play with your laptop. Go around back, yell "I need hashish", and watch the magic begin!
How I love E & TB! Such a cool, cool sound.
This comment has nothing to do with this song, but I was just looking at the MEMBERS section and seeing where my fellow listeners are, and if you scroll your mouse around to the west of Turkey, Bangledesh shows up! Way to RTP, redefining borders! Hey, while you are at it, can you relocate NY to Amsterdam, I need a coffeeshop!
LongGoneDaddy wrote:
whoah...grab the hair gel!
Do you use that on your guitar? Does it help?
If you DO like Echo & the Bunnymen and you're looking for a single-disc best-of, this one (Ballyhoo) is worth tracking down. It's got 18 tracks versus the measly 11 tracks on the more widely available "Songs to Learn and Sing".
rubbish. Who'd of thought The Bunnymen could be so flacidly unimaginative and dull. A wet rag of 4th rate funk with 'crazy' lyrics that fail to amuse... Must try harder.
ballyhoo is a great word.
ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
King Crimson said "ballyhoo" in Elephant Talk. Do any other rock songs use that word?
RockinBlueVoodoo wrote:
LOL! I always think the same thing about 'Blinded By The Light' has any other song ever used the word 'calliope'? I bet most people don't even know what that is :-)
I know all these songs and NO, I don't think any other song uses ballyhoo or caliope. A caliope is a carnival ride, not unlike a merry-go-round.
byrd wrote:
I'm not a big fan of Echo & the Bunnymen, but I do like this tune. Is it just me, or does anyone else here The Doors in there. ...must be the organ...
You should check out their version of People are Strange... it has an extended instrumental break which the original lacks, ironically making it more "Doorsy" than The Doors version.
This bass line is just finger lickin' good.
LongGoneDaddy wrote:
whoah...grab the hair gel!
Sorry, but I immediately thought about "There's Something About Mary". Still laughing....
byrd wrote:
I'm not a big fan of Echo & the Bunnymen, but I do like this tune. Is it just me, or does anyone else here The Doors in there. ...must be the organ...
Ray Manzarek/The Doors sat in on keyboards for this song
whoah...grab the hair gel!
Very good drum and bass beat!!!
byrd wrote:
I'm not a big fan of Echo & the Bunnymen, but I do like this tune. Is it just me, or does anyone else here The Doors in there. ...must be the organ...
I agree - twice!
I'm not a big fan of Echo & the Bunnymen, but I do like this tune. Is it just me, or does anyone else here The Doors in there. ...must be the organ...
ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
King Crimson said "ballyhoo" in Elephant Talk. Do any other rock songs use that word?
LOL! I always think the same thing about 'Blinded By The Light' has any other song ever used the word 'calliope'? I bet most people don't even know what that is :-)
Ooo I likey! Even the band name ... the song titles ... I just like . Makes me smile
The new album is outstanding. If you like this, it's well worth picking up. Glad to see/hear the Bunnymen still carrying on after 25 years, they've got a new album coming soon.
Great choice for rotation. Thanks!
King Crimson said "ballyhoo" in Elephant Talk. Do any other rock songs use that word?
never been a fan of jangly piano.
pete5609 wrote:
I like the original version is better. Ray Manzarek tarted that album version up with his keyboards, the original was a b-side and was acoustic guitars and put Ian's vocal much more at the front (where he prefers it...)...
Word!
I like the original version is better. Ray Manzarek tarted that album version up with his keyboards, the original was a b-side and was acoustic guitars and put Ian's vocal much more at the front (where he prefers it...) Glad to see/hear the Bunnymen still carrying on after 25 years, they've got a new album coming soon.
sweeeet. stands the test of time quite nicely methinks.
First time I have heard this. I like it.
I forgot about this one. It's great to hear it! I love the "Peace Frog" feel it has.
No listener comments on this song yet. Why not be the first?
Okay, I will. I like this.