In the car the other day, I heard a catchy little song on a Christian radio station.
I wasn’t exactly sure what it was saying, so I turned it up and heard something about: “What if cartoons got saved?… They’d start singing praise in a whole new way.”
The guy (Chris Rice, a Dove award-winning singer/songwriter) was singing “Hallelujah” in a variety of different cartoon characters’ voices.
To give you an idea, here’s one verse:
Fred and Wilma Flintstone sing: ya-ba-daba-lujah
Scooby-do and Shaggy: scooby-do-be-lujah
And the Jetson’s dog named Astro: ra-ra-ru-jah
And, the final verse:
Now there’s a point to this looney tune
I’m not an animaniac, but there’s a lot of praising to do
And cartoons weren’t made for that
It’s our job. Oh, yeah.
(…see complete lyrics below.)
Turns out, this cute little ditty — guaranteed to make you chuckle when you hear it — has become somewhat controversial. It’s called “The Cartoon Song” (a.k.a. “Cartoons”).
Have a listen…
A Controversial Christian Song
While I was listening to it, I was grinning from ear-to-ear. I thought it was funny. Witty. Catchy. An interesting way to appeal to very young kids.
Turns out, this song is HIGHLY controversial, and it was only intended to be a hidden track on his “Past The Edges” album.
Chris Rice (who also happens to be from Franklin, Tennessee) has gotten a lot of flack from the Christian community about it, and he’s even refused to play it at his live concerts anymore.
Here’s the scoop…
Chris Rice’s Take On The Cartoon Song
According to a comment posted in a blog entitled They Will Know Us By Our T-Shirts:
Chris Rice said: “The strong reactions to that part of the song are even more humorous to me, because I couldn’t understand such a silly song getting such scrutiny. Also, in correcting my “theology” in the cartoon song, people were totally missing the fact that the whole song is about soul-less cartoons, none of whom can “get saved”. A frog, a few dogs, a moose, turtles…getting ‘saved’…horrible theology if you ask me. But theology was never the intention of the song, just a funny look at how cartoons might say “Hallelujah”. “What if?” I’m sorry some people are missing the fun! “I was thinking the other day, why’d I ever write that song?…”
Interesting…
On his own website, Chris writes:
“No, I’ve never written a children’s song, just a satirical song about the modern Christian tendency to ‘Christianize’ everything. I was hoping everyone would get the satire, but they missed the satire, and embraced the song as legit.”
Chris also indicates that the Cartoon song was “born” in 1989 and “died” in 2004. What is interesting, however, is the fact that some radio stations still continue to play it — against his wishes.
He adds:
“After 15 wonderful years of trouble-making and laughter, the beloved song about cartoons has finally been laid to rest. Well, actually just retired from live performances.”
The Story Behind The Cartoons Song
For lots more about the song “Cartoons”, how and why it was written, and why Chris refuses to play it “live” anymore, check out his website.
Videos For Chris Rice’s Cartoon Song
Lyrics For The Song “Cartoons” by Chris Rice
I was thinking the other day
What if cartoons got saved?
They’d start singing praise
In a whole new way
Yea, I was thinking the other day
What if cartoons got saved?
They’d start singing praise
In a whole new way
Fred and Wilma Flintstone sing
ya-ba-daba-lujah
Scooby-do and Shaggy
scooby-do-be-lujah
And the Jetson’s dog named Astro
ra-ra-ru-jah
CHORUS
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
cowabunga-lujah, dude
Then there’s Kermit the Frog here,
singing hi-ho-la-lujah
And that little bald guy, Elmer Fudd
hallelujah, uh
CHORUS
Oh that big ol’ Moose and his friend Rocky,
ba-ya-ca-bujah
And our favorite bear named Yogi,
hi-a-baa-lujah
And There’s all those little blue guys
And they’d sing..
la-la-lalalala-lalala-lujah
Oh, how ’bout Beavis, and that other guy
*beep*
CHORUS
Now there’s a point to this looney tune
I’m not an animaniac, but there’s a lot of praising to do
And cartoons weren’t made for that,
It’s our job. Oh, yeah
So let’s sing hallelujah (hallelujah)
hallelujah (hallelujah)
hallelujah (hallelujah)
Let’s sing hallelujah… (Let’s sing hallelujah)
hallelujah (hallelujah)
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