FAWM: "I'm Driving a Bus"

I'm Driving a Bus

2 weeks ago by @oddbod

I'm Driving a Bus

oddbod

00:00

Liner Notes

It usually takes me a lot longer to get to the silly song stage which is possibly a worrying sign.
I apologise to any native speakers for my terrible French pronunciation and probably grammar too.

#folk #acoustic #nonsense #macaronic #uke

Lyrics

I’m driving a bus
I’m driving a bus
It doesn’t take a genius
I’m just driving a bus

I’m driving a bus
A number 9 bus
I know I’m no Elon Musk
I’m just driving a bus

I’m working a till
Just working a till
No it’s not much of a skill
But I’m working a till

I’m working a till
Sat here at this till
In 5 years I may be here still
Just working this till

It takes a lot of learning
To be a brain surgeon
So I won’t be turning my hand to that
I don’t have the ambition
To be a politician
Always stabbing people in the back

I’m digging a hole
I’m digging a hole
Right now that’s my only goal
Just digging this hole

I’m digging a hole
I’m down in a hole
I’m not filling a vital role
I’m just digging a hole

I’m emptying bins
I’m emptying bins
From way before the day begins
I’m emptying bins

I’m emptying bins
For my earthly sins
Plastic bottles, food and tins
Just emptying bins

I never to college
So I’ve limited knowledge
Of physics, literature and chemistry
I know next to nothing
‘Bout German, French or Russian
A linguist’s something I will never be

Je conduis un bus
Je conduis un bus
Je ne suis pas Marcel Proust
Je conduis un bus

I’m driving a bus
I’m driving a bus
It isn’t cool or glamorous
I’m just driving a bus

I’m driving this big red bus back to the terminus

Comments

@afterschoolclub 1d

Ah, I really like this one 😊 I don't think it qualifies as a particularly silly song personally - that said, I'm convinced my kids (5 and 6) are going to love it! Nice!

@sherrycanary 5d

I love this one. Total earworm. A pop pop poppy gem. Hilarious lyrics, and the French gives it extra tongue-in-cheek appeal
I thought I had commented on this, but I hadn't. I came back to listen, and the song was already in my brain.

@nancycunning 1w

Sure feels like a good sign to me. Like maybe a way to confuse the inner critic. Nothing to see her, just driving this bus. It’s a great reminder if how good repetition feels. I love those short repeated almost exactly the same lines, then the longer, complicated clever rhyme lines. And the harmonica that gives this space to see the bus, the till, the hole, and the bin. Then the French is so unexpected. Smiling big and singing along all day.

@majordanby 1w

Ah the rhyming. Excellent job. This song will be stuck in my head for days.

@janeg 1w

Great fun and it takes quite a bit of intelligence to write a funny song that’s worth hearing many times. Musk never could have written this. He can’t even write funny once songs.

@headfirstonlyMod 1w

However rough I'm feeling, I know that listening to one of your songs will always put a big smile on my face. This one did so immediately. As they say to bus drivers when alighting in these parts: cheers, drive!

@fortelmfield 2w

Haha, this is excellent! Can't fault it. Does what it says on the tin.

@adforperu 2w

This is just sickeningly cute. Like.. an absolute norovirus' worth of vomit cute.

@kristian 2w

how uplifting is this?! This is for the people holding society together; I see dancing in the streets

@paulhenry 2w

Just bopping along.
Just bopping along.
To this fun infectious song.
Just bopping along.

@mikedebenham 2w

I'm grinning a grin, I'm grinning a grin, how I wish this chair could spin, I'm grinning a grin.

@judypie 2w

Wow, never thought anyone would put my CV to music! Thank you dude! This is oodles of fun and also your French is IMPECCABLE (like I have any fucking idea).

@deena 2w

An anthem for the downward-ly mobile..... this is so so so catchy and bouncy and yes, silly... but just remember, a working class hero is something be...

@iwilleatyou 2w

Sigh. When writing French, yes, you would write JE NE SUIS PAS. However when speaking, just drop the "ne". There's no need to say it. In fact you could even "glide" Je and Suis together and pronounce it like Schwee. So Schwee pas Marcel Proust.
Thanks to your subpar french you completely ruined this song and must do it over.
Ok lessie if I can guess......you ripped off a Sesame Street song? AM I RIGHT??

@jettfarley 2w

Uplifting and happy.... Great Job!

@fishylogic 2w

So fun! I won't forget to thank my bus driver today.

@kayo 2w

I love this, it's delightful!

@wynia 2w

Stomp-clap stomp-clap, I’d 💯💯💯rather have you at the helm than the clown show going on. Hella catchy, love this

@tfish77 2w

Hilarious folk with a great beat, what's not to love? Those rhymes are so clever, and the melody is catchy as hell. Nicely done.

@timothybracken 2w

Hahaha you’re the man as always. Love it.

@wehappyfew 2w

Love the pairing of Elon Musk with just riding a bus in verse 2!

Has a great feel to this tune and brings to mind that folky/protest/county kinda style of Billy Bragg or early Dylan (with a twist of humour).

@hanley 2w

This is an anthem for the masses for sure! I can even hear a chorus of folks singing call and response on the first two lines of each verse.
I can only hope that your songs get sillier and catchier throughout the remainder of the month!

@leepat 2w

actually, I'd say a silly song this early in the proceedings is a sign of a sound mind. could have been sillier, mind. I mean, chemistry's pushing it, and the French drives it over the edge. thank musk it's fun at least...

@jimdgreen 2w

love this . . . the first immediate double listen of FAWM 25.

The first but hopefully not the last silly song for you this year!

@namjunerobot 2w

I really like the "I'm not filling a vital role I'm just digging a hole" I can definitely relate. I love the songs good attitude. And no matter what you do, it sure helps to have a good attitude. Nice one :)

@gammafied 2w

The folk and pop sensibility makes it relatable and catchy. I like the vocal delivery, pacing, and chord progression.

@pippa 2w

I love the way you strip back to the bin sounds on the bin verse. Actually I love all of it. This is so catchy, upbeat, and also dead real, describing so many of us, and how we all just get along.

@russkeys 2w

The union worker in me really loves this! It's suitable upbeat and I love the way the phrase turns. Your bridges are really clever. An interesting contrast to the more plebeian verses. Well done!

@chasingandromeda 2w

I want to make sure you know how happy we are that you are no Elon Musk. HIs songs suck. I am grateful you hit the silly song stage early. This is a gem.

@coolparadisoMod 2w

Very clever, catchy, a few nice topical touches! Great fun!

@alphagal 2w

Awesome rhymes! The sounds are so authentically Pete Seegery era - bass drum and hand claps... Personally, I think digging a hole is underrated. And it pays way better than being a musician! 😀

@davidtaro 2w

Hand claps for the win. I want to say there's a kernel of a serious message here... right? You've just wrapped it up in this utterly irresistible, expertly executed whimsy. 'Je ne suis pas Marcel Proust' is genuinely laugh out loud funny. Like that you come back to the bus at the end but don't just repeat the same rhyme. In fact you add another for good measure. Every element you stick in the mix feels like it has a reason to be there (love the cheeky woodwind in particular) and the overall effect is masterful. Splendid stuff.

@nadine 2w

This is so catchy!

@stephenwordsmith 2w

Um, excuse me, I think we already did a jaunty song about a minimum-wage slave and their incompatible dreams...

Kidding, of course - this is bottles and bins of fun. I looked forward equally to the repeated bits and the surprises in the third lines. I enjoyed the bin man verse being stripped back to the percussion, too - gave me a mental image of drumming on recycling crates and whatnot.

Couldn't help but notice that the lyrics said digging a hole *was* filling a vital role while the song said it *wasn't*. Changes the meaning completely - I prefer the message in the lyrics but think the song fits in a bit better with the narrator's phlegmatic humility.

And now I have to stop this comment because I'm writing phrases like 'the narrator's phlegmatic humility', which should be argument enough that our hero didn't miss anything by avoiding higher education.

@metalfoot 2w

You had me from the handclaps. This is so infectiously bouncy! I will be bopping to this for hours.

@thedutchwidows 2w

For a silly song (your description, not mine!), this has a cracking rhythm track. That tambourine, bass (?) drum and guitar are so propulsive and groovy. Really nice listen!