Tigers in Africa
Discovering Truth: Tigers, Moonwalks, and Rainbows
Lyrics
My little boy came home from school the other day
Parent talking about their child coming home from school.
He told me what his teacher said with oh such great dismay
Child tells something taught by the teacher with distress.
She said, in Africa there are no tigers to be found
Teacher says there are no tigers in Africa.
There's no man on the moon
Teacher denies the existence of a man on the moon.
And it's not cheese though it's yellow big and round
Teacher dismisses the idea of the moon being made of cheese.
And there's no treasure and gold at the rainbow's end
Teacher rejects the belief in finding treasure at the end of a rainbow.
You're growing up and fantasising's over now my friend
Implies that childhood fantasies are over.
But I said, yes there's tigers in Africa and a man once walked upon the moon
Parent disagrees with the teacher, affirming the existence of tigers in Africa, a man on the moon, and treasures at a rainbow's end.
And there's treasure and gold at the end of the rainbow
Reinforces the beliefs contrary to the teacher's statements.
My little boy now would I lie to you
Asks the child if they would lie about these things.
And so I took him to the mighty Zambezi
Parent takes the child to Zambezi to show the reality contrary to the teacher's claims.
I said, this time your teacher's wrong, now just you wait and see
Expresses the confidence that the teacher is mistaken.
We launched our boat outside a place they called the Deka Drum
Describes the fishing experience where a fish with tiger-like stripes is caught, reinforcing the idea of tigers in Africa.
And soon our lines and spoons were flashing in the midday sun
-And somewhere near Msuna he hooked a fisherman's dream
-With tiger stripes and gnashing teeth it danced upon the stream
-And I said, yes there's tigers in Africa and a man once walked upon the moon
Reiterates the earlier statement about the existence of tigers in Africa, man on the moon, and treasures at a rainbow's end.
And there's treasure and gold at the end of the rainbow
-My little boy now would I lie to you
-That night around the campfire in the cool and gentle breeze
Describes a storytelling moment around the campfire about the moon, space travel, and moon landing.
We watched the moon rise up and it looked like a piece of cheese
-Then we counted stars and planets how they shined and shined
-And I told him about Neil Armstrong's step for all mankind
-And all about the astronauts and moon buggies and space
-And how going to the moon was such a great exciting race
-And I said, yes there's tigers in Africa and a man once walked upon the moon
Continues to reinforce the child's beliefs contrary to the teacher's assertions.
And there's treasure and gold at the end of the rainbow
-My little boy now would I lie to you
-Next day it rained but later when the storm was gone
Depicts the beauty of nature after rain and the sighting of a rainbow.
A multi-coloured rainbow rose up in that glorious morn
-And raindrops clung to leaves and shone like jewels all round
-And the rainbow seemed to end right near us in the ground
-It was a treasured memory forever to behold
Shares a cherished moment and tells the child that the rainbow itself is the treasure.
I put my arms around my boy and said, now there's your treasure and gold
-And I said, yeah there's tigers in Africa and a man once walked upon the moon
Repeats the affirmation that tigers exist in Africa, a man walked on the moon, and the rainbow holds treasure.
And there's treasure and gold at the end of the rainbow
-My little boy now would I lie to you
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