For years I thought this was sung by Boris Karloff, but he only narrated the show. It was actually sung by Thurl Ravenscroft - the voice of Tony The Tiger. And yes, Dr. Seuss wrote the lyrics.
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch! You really are a heel You're as cuddly as a cactus You're as charming as an eel Mr. Grinch! You're a bad banana With a greasy black peel!
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch! Your heart's an empty hole Your brain is full of spiders You've got garlic in your soul Mr. Grinch! I wouldn't touch you With a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!
You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch! You have termites in your smile You have all the tender sweetness Of a seasick crocodile Mr. Grinch! Given the choice between the two of you I'd take the seasick crocodile!
You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch! You're a nasty, nasty skunk! Your heart is full of unwashed socks Your soul is full of gunk Mr. Grinch! The three words that best describe you Are as follows, and I quote "Stink, stank, stunk!"
You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch! You're the king of sinful sots! Your heart's a dead tomato Splotched with moldy, purple spots Mr. Grinch! Your soul is an apalling dump-heap Overflowing with the most disgraceful Assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable Mangled-up in tangled-up knots!
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch! With a nauseous super naus! You're a crooked jerky jockey And you drive a crooked hoss Mr. Grinch! You're a three-decker sauerkraut And toadstool sandwich With arsenic sauce!
I'm told that Mike Rowe of "Dirty Jobs" fame (and professionally trained opera singer) does a mean version of this.
Go to https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeReview/videos/mike-rowe-sings-mr-grinch-and-its-awesome/1059729704149920/ and the 40 second mark.
ReplyDeleteThurl Ravenscroft indeed, also the lead vocalist on "A Pirate's Life For Me" and "Grim Grinning Ghosts".
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/kgJZoaYVIl4?t=151
https://youtu.be/L2QLjmJsGhQ?t=638
Anybody who heard a Tony the Tiger ad for Frosted Flakes can pick his voice out in a hot minute on all three songs.
I understood Mike Rowe was a walk on opera singer. He practiced for a while, then just baritoned his way in.
ReplyDeleteI gotta go dig a little and see.
Whichever way, the man has talent and panache.
Small Town Titans did a good version.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cUz-zAATNI
Thurl Ravenscroft was a true Basso Profundo given his range and power. Definitely one of the great ones.
ReplyDelete