37 Bananas

(Airey, Gillan, Glover, Morse, Paice) From the Deep Purple album Bananas

These words refer to one meaning of bananas…Nuts.

I couldn't stop laughing as I worked out where to count seven and where to count five in this unusual arrangement. It proved to be very difficult for an old blues singer like me. So, I ignored the time signatures entirely and sang the tune as if it was a straight 8/4. I just tapped my foot to every beat, and developed a psycho-twitch as I ignored the missing last beat of each bar, and then drew inspiration from the harmonica. Fortunately with a blues harp you have to suck in order to bend the notes…

The lyrics are in the same vein as the music, which provides a good vehicle for some picture words that you can make of what you may. I've had some interesting moments, miming them to my friends. For example, Two in the hand and one in the bush…which is a variation of the old bird adage.

I think they are easily enough understood, but for our international friends I might explain that a cracker is not only a dry biscuit, but an attractive woman, and that being on the shelf, in this context, implies the opposite.

There is also, quite aptly, an allusion to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party as well as some evidence of my sudden dysnumera.