WELCOME TO THE CFZ BLOG NETWORK: COME AND JOIN THE FUN

Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

Search This Blog

WATCH OUR WEEKLY WEBtv SHOW

SUPPORT OTT ON PATREON

SUPPORT OTT ON PATREON
Click on this logo to find out more about helping CFZtv and getting some smashing rewards...

SIGN UP FOR OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER



Unlike some of our competitors we are not going to try and blackmail you into donating by saying that we won't continue if you don't. That would just be vulgar, but our lives, and those of the animals which we look after, would be a damn sight easier if we receive more donations to our fighting fund. Donate via Paypal today...




Sunday, April 19, 2009

CRYPTO SONGS: Shane picks up the gauntlet

Shane, our North Carolina representative wrote this to me yesterday:


Hi Jon,


It was great to hear from Jon Downes and the Amphibians from Outer Space, in the latest "On The Track".

I was thinking about your challenge to come up with cryptozoological related songs, being the music aficionado that I am. Immediately, some spring to mind. The first is always Synchronicity II, by the Police. Then of course, "Werewolves of London", "Godzilla", "Frankenstein", and "Walk the Dinosaur", by Was Not Was. These are all a bit of a stretch, except for Synchronicity II. So, I will keep thinking.

Take care my friend, and have a great weekend.
Very Best Wishes,
Shane


This made me think, and I wrote back telling him that I was not sure where he was going with this, but that I was enjoying it and to carry on..


He replied:


Hi Jon,

I really think that you're on to something mate, with these cryptozoological related songs. The whole CFZ family can play along.

Do you realize, that if you expanded the scope of songs just a little, to encompass fortean related material, then you would literally blow the entire bloody roof off? Some examples are, "Black Magic Woman" by Santana, or Fleetwood Mac, "Ain't Superstitious" by Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, "Children of the Grave", by Black Sabbath, "Sympathy for the Devil", "Come Sail Away" by Styx, "Season of the Witch" by Donovan, and the list goes on and on.

So, for right now, I will stick to strictly cryptozoologically related songs. I have to say, that my all time favorite in that category, and a very cool, trippy, song, is "Fairies Wear Boots", by Black Sabbath. You have Ozzy on vocals, tripped out lyrics, and cool psychedelic guitar. What's not to love?

Take care Jon. Have A Great weekend.

Very Best Wishes,

Shane

P.S. Honorable mention must go to a very cool Queen song, entitled "Dragon Attack".


So, over to you guys. I will start the ball rolling with "Alley Oop" (I think it is spelled like that), which is a song about a caveman. David Bowie pinched the punchline of the song (which was covered by The Beach Boys amongst others, by including "look at that caveman go" in his song Life on Mars, and on his next album started a song by claiming "I'm an alligator"...


But there must me more!

3 comments:

Neil A said...

I recall when crypto songs were a regular feature in Animals & Men, I think Neil Nixon did the articles. I think having 'dragons' in the titles is cheating!! So many metal tracks to do with dragons, and even dinosaurs so it's got to stay strictly crypto me thinks....and don't forget there's several songs pertaining to the Chupacabras, and I'll be digging out several crusty old psych tracks.

Nick Redfern said...

There are, of course, several Ramones songs: "Animal-Boy;" "Ape-Man Hop;" and "Freak of Nature."

Neil A said...

That's more like it...