My Dog Pal

"My Dog Pal" is the eighth track of the album Arthur and Friends: The First Almost Real Not Live CD (or Tape). The song is supposed to be about Arthur's dog, Pal. However, when D.W. says that the song is boring, he changes the song and then the song progressively gets changed by suggestions from his friends until it barely resembles the original, until everyone realizes that nobody has any idea what the song is about anymore. Arthur then restores the original tune. The song is based on the events of "Arthur Writes a Story," which in turn was based on events from "Arthur's New Puppy." A portion of the section in which Arthur sings about being with a striped elephant on Planet Schmellafint is lifted directly from "Arthur's New Puppy."

Lyrics

Arthur

And now, a song about my dog, Pal, entitled "My Dog Pal," by Arthur Read, Mr. Ratburn's class.

(calm, soothing tune on the piano)

My dog Pal is better than all the rest
His doggy face makes any place the absolute best
Like dogs of a feather, we belong together

D.W.

Boring! Don't you want people to like your song?

Arthur

Well, yeah.

D.W.

Then sing about what people like. People like elephants. And you need an instrument that says "elephant." Here, use this tuba. Tuba rocks!

Arthur

(sings a somewhat lively tune and plays the tuba)

My elephant Pal was born upstairs
And fell through the ceiling
You shouldn't keep an elephant up there
If you must have an elephant
Keep it in the basement
Because that's too much weight to keep upstairs!

Buster

Hold it, hold it! That didn't happen. If you're gonna sing about stuff that didn't happen, why not make it science fiction? Science fiction is very popular. Could be a big hit.

Arthur

A big hit?

(sings to the tune of Strauss's "Waltz of the Blue Danube")

My elephant

Buster

My elephant

Arthur

Was born up on the moon

Buster

Born on the moon

Arthur

And floated upstairs

Buster

Floated upstairs

Arthur

There's less gravity there

Buster

Gravity there

Arthur

Elephants floating around

Buster

Floating around

Arthur

Zooming up, zooming down

Buster

Zoom zoom, zoom zoom

Arthur and Buster

Elephants in space helmets everywhere
In our remote moon-based home

Brain

Stop right there. An elephant would weigh loss on the moon, but would not float to the ceiling. You need accurate facts. Here. Use my elephant research.

Arthur

(classical tune)

Loxodonta, genus Loxodonta
Loxodonta, that's a pachyderm

Francine

Stop! Stop! Stop! I don't understand that. And if I don't, other people sure won't. People understand country music. Make it colorful with stripes and hats. Something you can dance to. Then everyone will love your song, Arthur.

Arthur

(performing country western tune)

A boy found a missin' elephant
Its owner was so grateful
She said

Mrs. Wood

"You deserve a big reward."

Arthur

He chose an elephant puppy
One with lots of stripes
It would never be ignored, yeehaw!
Now this little boy
Can go home and enjoy
His own personal striped elephant
Now you all will see
How happy he can be
Here on planet Schmellafint

Brain

Arthur, I looked it up. There is no such planet as "Schmellafint."

Arthur

None of the other planets rhyme with "elephant." But the rest of the song is good, right? Right?

Mrs. Wood

I don't know what this song is about.

Arthur

It's about my dog, Pal.

Buster, Francine and Brain

Huh?

Arthur

It used to go like this.

(performs original tune)

My dog Pal is better than all the rest
His doggy face makes any place the absolute best
Like dogs of a feather, we belong together (Pal wails)
Me and my dog Pal

Buster

Hey, that's not bad.

Brain

I like it.

Francine

Why didn't you sing that in the first place?

Arthur

I did, but D.W. said it was boring.

D.W.

(giggles nervously) I think I hear Mom calling. Bye!

Francine

Sing it again! Yeah!

All except Arthur, D.W. and Francine

Yeah!

Arthur

If you want to hear it again, start the track over. I'm exhausted.