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One that got away



Oh the little fish go splish splash splish

As they hear the story unfold

A warning with this water myth

Helps the little fishies grow old.


Sal swam near the surface of Tuckerman Lake

Her fins flipped so fast they created a wake

She darted beneath the old wooden dock T

o her home in the crevice of Signature Rock

Although she was safe, she was scared half to death

It took her some time to catch hold of her breath

Then she sighed with relief and retold the whole tale

Of how she’d escaped from the bright shiny pail.


Oh the little fish go splish splash splish

As they hear the story unfold

A warning with this water myth

Helps the little fishies grow old.


Yesterday morning while swimming about

With Betsy the Bass and Timmy the Trout

We saw something silver come down from above

We crowded around it and started to shove

“I saw it first,” little Timmy explained

“Move out of my way,” then he loudly complained.

“You poor silly trout,” came Betsy’s reply

“If you can get by me then give it a try.”


Oh the little fish go splish splash splish

As they hear the story unfold

A warning with this water myth

Helps the little fishies grow old.


And as Timmy tried to give Betsy the slip

I scooted on past with a flip of my hip

I said, “Sorry mates,” and I swallowed that thing

I just didn’t know that it came with a string.

The next thing I know I’m up in the air

Shouting, “How can this be. It just isn’t fair.”

Both Betsy and Timmy then witness me cuss

And I hear them say, “Wow, glad it’s not us.”


Oh the little fish go splish splash splish

As they hear the story unfold

A warning with this water myth

Helps the little fishies grow old.


Then all of a sudden I’m caught in a net

By a 3 year old boy who thinks I’m his pet

His mom cuts the string as the boy holds me tight

You better believe I was shaking with fright

On the shore there it was, that bright shiny pale

The boy dunked me in and I started to flail

This startled the boy and he pulled back his hand

Knocking that bright shiny pail in the sand


Oh the little fish go splish splash splish

As they hear the story unfold

A warning with this water myth

Helps the little fishies grow old.


Out came the water and then of course me

One moment I’m caught and the next I am free

What did I do? Well you make no mistake

I wasted no time getting back to the lake

Like a torpedo I swam all the way here

You can swim very fast when you’re trembling in fear.

So family and friends here’s the lesson to learn

Never eat silver things or you may not return.


Oh the little fish go splish splash splish

As they hear the story unfold

A warning with this water myth

Helps the little fishies grow old.



One that got away - Behind the Scenes



This was one of my first stories and is just now finding its way on to an album.

It didn't make the cut on Wake the Imagination

because all the stories on that album were written for a specific child

It didn't make the cut on Here To Play

because it seemed to be more of a cautionary tale and didn't fit the album theme

It almost made the cut on On a Roll

but I had trouble with it in the studio and made a last minute substitution

It didn't make the cut on Who I Am

because that was a CD of songs I'd written for musicals at Pok-o-MacCready

It finally made the cut on Forgot My Oars

because it was inspired by fishing off the dock where the album cover was taken


However, I have told the story to thousands of children over the years.

It was a favorite story / song when I used to host a regular playgroup at 51 Walden

It was a staple when I regularly visited classrooms all over Eastern Massachusetts

You can find it on several Facebook recordings such as:

- 19 days of 4 songs per day filmed back in the spring of 2018

- Covid Concerts in the Kitchen filmed in the spring of 2020

You can find it on my YouTube channel as part of the Polar Bear Dip Week Challenge

- It is the encore performance of a 7 day challenge as we quarantine in March 2021.

- The song starts at the 8:00 minute mark with Luke accompanying me on piano.




Forgot My Oars


Animal Parade
Butterfly on my Nose
Charlie at the farm
cookie Recipe
david and the Mosquito
do you like to be scared
find a color
five pancakes
Forgot my oars
four Princesses
good to have you here
one that got away
pretend you're a rocket
shake an egg
swimming up the river
Up in the sky
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