Story Behind The Song

This story and song was inspired by my 4 year old Granddaughter inquiring about what a hippopotamus was, where it lived, what it looked like, etc. On the fly, I began telling her a story about Russ The Hippopotamus. We had so much fun with it I decided to

Song Description

The Story And A Song ? Russ The Hippopotamus is a unique combination of an interesting and educational narrated children?s story followed by a related song.

Lyrics

Russ The Hippopotamus

Story:

Hi! I?m Russ and I?m a Hippopotamus.
What?s that? You don?t know what a Hippopotamus is? Well, let me tell you.

But, before I tell you about myself, you just might have to use some of that great imagination of yours. You may have to close your eyes and picture me in your mind. Pretending is fun and easy, so let?s get started.

Yes ? Imagine you are in a place far away. It is very warm and very sunny. The sky is usually clear, with no clouds, and a big, bright sun. The sun seems so big you could almost reach out and touch it. There are different tall grasses and other plants that grow in wetlands (A kind of swamp or marshy area). There are many different birds, short scruffy trees and bushes, lots of animals like crocodiles and African buffalo. Of course, there is a big, wide river. Actually, I am a Nile Hippopotamus from an area of the World called sub-Saharan Africa. It is basically the countries of Guinea, Ethiopia, and the top or Northern part of South Africa. Now if you look carefully at the river you will see a big rock sticking up just above the waters surface.

Oh! You can?t see it yet. Well come a little closer to the river, ya that?s it. Whoa! Whoa watch out for that Crocodile. You don?t want to step on him. He gets a little grumpy when he is relaxing in the sun and gets disturbed. That?s better, walk around him, and take a good look at that rock.

Yep! That?s me, Russ the Hippopotamus. Now if you look closely you will see my little ears, squinty eyes, and big nose. Actually you are only looking at the top of my head because the rest of me (and I mean the REST of me) is underwater. You see I like being in the water because I am really B-I-G big! And being in the water helps me feel lighter and keeps me cool.

I also come out of the river and walk around on the ground. Usually I spend the days in the river (or sometimes a lake or pond) and the nights on the land, eating. I guess I am lucky because I am at home in the water or on the land. You know, maybe I should just come out of the river and meet you. I?ll do it slowly so you can see me a little at a time, I?m big and I don?t want to frighten you. Just give me a second to swim over to the shallow part of the river so I can start walking out. Ah ?. That?s better, here I come.

Well, how do you like me? Go ahead, walk around me and take a good look. You can see that I am bulky and my body is barrel-shaped. My neck is short, I have a big head, and my legs are like small tree trunks. All-in-all, a pretty handsome character. I see you noticed that I have thick skin and almost no hair. Actually, I only have hair (or bristles) on my nose, ears, and tail. I kinda look like a real large pig.

Us Hippos come in different colors from brown to grayish purple but I am gray except for my under-parts like my tummy, under my chin, and of course between all the wrinkles in my elephant-like skin. That?s where I am pink.

Well, it took you a while to walk around me, didn?t it. Yep, I am 15 feet long, about 5 feet high, and I weigh about 8,000 pounds. (Melodic talking) I?m big, I?m bulky ? (small laugh) but up here on the land I can gallop at about 30 Miles per Hour. That?s fast! and in the water I can swim with ease. Just like my first cousin the whale. Yep ?. I can even walk or gallop on the bottom of the river, and that?s something he can?t do.

I can hold my breath for five minutes and even sleep underwater ? I?m an A.T.M. that?s an All Terrain Mammal ? Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha. Oh, I see we are face-to-face now. You can see that my ears, eyes, and nostrils are on top of this big old head. That?s so I can be comfortable in the water with just a little bit of me sticking out. Remember that rock?

Ah, I can see you are curious about these big, wrap around, lips that probably remind you of the bumpers on the family car. They?re big because I have a big mouth. Here, I?ll show you, back up a bit and check this out. (In a strained muffled voice) Big ?. You could walk right in and how about those teeth. Oh sorry ? Just like you shouldn?t talk with something in your mouth, I shouldn?t try to talk with mine open. It?s big Hugh? Why you could almost walk right in. And how about those teeth? They are great for mashing up the vegetation (grass and plants) that I eat and the two real long teeth (called incisors) are my only real defense against something that wants to hurt me.

What?s the matter? You look like something is wrong. Oh, I know what?s wrong. It?s getting warm and I am starting to sweat. Well, thanks for caring but I?m not hurt that red stuff on my skin is a good thing. You see I spend most of my life in the bright sun and just like you I get sun burned. You put on sun tan lotion and sun screen so you don?t burn. Us Hippos have it built in. As we sweat this red liquid comes out and covers our skin it comes out and covers our skin, that way we don?t get sun burnt. It also has a medicine in it to help heal all the little cuts and scratches we get on these big old bodies. Speaking of ?old? us Hippos live about 45 years out here in the wild. And if we are brought to a Zoo can even live a little longer.

The grunting sound we make, and the way we look, makes everyone think we?re related to pigs, but we aren?t related at all. You look like you have a question. Yes, that?s right. Earlier I said my first cousin was the whale, and it is a fact. Whales and Hippopotami are very close relatives. I don?t understand why, but I am proud to have the wonderful whale as my cousin. Wouldn?t you be proud too?
There is one thing that makes me, Russ the Hippopotamus, different from all the others. I like to sing and even dance a little. Now, I am serious, don?t laugh. I am very good but almost never get a chance to show off a little. Sometimes I wish I were living in a Zoo where I could sing to an audience every day, maybe even become a star. I can hear it now ?. Introducing Russ the Singing Hippopotamus. Yep, that would be nice but I live in the wild and I guess just grunting with my friends will have to do.

Whoa! Wait a minute! I have an audience, you?re here visiting. Ha, ha, ha, you are in for a real treat. I am going to sing a special song just for you. But when I?m done I have to go back to the river, and you have to return home. Your visit here has been wonderful and I hope, when you see a hippopotamus in a Zoo (or maybe even in the wild), you remember me. So, without further ado.

Ladies and gentlemen.
Children of all ages.
ATM Records is proud to present
The next superstar
A singing sensation
The hippest of Hippos
Russ the Hippopotamus

(Applause, etc)
Come on ? let?s give it up for Russ
(Applause)

(Song)

Song Lyrics:

Introduction
Hippo ? potamus
Ya ?. Check out these moves
Hippo ? potamus

Verse 1
I?m a Hippopotamus
When I walk I make a fuss
My friends they call me Russ
I?m Russ the Hippopotamus

Verse 2
In the water I am light
On the land I?m quite a site
I eat all day and night
I?m Russ the Hippopotamus

Chorus
I?m big, I?m round
Mostly in the water I?m found
On land I?m grand
But I can get stuck in the sand
My ears are small
But my mouth is like a wall
I?m Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ
The Hippopotamus

Chorus
I?m not tired you see
But I yawn constantly
I make grunting sounds
Underwater or on the ground
My eyes are small
And my nose is overall
I?m Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ
The Hippopotamus



Verse 3
I can swim real fine
I hold my breath a long-long time
But I?ll never swing from a vine
Cause I?m Russ the Hippopotamus

Verse 4
I can walk under water
I can walk on the land
I?m big, I?m gray, I?m grand
Cause I?m Russ the Hippopotamus

Chorus
That rock in the river
It could be me you see
I live in a herd
All my friends just adore me
I eat veggies for food
Chewing them with teeth so huge
Cause I?m Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ
The Hippopotamus



Chorus
I?m big, I?m round
Mostly in the water I?m found
On land I?m grand
But I can get stuck in the sand
My ears are small
But my mouth is like a wall
I?m Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ, Russ
The Hippopotamus

End
Hippo ? potamus
Ya ?.. check out these moves
Hippo ? potamus
Hippo ? potamus
Hippo ? potamus