The Story Behind "The Woody Woodpecker Song"

Elton John surprised the audience during "Singin' in the Rainforest,featuring Great Songs from the Movies" the 12th Rainforest Foundation Carnegie Hall Benefit Concert on April 21, 2004.

The show opened with Billy Joel, Elton John, Sting and James Taylor, decked out as dark-suited hipsters, trading verses on "That's Amore," accompanied by orchestra and vocal chorus. Later, Elton appeared wearing a plastic beak and cavorting with a pair of nubile dancers while he sang "The Woody Woodpecker Song."

According to Walter Lantz's press agent, the idea for Woody came during the producer's honeymoon with his wife, Gracie, in Sherwood Lake, California. A noisy woodpecker outside their cabin kept the couple awake at night, and when a heavy rain started, they learned that the bird had bored holes in their cabin's roof. In 1947, Woody got his own theme song when musicians George Tibbles and Ramey Idriess wrote "The Woody Woodpecker Song," making ample use of the character's famous laugh.

The performers and their songs were, in no order, Sting ("Moon River"), Taylor ("The Way You Look Tonight," "Pennies From Heaven," "The Twist"), Elton John ("Love Letters," "Secret Love," "The Woody Woodpecker Song," "Pinball Wizard") Antonio ("Mona Lisa," "That's Amore"), Midler ("Lullabye of Broadway," "Wind Beneath My Wings," "The Rose"), India.Arie ("The Long and Winding Road"), Scott ("Over the Rainbow," "Someone to Watch Over Me").

With James Taylor's good-natured stab at "The Twist," it featured some surprisingly agile dance moves from Elton, Sting and actor Antonio Banderas.

The Woody Woodpecker Song's lyrics:

"Ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
oh, that's the woody woodpecker song
ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
yeah, he's a-peckin' it all day long
He pecks a few holes in a tree to see
if a redwood's really red
and it's nothing to him, on the tiniest whim
to peck a few holes in your head
Ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
oh, that's the woody woodpecker's tune
ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
makes the other woodpeckers swoon
Though it doesn't make sense to the dull and the dense
and the lady woodpeckers long for
ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
that's the woody woodpecker song
------ instrumental interlude ------
Ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
woody woodpecker's serenade
ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
on the woodpecker hit parade
Though he can't sing a note, there's a frog in his throat
all his top notes come out blurred
he's the ladies' first choice, with a laugh in his voice
he gives all his rivals the bird
Ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
he'll be settlin' down some day
ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
he'll be hearin' the preacher say
For the rest of your life you'll be woody and wife
and the choir will sing along with
ho-ho-ho ho ho! ho-ho-ho ho ho!
the woody woodpecker song"