Randy Newman
Lyric guide

The Joke

Read The Joke lyrics by Randy Newman on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

Randy Newman visibility5 visits
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot

The page facts to cite before the commentary

Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.

Page type: lyric reference Artist: Randy Newman Canonical path: /randy-newman/the-joke Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

The Joke

The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.

A rabbit bein' chased by a big,

black dog

Through the early mornin' fog

Over the meadow and past the bog,

They were runnin'

The rabbit had jumped a fence or two

Cause that's what rabbits like to do

Big black dog had to jump 'em too

They was runnin'

Now this black dog had a brother

'Cept he was white as snow

One looked like the other

Least that's how the story go

So the black dog's

chasin' the rabbit down the road

And he seen a familiar face he knowed

He said, "Hey there white dog,

what you say?

Take over chasin' this rabbit,

all right?

Thank you, get away!

Take over chasin' this rabbit

Or they'll be no rabbit

stew today for us."

And here what the white dog say

He say,

"That rabbit smiled as he went by

He know he got you beat, that's why.

You wait here and I'll chase a while

Cause I hate to see a rabbit smile."

So off he go, off the white dog go.

Now when that little rabbit

looked around

He jumped four feet off the ground

He said,

"That big old dog that's chasin' me

Why, he's taken off his jacket

and he's runnin' free

He's taken off his jacket

and he's catchin' me."

Now there's a moral to this story

For crazy rabbits with dreams of glory

Any rabbit think a dog wear a jacket

Should get out of the rabbit racket.

One dog's brother is another dog's child

And no one likes to see a rabbit smile.

Quick answers

What this page can answer fast

Who performs "The Joke"?

Randy Newman performs "The Joke", and this lyric page sits inside the Randy Newman catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "The Joke"?

Yes. The related section below points to Pants and A Wedding In Cherokee County with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Randy Newman?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Randy Newman's lyric pages.

Song Room

Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song

Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.

Open Song Room
0 followers Selected insights only surface after moderation
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Add a short interpretation or memory

A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.

Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.

No listener comments on The Joke yet.