Remember my dinosaur song?

June 26, 2012 6:28 PM

I'm trying to find a vaguely remembered childhood song about dinosaurs.

I had it on a cassette tape about seventeen years ago. It definitely mentioned pterodactyls, and at some point talked about "B.P. - before people." I call it a song, but I don't really remember if it was mostly spoken word or a true song though I do feel sure there was some music involved... any ideas?

posted by vegartanipla to media & arts (6 answers total)

Was it on Wee Sing Dinosaurs by any chance? My brother and I used to listen to that all the time (though the only song I remember is the one about deinonychus).

With his terrible claaaaaaw...
posted by phunniemee at 6:56 PM on June 26, 2012

Perhaps something (or somethings) from Dinosaur Rock? The album is a mix of spoken word and singing songs. "Leaping Lizards" is about pterodactyls, and I vaguely remember a slow-talking dinosaur telling a story about the time before people.
posted by flicken at 7:21 PM on June 26, 2012

Hmm, I'll try to listen to all the Dinosaur Rock clips, but this was definitely just a single song and not a whole album, and I feel like it was less cheery than Wee Sing Dinosaurs or the couple of songs I previewed on Amazon of the Dinosaur Rock songs. I mean, it wasn't a scary song or anything, but it wasn't... ditzy, if that's not too insulting a word? It definitely tried to cram a lot of dino education into one 5-6 minute song. I kind of feel like while it could have had female and/or male voices, that the "BP... stands for before people" bit was in a male voice.
posted by vegartanipla at 7:39 PM on June 26, 2012

When listening to Dinosaur Rock, keep in mind that several voices changed from the original. See details in this Amazon customer review:

However, there is one big thing which I personally find disappointing: Dinah Diplodocus' voice and personality have been significantly changed. In the original, Dinah spoke with a slow, heavy, ponderous voice that perfectly called to mind a giant creature longer than a city bus and several stories high. In the new version, her voice is light and airy, and she *giggles.* The new voice is *totally* unsuited to her character. All the other character's voices are pretty much the same, though the new children are a bit squeakier than the old ones.

IMHO, the old Dinah Diplodocus' and kids' voices were much better (but that could be the innocence of youth talking.)
posted by flicken at 8:09 PM on June 26, 2012

Was it Our Dinosaur Friends ?

I had it on record in the early 80s, and I am now having some lovely nostalgia.
posted by St. Sorryass at 10:32 PM on June 26, 2012

Probably not what you want - but hey: Jonathan Richman's "I'm a little dinosaur" introduced by Ivor Cutler and featuring actions.
posted by rongorongo at 6:57 AM on June 27, 2012