Humor & Everyday Life
Chicken In The Trees
I opened my laptop looking for enough South Florida iguana material to write one funny song. Twenty-one tracks later, I had learned an important lesson: never challenge Florida to be normal.
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Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees Chicken, chicken — what the hell does that mean? Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees South Florida You got some explaining to do First time I heard it I laughed out loud Thought somebody made it up And passed it around Then that big green bastard Looked straight down at me — Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees I've lived with these dinosaurs For plenty of years Seen enough Florida nonsense To lose a couple fears But Chicken of the Trees Got scratching at my brain So I Googled one little phrase That was my first mistake Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Big green dinosaur Doing whatever he please Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! I went looking for a story — Florida said, "How many you need?" Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees One tab Two tabs Ten tabs deep University papers — Wait Recipes? Back it up What are we eating? Why are we eating it? Who named this thing? Every answer led to questions Every question led to three And every road led right back to — Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees Oh, this is gonna be a problem One story led to another Then another Then five more Every time I thought I'd found The craziest one Florida kicked open Another freaking door I came looking for a chorus Maybe one good Florida song By the time I closed my laptop — There were twenty-one Twenty-one? Apparently Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Big green dinosaur Doing whatever he please Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! I asked Florida for a story — She gave me twenty-one of these! Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees So now I'm reading science I'm reading local news I'm reading things that make me think "Somebody's confused" Then three sources agree And I stare at the screen You've gotta be shitting me And that's when I learned The first rule of this record: If the Florida story sounds Too ridiculous to be true — Keep reading It probably gets worse So pull up a chair Pour something cold I've got some stories That need to be told Some came from science Some came from news Some I watched happen With my own damn eyes too And somewhere on this record You're gonna stop and say "There is no freaking way That actually happened" Good That's exactly what I said Then I looked it up Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Come on, Florida What the hell did I see? Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Every answer made another mystery Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Twenty-one stories And I still can't believe — All this started With one little phrase And one big green bastard Staring down at me Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Iguanas! Chicken in the trees! South Florida! Chicken in the trees! Twenty-one?! Chicken in the trees! Apparently! Chicken, chicken, chicken in the trees! Chicken Chicken Chicken in the trees You really made twenty-one songs about iguanas? Yep Why? Keep listening
Behind the story
Why This Song Exists
“Chicken In The Trees” exists because I made the mistake of thinking I already understood iguanas. I had lived around these things in South Florida for years. I had seen the giant ones along canals and seawalls. I had watched babies scatter around homes. I knew they were invasive. I knew they were everywhere. And I knew the phrase: Chicken of the Trees. I thought it was funny. So I opened my laptop figuring I would do a little research, find enough material for one song, write it, laugh, and move on with my life. That was adorable. Every search opened another door. Documented wildlife damage. Highway encounters. Toilets. Swimming pools. Power outages. Cold-stunned iguanas falling from trees. Government warnings. Hunting trips. Food traditions. And stories so ridiculous that my reaction kept becoming: What the fuck, Florida? The important part is that the absurdity was already there. The facts are real. The punchlines are my reaction to discovering them. Some stories on this album came from things I personally lived through. Others came from reporting, government agencies, universities and documented Florida events. Track 1 is the front door to all of it. I only came to write one song. Florida disagreed.
Why This Sound
The album opens in a warm Florida roots-and-island groove because this song is the doorway into the whole project. The music needs to feel welcoming and unmistakably Floridian while the lyric turns one ridiculous phrase into the research rabbit hole that became a double album.
- Collection
- Chicken of the Trees
- Sound
- Roots Rock · Island Rock
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